Principal Cancels Vets Event At High School - “Too Political”
Pictured: Iraq War Vet and Vets For Freedom head Pete Hegseth speaks at Gathering of Eagles II last September in Washington DC.
A national tour featuring decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan won’t be stopping at Forest Lake Area High School today as planned, after school leaders abruptly canceled the visit.
Steve Massey, the school principal, said the decision to cancel was prompted by concerns that the event was becoming political rather than educational and therefore was not suitable for a public school.
He said the school had received several phone calls from parents and others, some of whom indicated that they may stage a protest if the event took place.
“The event was structured to be an academic classroom discussion around military service. We thought we’d provide an opportunity for kids to learn about service in the context of our history classes,” Massey said. “As the day progressed, it became clear that this was becoming a political event … which would be inappropriate in a public setting.
“We decided to cancel,” Massey said. Organizers of the National Heroes Tour then scrambled to relocate the event to the American Legion building in Forest Lake. The visit, which U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, had been scheduled to attend, is sponsored by Vets for Freedom, a national organization run by Pete Hegseth, a 1999 graduate of Forest Lake Area High School who served with the 101st Airborne in Iraq in 2005-06.
“I think it’s extremely unfortunate that a school would bow to the political pressure of outside groups and not bring in a veterans organization,” Hegseth said. “Are we saying that patriotism and duty and honor have no place in our public schools?” So far, the tour has visited one school, albeit a private school.
The stop in Forest Lake was supposed to involve about 150 social studies students and was going to be closed to the public but open to the media. But the last-minute venue change left Hegseth wondering how many people would actually show up today.
“I don’t know if we’ll have a crowd,” he said. “We changed venues, but we don’t have the ability to publicize it.” He said he had talked with school officials ahead of time and assured them that the presenters would not make any political statements.
“We had a number of conversations at the beginning of this to make sure our message was in keeping with the traditions of a public school,” Hegseth said.
“We have not endorsed a presidential candidate. We’re not in the business of doing that.” According to the Veterans for Freedom website, the national tour “is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At this critical juncture in our country, we need Americans, lawmakers and the media to fully recognize — and appreciate — the sacrifice of our brave military and the dramatic success they have achieved, especially in Iraq with the new counterinsurgency strategy.”
When asked whether the part about “rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan” could indeed be construed as political, Hegseth said that the group agreed not to advocate about the “progress made in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
“It’s Iraq and Afghan veterans talking about what they saw and what they did there, and about what it means to put on the uniform of your country,” he said. The veterans started their bus tour in San Diego on March 14 and will end April 9 in New York City.
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It’s things like this that disgust me about this country and occasionaly make me regret ever fighting for it
March 25th, 2008 at 9:23 amSeems Mr. Massey needs to grow a set. The pussification of America continues …
March 25th, 2008 at 9:26 amThat’s a shame. Knowing the guys from Vets for Freedom they would not have made this into a political rally, unlike the left who can turn a memorial service into a political rally.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:30 amI am finding more and more as my kids are getting further up the educational ladder that the left is more pervasive in their indoctrination of my kids. This just proves that the few who complain get their agenda put forward to the young skulls full of mush, to steal a phrase from the great Maha Rushie himself.
I wonder if IVAW or Code Pink would have the same problem?
March 25th, 2008 at 9:55 amTHE NEW CASTROTI
March 25th, 2008 at 12:31 pmTo share your thoughts with the puss, I mean the princepal:
March 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
And it’s NOT considered “too political” to cancel the event?!? WHAT THE???
March 25th, 2008 at 3:18 pmSo you all know…
We will be going full speed ahead with our National Heroes Tour event in St Louis at American Legion post 103 in Maplewood. Anyone in the area is welcome for breakfast at 7am. Donations to cover the food costs etc are appreciated but not required. I’ve been getting a real lesson in organizing in the last week(I didn’t get us involved until I realized nobody else in the area was stepping up.)
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/03/vets-for-freedom-tour-comes-to-st-louis.html
March 25th, 2008 at 4:51 pmsince when is supporting vets political?
March 25th, 2008 at 6:20 pmJeff.. More of us appreciate you and your service than you will ever know. Thank you sir.
This is more proof we are not a country at war but a nation with a military at war. Sad indeed.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:56 pmYou never know where pacifist pussies lurk. I work for a large defense contractor and after several years of buying other folks girl scout cookies etc. I thought work would be a good place to sell some of my kids JR ROTC pizza coupons. Ten bucks get you a coupon for 1/2 price pizza and places a flag on the grave of a U.S. soldier. You would have thought I was selling turd biscuits…
March 25th, 2008 at 8:19 pm“Steve Massey, the school principal, said the decision to cancel was prompted by concerns that the event was becoming political rather than educational and therefore was not suitable for a public school.”
Sounds more like a decription of the typical Pubic High School class that he’s talking about. He should change his name to Pinochio or maybe Tinker Bell is more appropos. What a gay decision. Way to lead by example Principal Victoria.
March 25th, 2008 at 9:00 pmjeff
March 26th, 2008 at 3:19 amI have never been in the military, but i have the utmost respect for the men and women in the military. Thank you for your service. Its shake and bake time in America. Me thinks it will be a real eye-openener in November.
To the question that how can supporting the troops is political, it is quite simple now. It is clearly defined along political lines.
When I was young I used to look at the democrats as ‘liberals’ who were still patriotic to this nation. They had different views on elements of society but were loyal to the nation and would not act against it. I no longer believe that.
I now understand why some countries have had the military come in and take over to clean the government of traitors. It does not seem so far fetched anymore.
March 26th, 2008 at 3:50 am