"Vets for Freedom" Turned Away From Forest Lake High School, Went to American Legion

LiveFreeOrDie2001 | 3/25/2008 | LiveFreeorDie2001

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

I went to the Vets for Freedom get together inside the American Legion in Forest Lake Minnesota today as the Principal changed his mind yesterday and told them they cannot come to the High School.

The Vets for Freedom bus tour featuring decorated Veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan war.

Capt. Pete Hegseth founded the group Vets for Freedom. He is an Iraq War vet and also a Forest Lake High School graduate. He heard yesterday afternoon that the school did not want the bus to stop at the school, the talk too political for a public school. Pete did say that there was guidelines on them not to be political.

He said some parents and Democratic Underground threatened to protest if they came, so the Principal changed plans and told them they could not come to the school even after he previously told them yes.

The Vets for Freedom group spoke at the Forest Lake American Legion.

About 50 High School students skipped school with permission and were there in the front row with hand-made signs showing their support. I was in the front off to the side.

They are non-profit, non-partisan. The speech has been adjusted for public school students. He said it's about sharing experience.

"I was out there for three days outside the neighborhood outside the green zone and I didn't hear a single shot fired or a single explosion," Pete Hegseth said.

I heard on the local news that the High School denied requests for comment on the situation.

Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) was there and delivered a wonderful speech.

It ended with a WWII Veteran leading the entire crowd proudly singing "God Bless America".

I would like to personally thank the Forest Lake American Legion for hosting the Vets for Freedom on such a short notice.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

I can honestly say that this event was 100% Non-Political.

Capt. Pete Hegseth and several other decorated Veterans were straight up and wanted to communicate their experiences. They did so quite well.

By the Principal denying the Vets, I believe he has turned it into a political issue. The conversation never was.

I ran out of the house so fast, I forgot my camera. Pictures are coming as another kind person took them and he will send them to me.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Good stuff! Thanks for taking the time to attend and reporting back.

[Digital Sniper]

Thank you for posting this.

It is so utterly disgusting that the DUers parrot the mantra of "supporting the troops," but use every dirty trick in the book to make America's own feel unwelcome at every turn.

[Azeem]

Liberal parents are hell bent on creating a generation of cowards.

They protest in this country because they are safe from government reprisals (paid for by the American soldier). But the cowards won’t go to the Middle East to protest the treatment of women or Christians or to China to protest just about everything.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

I heard on 2 Radio stations talk about the Democratic Underground calling and e-mailing the principal.

[lady lawyer]

It might have cut into the time the school devotes to proselyting for the homosexual movement.

[rbmillerjr]

Right, the vets were too political.

...and global warming, gays and lesbians, the NAACP etc. are all apolitical groups.

Somebody should hit the next Bd of Ed meeting for Lake Forest MN.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

If anyone would like to see their website or donate, it is www.vetsforfreedom.org

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

I am in the District and contribute well through my property tax assessment.

I may have to be there.

I heard it was not on the agenda, but it just may be now...

[rbmillerjr]

Of all government entities, the local school board is probably the least paid and most overworked. A little complaining goes along way.

Especially, when they see a list of 5-7 people all droning on about the same issue lol. But the action by the school is bogus on all counts here.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

What I want to know is:

What is this saying to the kids?

[concretebob]

Great report LFOD...wish I could have been there.

[Enchante]

"What is this saying to the kids?"

It's saying they'd better stay in the classroom.............. and watch those "non-partisan" and "educational" films like "An Inconvenient Truth" or "Fahrenheit 911" that have been shown to millions of American schoolkids. /s

Libs have no problem pouring depraved leftist propaganda into public schools, but the idea of several genuine American military heroes showing up to simply talk about their life experiences and answer questions, well that would be too controversial!! Says a lot about the demented state of life in America in 2008.

[rbmillerjr]

“What I want to know is:
What is this saying to the kids?”

Exactly what the leftist who admin and teach in our public schools wants to say...military bad...global warming good.

[TNCMAXQ]

So if Iraq Veterans Against the War want to speak at the school they will be denied also? I wouldn’t count on it.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

I was just on Garage Logic talking about this.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

You stud.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

:-) My next comment I wanted to say was that most of the opposition was from DU and that I thought the Principal caved in to pressure that may have not even showed up.....

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Better to not give those cretins free air time.

I’ll be listening to the replay as soon as they post it up.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

True, but it was on all morning... I am the 1st caller.

[LibertyRocks]

Thanks so much for posting your report! I have a question — don’t know if you’d know, but I have an idea it may be easier for you to find out the answer to it — has this school ever showed Gore’s Global Warming movie in Science classes? Might be a wonderful comparison to draw if they, like MANY other public school students were forced to watch it... I’m glad the kids got to go with permission, and won’t (necessarily) face any backlash from teachers who decided to “Pop Quiz” those who stayed (we had a math teacher that did that on Sr. Ditch Day — you either came to his class that day or you failed the whole semester!)

