(Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Over the weekend, thousands of veterans descended upon the National Mall to protest the federal government shutdown and take down the barricades surrounding the World War II Memorial. The protest was billed as the Million Vet March on the Memorials, organized by a group of frustrated military veterans who have been organizing protests similar to this across the nation because, they felt that in this federal government shutdown, veterans “were unwillingly pitted as pawns in this crisis.”
During the protest, many Conservative politicians and figures—including Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined the veterans and protesters during the rally. The Million Vet March on the Memorials did not appreciate that.
In a message posted on the group’s Facebook page, the organizers of the rally claimed that one of the local organizers put forth a political agenda that wasn’t in step with the group’s mission:
The political agenda put forth by a local organizer in Washington D.C. yesterday was not in alignment with our message. We feel disheartened that some would seek to hijack the narrative for political gain. The core principle was and remains about all Americans honoring Veterans in a peaceful and apolitical manner. Our love for and our dedication to remains with Veterans, regardless of party affiliation or political leanings.
According to the group’s mission statement posted on their Website and Facebook page, the Million Vet March firmly established their apolitical agenda, that their rally was merely meant to be a demonstration in direct response to the frustration of the U.S. government shutting down the World War II Memorial to veterans.
We do not care what political leanings you may be; be it liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent or whatever. The actions of the U.S. government this week with regard to barricading and shutting down the World War II Memorial to veterans, that may or may not be on their last trip to Washington DC, is a despicable act of cowardice.
