Does this pin offend you

Greetings to all Legionnaires, American Legion Auxiliary members, Sons of the American Legion members, Legion Riders and anyone else who supports our veterans and our children.
This and the next three blog entries address this issue.

Does this pin offend you? 

Maybe not terribly so as a random object. 

However, does it offend you as The American Legion values and attitudes portrayed by National Commander-Elect Jimmie Foster by handing out the pins with remarks that the one with two white bears is “politically incorrect”, chuckle, and the black bear on the white bear is “really politically incorrect”, chuckle, chuckle, in the hotel lobby at the National Convention? 

Does it concern you that Commander Foster totally ignored my letter of complaint and later in personal conversation with me justified his actions by indicating they had been handing out the pins for 60 years? 

Does it concern you that National Judge Advocate Philip B. Onderdonk and National Adjutant Daniel S. Wheeler, men whose responsibilities are to oversee the administration and policies (including conduct unbecoming a member) of The American Legion, answered my concerns on behalf of women veterans and the Auxiliary by accusing me of eavesdropping on Foster’s conversation (in the main hotel lobby) and stating “He did nothing wrong.” 

                                                    

THE ISSUE: 

Do these pins reflect the values you support as you or your daughters and sons or sisters and brothers fight halfway around the world or serve in the National Guard? Are these Legion values that support you as a Blue Star or Gold Star parent? As a veteran, is this the attitude you want in your leadership as you encourage young men and women to join the Legion or the Legion family…blatant undermining of true Legion values, lip-service for public display and support of that by the organization officers? Our service women and men deserve better than that.

WHY DOES IT MATTER? 

Why, you may ask, is this my concern? I am not a Legionnaire, I am “only” an Auxiliary member. My father served in the Philippines and on submarines in WWII. I have bi-racial grandchildren. The mission of the Auxiliary is to support the mission and values of the American Legion and this blatant disrespect for and hypocritical speeches regarding women veterans, the Auxiliary and persons of color are not values I wish to support.

WHAT CAN YOU DO? 

I do not want you to read this and quit the Legion or your Auxiliary unit. 

I want you to take a stand with me and tell the National Legion leaders this is not acceptable conduct. Legionnaires and Legion Family members are owed an apology from these officers, and recognition in the bylaws that this kind of conduct is unbecoming and deserves reprimand. 

If they continue to support such conduct, Onderdonk and Wheeler need to be replaced by officers who “get it” that the Legion is not sexist or racist and will not tolerate this kind of behavior at Legion Family events or on Legion property. 

They are up for reappointment after National Convention in September by the National Executive Committee. Each Department (State Legion) has a National Executive Committee member. 

Please contact your National Executive Committee Member, NationalCommander Wong and the National Vice-Commanders and insist that this issue be addressed and if necessary that new appointments be made.

In my conversations many members have told me that this attitude is alive and well in the Legion. Ignoring it will never make it go away. Here is a way to begin the change within the organization to be sure that the standards of conduct honor all members of the Legion family alike.