'Arlington West?'

As one who has had the great honor and privilege to place a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, I am appalled at the insolence of an organization which would debase that lovely place and monument to our nation’s dead by calling itself “Arlington West.” Arlington National Cemetery is a sacred place. For any organization to take its name is an injustice to all of us.

The so-called “Veterans for Peace” is a political organization replete with disaffected veterans and a lot of veteran wannabes. Is it truly political? Check out its Web site, http://www.veteransforpeace.org, and judge for yourself.

Fallbrook citizens deserve more than political symbolism and received more by attending a truly non-political Memorial Day ceremony at the Masonic Cemetery. It was in the tradition of loyalty to God, country and our nation’s veterans. Further, there are few other organizations in this country with a membership more knowledgeable about the tragedy of war than the VFW. I would ask you, Jon Monday, have all wars been the result of failed policy? What are your credentials? Ron Ritter is a highly respected retired Navy Chaplain and very active in ministerial and veteran’s affairs countywide. He is a wartime veteran.

I am confident that the majority of the families of these fine young men and women whose names were read by your group would be less than pleased by your “real memorial” and the use to which it has been put.

Finally, I would ask this: Have you ever been punched in the nose? Did you cower and run or did you fight back? None of us like war; we would all like continuing peace. Chaplain Ritter and the rest of the veterans you claim to represent did not choose to cower; we chose to keep our country free.