[LibertyRocks]

LOL - you and I (and I’m sure quite a few others) have made the same observation here...

[LibertyRocks]

*showed, should be shown...

[Inverse]

The Principal claimed to want to avoid politics by canceling the the event. Which put him squarely on the American hating side of the issue.

Here is his email.

smassey@forestlake.k12.mn.us

The rest of the contact info is here if you are interested.
http://hs.forestlake.k12.mn.us/staff_directory/

Be respectful but he needs to understand that by “not taking a side” he has in fact taken a side.

[Postman]

These P’sOS in the DU are no better than insurgent terrorists and deserve the same fate....perhaps worse since they are traitors

[Postman]

These P’sOS in the DU are no better than insurgent terrorists and deserve the same fate....perhaps worse since they are traitors

[Postman]

An unintentional repeat but worth repeating.

[maica]

sent:
subject line: What you are teaching children

Dear sir;
By refusing to allow a graduate of your school who has served the United States honorably as a citizen soldier to speak to current attendees of your school, you HAVE chosen sides. You have demonstrated to your charges that veterans are “political” and not to be trusted to keep their word if they say they want to make a non-political presentation of their experiences to the student body.

I believe that you are afraid to allow your student body to see, up close and personal, actual men who volunteered to serve our country.

maica
Baltimore
Proud supporter of Our Troops

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Here are pictures from the Vets for Freedom event in Forest Lake Mn. that I attended.

Thank you to the kind Gentleman that sent the pictures to me.

------------------------

Capt. Pete Hegseth

David Bellavia

From the website: Author of the much acclaimed war memoir House to House: An Epic Memoir of War, about door-to-door close combat in Iraq, Bellavia is a former army staff sergeant who served in the First Infantry Division (Task Force 2-2) for six years. He is the recipient of the both Silver and Bronze Stars for valor, and the Conspicuous Service Cross, New York State's highest award for combat valor. He has also been nominated for both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor for his actions in a fierce urban hand-to-hand fight in the battle of Fallujah, in November 2004

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Here are a couple more Vets for Freedom today:

David & myself (What an Honor):

The Tour Bus:

LFOD2001

[B4Ranch]

Thank you very much for posting the pictures.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Bump to you...

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Thanks for the post.

Please make sure all taxpayers in the area see this story:

Earning your desk
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1860366/posts

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Bump...

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Bump!

[oneamericanvoice]

Just like the Dems to stifle the free speech of the very people who gave them that privilege. No doubt they wouldn’t object to Cindy Sheehan, Angela Davis, or any other Lefty icon speaking to the students. Good for the 50 students who attended the presentation.

[lightman]

Here’s what I sent:

Sir,

On the same day that you refused to allow one of your school’s alumni to speak of why we fight over there to keep from fighting over here, I am proud to say that one of your Middle School counterparts in Pennsylvania was delighted to welcome an on-leave, active duty US Army soldier to speak to several 6th grade classes about the progress being made in Iraq.

Since much of our news media is intent on obsessing on the number of American casualties, how else will our future soldiers learn of the good that is being accomplished if not through the lips of those who serve.

I believe that you have failed your students, your county, and the educational process.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Thank you for sending that to the High School Principal.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

This story is coming right up on Fox & Friends!

The tease: “This styory is going to make you furious!!!”

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

David Bellavia will be on Fox & Friends.

[Laverne]

I’m so glad so many folks sent emails; I sent two, one to the highschool and one to the feedback email address. How sad it is that this principal refused to allow patriots to address the students. This principal and school board has earned my disrespect. Somehwere there was a link to blackfive, which had also posted the email addresses in one of the comments.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

David said the Principal got 6 E-mails!! Six!

That’s why he cancelled...

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

I’m sure that the DU’ers that sent them were less than threatening......

[maica]

I saw it last night on Fox. Can’t remember if it was Brit Hume’s Grapevine, or O’Reilly, or maybe both!

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

I just saw it on fox - I was in the far front end with the Red, White & Blue jacket off to the side of the students that went there.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Just listened to the radio replay from yesterday.

Ya done good!!

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Thanks, but Dave Thompson at am1500 deserves the credit for having compelling discussions on this and many other topics.

[NRA1995]

Let’s seee...the visit by Capt. Hegseth would have been “too political”....the “Day Of Silence” celebrated by homosexual students is NOT political?

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Someone asked me this before and I could not answer then, but I heard on the radio that the F.L. students were forced to sit through “An Inconvenient Truth”.

[Postman]

Many thanks for the pictures. I hope you’ll be able to convince them to put this issue on their agenda and get some video of the meeting that those of us who can’t participate in the fun will be able to see.

Thanks again.