Post by hz on Nov 20, 2011 22:18:38 GMT -5
Please see the letter I received about an hour ago, and my response.
----------------------------
Thank you John for bringing this to my attention. I am going to post this in a place where everyone can understand your concern. I can assure you that no one here has intended any disrespect towards those that have made such a huge sacrifice for our nation. I will communicate to OA that the memorial continue to be treated with the respect it deserves.
Sincerely,
Hezzie Johanson (one of the OA members)
On Sun, Nov 20, 2011 at 9:36 PM, john battin <Jbattin@nycap.rr.com> wrote:
I have heard from a direct observer that OA people who have moved into Lafayette Park have decided to use the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial there as a rallying point, speakers’ podium, place to hang signs, etc.
This shows the utmost disrespect for the 76 young men of Albany County wh are memorialized there. You know, the average age of those people was something around 23 years old. There remain locally still parents, wives, children and other relations of these people. These were the days when men were draafted and had no choice in going to the war which killed them. Abuse of the Memorial shows disrespect to these loved ones as well.
If people are abusing the Memorial they should be warned off by your leadership. If you have no leadership, then someone among you with a sense of responsibility and a decent regard forthose memorialized should point out who these disrespectful abusers are to the Albany Police and ask the police to arrest them.
You might think that District Attorney Soares would not make arrests for demonstrators in the exercise of their freedom of speech and assembly rights; however, if local veterans begin to complain to Soares about the disrespect shown, OA might find that the ‘live and let live’ relationship might deteriorate quickly.
John T. Battin
-------------------------------------------------
I just want to add that I have been to NYC to the OWS movement in Zucotti Park and sympathize with the movement in a great many respects. I am also a Vietnam Veteran and was involved in the building of the Memorial some 20 years ago. Accordingly, I and many others involved with the Memorial had the opportunity to meet with families and loved ones of those men both to share their grief and their gratitude for the remembrance.
The Memorial was built from funds raised through thousands of contributions, large and small, with the full co-operation of most of our community as well as veterans’ groups, religious leadership, labor, construction companies, and members of Albany City government as well as from the State of New York.
John T. Battin
----------------------------
Thank you John for bringing this to my attention. I am going to post this in a place where everyone can understand your concern. I can assure you that no one here has intended any disrespect towards those that have made such a huge sacrifice for our nation. I will communicate to OA that the memorial continue to be treated with the respect it deserves.
Sincerely,
Hezzie Johanson (one of the OA members)
On Sun, Nov 20, 2011 at 9:36 PM, john battin <Jbattin@nycap.rr.com> wrote:
I have heard from a direct observer that OA people who have moved into Lafayette Park have decided to use the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial there as a rallying point, speakers’ podium, place to hang signs, etc.
This shows the utmost disrespect for the 76 young men of Albany County wh are memorialized there. You know, the average age of those people was something around 23 years old. There remain locally still parents, wives, children and other relations of these people. These were the days when men were draafted and had no choice in going to the war which killed them. Abuse of the Memorial shows disrespect to these loved ones as well.
If people are abusing the Memorial they should be warned off by your leadership. If you have no leadership, then someone among you with a sense of responsibility and a decent regard forthose memorialized should point out who these disrespectful abusers are to the Albany Police and ask the police to arrest them.
You might think that District Attorney Soares would not make arrests for demonstrators in the exercise of their freedom of speech and assembly rights; however, if local veterans begin to complain to Soares about the disrespect shown, OA might find that the ‘live and let live’ relationship might deteriorate quickly.
John T. Battin
-------------------------------------------------
I just want to add that I have been to NYC to the OWS movement in Zucotti Park and sympathize with the movement in a great many respects. I am also a Vietnam Veteran and was involved in the building of the Memorial some 20 years ago. Accordingly, I and many others involved with the Memorial had the opportunity to meet with families and loved ones of those men both to share their grief and their gratitude for the remembrance.
The Memorial was built from funds raised through thousands of contributions, large and small, with the full co-operation of most of our community as well as veterans’ groups, religious leadership, labor, construction companies, and members of Albany City government as well as from the State of New York.
John T. Battin