Mother of Slain Soldier Denied Gold Star Membership

FoxNews ^

[Publius6961]

If our miltary doesn't have a citizenship requirement, why does the Gold Star organization have one?

Because, dear ignorant one, it is a private organization and in a free constitutional Republic what the government or you think is irrelevant.

[Publius6961]

Then they can loose [sic] thier [sic] Charter.

I apologize. I was not aware that you gave them their charter and have the power to take it away.
Silly me. I assumed that they established their own charter.

[1rudeboy]

I just question your assumption of "..a "patriotic" LPR", as opposed to one who is an opportunist and an enemy within, even though a child is a hero.

No doubt you do, because you simply assume she is an opportunist and an enemy within. What a crock.

[1rudeboy]

Furthermore, you probably didn't notice because your knee was jerking so badly, but Mrs. Lagman is not even quoted in this article, making your contention that you are qualified to judge her character that much more laughable.

[antiRepublicrat]

There are a lot of people serving in our military who are not citizens (I even knew a British girl in the Army), and therefore we have even more non-citizen parents of our servicemembers. Their citizenship status doesn't make their sacrifice any less.

[jess35]

There are advantages to citizenship, even among private groups. It seems this woman wants the benefits of being an American without having to give up her citizenship in the PI.

If she's so angry about it, she can either gain citizenship or start her own group.

[CyberAnt]

This is disgusting. If the woman's son was accepted as eligible to fight for America - then keeping her out is illogical .. as well as disgraceful!!

[Tatze]

Don't know what xenophopia is...

See Publius6961 as a prime example.

[armymarinemom]

I didn't give them their Charter, congress did. Dollars to donuts they will have their charter yanked over discrimination.

[88keys]

Good point about citizenship...after 20 years, why not?

However...these excerpts from the article are worth considering:

Lagman's application was initiated by Ben Spadaro (search), a veteran from Yonkers, who said he learned about the citizenship rules of the American Gold Star Mothers (search) while working on a national cemetery committee of the Veterans Administration. When he learned of Anthony Lagman's death and saw Lagman was a citizen but his mother was not, he thought, "He's buried in a military cemetery, with full honors. She should be able to join."...

... "We can't go changing the rules every time we turn around," said Herd, the national president. "When we have problems within our organization with people not abiding by the rules, we just get it straightened out, we don't change the rules."

So...it seems to me an exception could and perhaps should be made for this Mom, especially since her son is an American citizen, and also for others on a "case-by-case" basis, but there's no need for a "blanket rule change", which as others have pointed out could have unintended consequences, and "Gold Star Moms" is a "private organization"...

[ops33]

From the Greek, Xeno is foreigner and phobia, is well, phobia, so there you go.

[Spiff]

We have a lot of troops today whose mothers don't even live in the US. Is there any rational reason they shouldn't be honored if their child is killed serving in our forces?

No one disagrees that they should be honored for their son's sacrifice. However, this group has its own rules. Let those people who so desire form their own organization for non-citizens.

[DCPatriot]

LOL! I thought it involved a Costco membership.

[Servant of the 9]

We have a lot of troops today whose mothers don't even live in the US. Is there any rational reason they shouldn't be honored if their child is killed serving in our forces?

No one disagrees that they should be honored for their son's sacrifice. However, this group has its own rules. Let those people who so desire form their own organization for non-citizens.

I would agree, except that the organization receives Federal Funds, which takes it out of the 'Private Club' category.

Two former presidents of the organization are quoted as favoring a rule change.

My guess is that the board rejected a sensible rule change reflexively as a challenge to their authority, and are too proud and too foolish to change their minds.

So9

[TexKat]

American Gold Star Mothers Inc will make changes to their rules as well they should and which is long over due. All the media attention and public awareness will prompt the commitee members to change the antiquated.Google News Search Dead Soldier's Mom Shunned By Veterans Group

Gold Star Mothers should remember this melting pot was forged in blood

[Tatze]

Thank you for the update! Good for the Gold Star Mothers!

[LongElegantLegs]

Alternate universe ping

[Vor Lady]

Thanks for the 'shudder' ping. Biting my tongue.....

[TexKat]

Bump!!

[gitmogrunt]

For refusing to admit Mrs.Lagman to Gold Star Mothers, Gold Star Mothers better not:

A.) ask me for a donation to their organization,

B.)They can find sympathy where my drill instructor told me where it was, back in 1964.( I will not post what he said here because it is to vile a comment from my D.I.)