Posted on 03/16/2007 7:33:28 PM PDT by mdittmar
ISHPEMING — Bob Lambert has always wanted to see the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C., he just never dreamed he’d see it while protecting it from protesters.
Lambert, a member of the Vietnam Veterans Association Chapter 380, will join fellow Vietnam vet Larry Collister, an Ishpeming Township resident, as the duo makes their way to Washington today in hopes of standing between the threats of anti-war protesters and land many vets consider sacred ground.
“These anti-war and anti-America protesters are going to march on the Pentagon on St. Patrick’s Day and they want to congregate around the Vietnam Wall as their starting point,” Lambert said. “As of yesterday, there were about 30,000 vets going to prevent that.”
Lambert, a Marquette resident, said he heard about the anti-war protests — which he said are rumored to be led by Jane Fonda and Cindy Sheehan — from his friends at the VVA and heard about the veterans’ rally through Collister.
“He hemmed and hawed about going at first and then we decided to go,” Lambert said. “We’re going to meet up with a couple of his friends from downstate at the same hotel we’re staying at.”
While veterans are clamoring to protect the Vietnam Memorial, the official group sponsoring the march — the Answer Coalition — insists on its Web site that though the rally point is a location near the memorial, no one will actually gather in the memorial.
According to the Web site, the march, set for noon Saturday, is in memory of the 40th anniversary of the group’s “historic 1967 march on the Pentagon” in protest of the Vietnam War and in protest of the Iraq War on the fourth anniversary of the conflict’s start.
The Web site also states the organization was spurred to march on the Pentagon because U.S. military deaths have exceeded 3,000. “But that doesn’t begin to tell the story,” the site stated. “There have been 21,921 wounded as of Nov. 30 and another 17,835 evacuated due to serious injury or illness as of Sept. 30, 2005 when the Pentagon stopped releasing these statistics.”
Though Lambert said he understands the right to protest, he noted he doesn’t understand the threats that coincide with it.
“There have been threats on the Internet that say they’re going to use paint and hammers on the (Vietnam Memorial) wall,” he said. “This is strictly a peaceful demonstration against the anti-American idiots. I agree that war is not the answer, but what do you do when a bunch of fanatics try to annihilate anyone who does not follow their beliefs and their god?
“I don’t believe in war, but there comes a point that a person has to put their foot down and say ‘This is enough.’”
Lambert, who served in the Coast Guard during the Vietnam War, and Collister, who was a U.S. Marine, expected to arrive in Washington at 2 p.m. today.
Hopefully, Lambert said, the hype has been blown out of proportion.
“I don’t want any trouble,” he said. “But if they try to desecrate hallowed ground, then there’s going to be trouble. It’s happening on St. Patrick’s Day. My day. And I’ll get my Irish dander up, you can bet on that.”
Protect, my bros. … Whish I could be there.
I am not a Vietnam vet but I am retired Air Force, Allied Force/Northern Watch/Southern Watch vet. I will be there along wth lots of our fellow vets. We're on it.
America's finest BUMP!
You just KNOW some jackass is going to "test the waters".....
Prayers and Eagles UP for America BUMP!
Prayers and Eagles UP for America BUMP!
Bump!
Godspeed friend. Every 100 of you will scare 2000 yellow traitors away from disgracing the United States.
I'm there in spirit - even if the body ain't quite as willing as it used to be!!
Cheers.....
And he or she should end up on the ground with a knee in the back and another's foot on her/his neck.
But beware of diversionary tactics, feints, and such.
I will be praying for you, since I have a bad leg and can't stand for that long.
There were thousands of vets and patriots there. It was awesome! I didn't serve in Vietnam (20 years active duty Air Force, from 1985-2005) but I remember watching much of that war via CBS. I knew that our Vietnam vets never got the proper "welcome home" that they deserved. On Saturday, there were THOUSANDS of Vietnam vets there. I got to speak with a few of them and to a person they were determined that our brave troops in Iraq and Afghanistan would not suffer the same fate that they did. They wanted our troops to know that we support them, we appreciate their service and we will welcome them home properly. Two often-heard expressions were "Never again!" and "Not on my watch!" There were some "Ain't Fonda Janes" thrown in for good measure, usually accompanied by epithets that I won't repeat here. All in all, a great day, a great experience--it was a privilege to be there.
Kristinn, you did a great job putting this thing together. THANK YOU! I wish we had more time to visit, but you were kinda busy, so I understand. Next time. Thanks for letting me be part of the DC Chapter!
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