Congress Limits Protest At Military Funerals

As part of "The Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012"
which passed Congress and is now headed to President Obama's desk, is a section to limit protests
at Military Funerals.

Demonstrators will now no longer be allowed to picket two hours before or 2 hours following a
military funeral service. The bill also says that protesters must remain at least 300 feet away
from grieving family members.

Thanks to Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe who introduced this part of the legislation
at the urging of a teenage constituent, in response to a Supreme Court case in 2011 that said
the protests were protected by the First Amendment.

This will severely limit actions by the Westboro Baptist Church in their protests at military
funerals. The Church's disruptive and insensitive actions  often suggest that U.S. Armed Forces
have been killed as part of God's vengeance for tolerance of gay and lesbian in our country.

As a response to the court ruling and the continued presence of the protesters many have held
counter-protest demonstrations in an effort to block to protesters, often forming a human
barrier to keep the Westboro Baptist Church members at a distance from the military funeral.

Our Armed Forces have fought long and hard to allow the freedom to protest, the members of
this Church should be thankful and respectful enough to allow the freedom of a peaceful and
dignified final laying to rest of those who have given their all to our country.

Respect for the families grieving the loss of their loved ones should never be allowed to be minimized,
or interfered with in any manner by any person or group.

---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Show Respect to Our Flag

I for one am sick and tired of people not showing respect to our flag and the National Anthem.

I have watched so many times during the playing of the National Anthem people not paying due respect.

Take off your hat! Place your hand over your heart! It is not a hard thing to do. Stop
talking and laughing with those around you. You can stop drinking your beer for the few
minutes it takes.

I think it should be impressed upon the sports stars to do this. They make a big impression on everyone.

For a young person to watch these so called heroes standing
around, not only not honoring the National Anthem, but most times not even looking in
the direction of the flag is not a good example.

This is the flag that we as veterans fought to protect, to keep our land free. One flag,
one country, one nation.

Veterans do not receive the respect they deserve to begin with. When you disrespect the
flag you might as well punch a veteran in the face.

Now veterans are permitted to "render a Hand Salute" to the flag So if you see someone saluting the flag remember what they sacrificed, stand tall beside them and honor the
flag in the manner you were taught: silence, hand over heart and think of those who
gave their lives to protect you.

Shame on those who think the flag and the National Anthem are not deserving of a little
respect. If you can not respect the flag, how can you respect a veteran?

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans, Inc.
"We Remember"