what does it cost to join the american legion
What the hell is wrong at the American Legion? Some thoughts from a fellow member
Denise Rohan'due south statement does not bear the Legion'south legacy frontwards.
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By Kyleanne Hunter
All-time Defense invitee columnist
Equally a U.S. Marine Corps gainsay veteran of the Mail-9/11 wars, I was proud to bring together the American Legion. In the years since I left the Marines, I had witnessed Legion Posts come up nether the leadership of young veterans committed to engagement with communities. As a woman, I welcomed and cheered the election of the Legion's first female person national commander last month.
By Kyleanne Hunter
Best Defense guest columnist
Equally a U.S. Marine Corps gainsay veteran of the Mail-ix/11 wars, I was proud to join the American Legion. In the years since I left the Marines, I had witnessed Legion Posts come under the leadership of immature veterans committed to appointment with communities. As a woman, I welcomed and cheered the election of the Legion's first female national commander last month.
Only today, I could not exist more embarrassed and ashamed of Denise Rohan'due south argument titled, "American Legion Blasts NFL For Disrespect," that she assumed to make on behalf of all Legionnaires in response to the National Football game League protests. (This statement has since been retitled to read, "The American Legion Calls For Unity.")
I tin attest that Rohan does not speak for all Legionnaires — especially those of my generation. Yes, as a land nosotros need unity, and many of us have highlighted the role that veterans tin play creating dialogue in a divided nation. All the same, Rohan's statement in no way promotes unity.
This is no way for her to start her year as national commander. Instead of leading the veterans' community to aid unify our nation, she has further inflamed ill will and joined forces with those who seek to split up through culture war.
She does not speak for me on this event. She does not speak for many of my friends who are combat veterans. And the photograph of the African-American Ground forces veteran wearing his Legion cap and holding a folded American flag while kneeling to protest President Donald Trump's motorcade during his visit to Indianapolis (where the Legion is headquartered) indicates that she has discounted the concerns of many of our members who are people of color. Many of u.s.a. in the Legion believed from the start that the NFL protests were never almost disrespecting the flag, or veterans. The act of kneeling, an intentionally pious act, should not be construed equally disrespect. Furthermore, these protests have been, and continue to be, peaceful. They take started an important conversation around race and the awarding of rights — ane that is tough for some people to hear.
Her statement does non carry the Legion's legacy forward. Rather, it reinforces the stereotypical image of the Legion as an old, dying drinking guild for angry onetime men who don't care about engaging with their communities or listening. I'm all for the Legion being political, but on issues that assist veterans, non on issues that only carve up the community. If anything, the Legion should have come out on the side of freedom of speech, since that is first amongst the values that nosotros all swore an oath to protect. As a Marine, I was taught to respect the rights of others, fifty-fifty when I might disagree. Equally a veteran, I still hold to that.
Rohan, if you want to recruit and retain young veterans like me, yous need to wake up to the realities of what unification tin can expect similar, and sympathise that protest, especially effectually ceremonious rights, is part of the veteran experience. If not, the American Legion is going to perish. Women and minorities are the fastest growing demographic of veterans and the Legion has fabricated so much progress under your predecessors to become a model for inclusivity and community-veteran date.
I at present wonder whether we have a home at the American Legion. If you don't offer a retraction, I'm going to have a long hard thought about renewing my membership.
Kyleanne Hunter is a decorated combat veteran of the Marine Corps.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Thomas Due east. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and and so the Washington Mail service. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1
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Source: https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/09/29/what-the-hell-is-wrong-at-the-american-legion-some-thoughts-from-a-member/
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