This isn't right.........

[markd_nscr986 0]

And I hope she receives the membership that she is due


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157839,00.html

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

[Frenchy68 0]

"We can't go changing the rules every time the wind blows."
That's an interesting way to describe someone's death.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[markd_nscr986 0]

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"We can't go changing the rules every time the wind blows."
That's an interesting way to describe someone's
death.




I was struck by the insensitivity of that remark; pretty thoughtless on her part

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004

• Quote

[Zep 0]

I just hope public opinion puts those stupid women to shame.

Gone fishing

[dorbie 0]

Quote

I just hope public opinion puts those stupid women to shame.

These women have more to be proud of than ashamed of. RTFA, this was set up to force a rule change, I expect it will.

[JohnRich 4]

Why does she care about the "Gold Star Mothers" anyway? There are no benefits that come from membership. It's just symbolic recognition. No one will know the man behind a name on a roster.

What really counts is that her family remembers their fallen son.

They shouldn't give a shit what some other organization thinks.

[sfc 0]

Quote

Why does she care about the "Gold Star Mothers" anyway? There are no benefits that come from membership. It's just symbolic recognition. No one will know the man behind a name on a roster.

What really counts is that her family remembers their fallen son.

They shouldn't give a shit what some other organization thinks.

Maybe she wants the support and friendship of others in the same position as she is. Some people do things in life for reasons other than personal financial gain you know.
Reading what you say makes me think that you are somehow blaming her for wanting to join rather than admitting that an organisation such as this could possibly be behaving in a racist, elitist way.

[Jimbo 0]

Racist? You're kidding, right? She was denied membership because she's not a US Citizen, one of the requirements for membership. Explain to me how a group standing by their rules makes them racist, please.

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[kallend 1,644]

Quote

Racist? You're kidding, right? She was denied membership because she's not a US Citizen, one of the requirements for membership. Explain to me how a group standing by their rules makes them racist, please.

-
Jim

You have to be an American citizen," national President Ann Herd said Thursday. "We can't go changing the rules every time the wind blows."

I think it highly OFFENSIVE to liken the death of a GI to the wind blowing. The son WAS a GI, serving the USA, and I fail to see what the nationality of his mother has to do with it. This organization and its leaders need a good overhaul.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Gawain 0]

Many of the men I serve with have relatives or parents that are not US citizens. My own wife is a green card holder. This organization's charter should be changed in my opinion. Ms. Herd's comments are in extremely poor taste.

---

If anyone cares to share a piece of their mind with this organization, their web site is: www.goldstarmoms.com and their main email address is: [email protected]

---

US Army 1/4 BCT 101 ABN DIV

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[eaglenrider 0]

I think it highly OFFENSIVE to liken the death of a GI to the wind blowing.
__________________________________________________

We agree ,Professor, but that is not the case in this instance.
The Lady merely pointed out that their organization has certain rules considering membership requirements and that this mother didn't meet the membership requirements. She is not a US citizen.
Here is a quote from their website "This is a group of mothers whose sons or daughters died in combat serving our country in order for the American people to live in peace and have all the freedoms that we enjoy today."
________________________________________________

The son WAS a GI, serving the USA, and I fail to see what the nationality of his mother has to do with it. This organization and its leaders need a good overhaul.
________________________________________________

Read the quoted text again ,Professor, and note the words "*our*country".
The possesive is plural and indicates that all members must be citizens of The United States.
Therefore, anyone who doesn't consider the great USA to be "their country" isn't qualified for membership. What is so wrong with that?
Or can't private clubs make their own rules of membership any more in the land of the free and the home of the brave,offensive to some or not?

[Zenister 0]

thanks for the link.. i sent off and email expressing my distaste for their actions and public comments.. in addition to the form letter response there was this link

Quote

Statement Regarding National Media Attention Concerning Ligaya Lagman And “The Denial Of A Gold Star”.

The term "gold star" is a term used to recognize the family member of a serviceman or servicewoman who has died in the line of service to their country. As protocol states, the Department of Defense presents to the family, a gold star lapel button, in accordance with each branch of the military’s protocol. The gold star lapel button is not issued by the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

As to the accusation that Mrs. Lagman’s application was denied does not tell the complete story. The application for membership with American Gold Star Mothers was received by the Department of New York. It was not completed or signed by the applicant, nor did it have the required copy of the death certificate and the payment of the first years dues. There were several inaccuracies on the application as to the dates required. A certified letter was mailed to Mrs. Lagman requesting the application be completed in full and returned for approval. To date, we have not heard from Mrs. Lagman, nor have we received any form of communication to the status of her membership application.

To say that the application has been denied is not an accurate statement.

It is also true that the constitution and bylaws of the organization’s founder, Mrs. Grace Darling Seibold, established in 1928, along with fellow charter members, named the organization 'American Gold Star Mothers'.

In Article IV, Section 1 under Eligiblity and Membership states

“Natural Mothers, or citizens of the United States or the Territorial and Insular Possessions of the United States, at the time of their sons or daughters induction into the United States Armed Forces and died as a casualty, killed, captured, missing in action, or as a result of illness or injury received through engagement in the Armed Forces in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Afganistan, and other Strategic Areas.

On June 12, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed and approved a charter for the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. granted by the 98th Congress of the United States of America, which states under Powers, Section 2:

“American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. shall have only those powers granted to it though it’s bylaws and articles of incorporation filed in the state or states which is incorporated and subject to the laws of such state or states.”

As Congress has dictated above, by it’s issuance of the federal charter, by virtue of its name, shall be recognized as “American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.”.

In the article there is mention to the fact that the membership board voted and discriminated against Mrs. Lagman. It was not a vote taken for membership, nor a change in the constitution. It was only from an outside source that the discussion took place regarding an upcoming applicant situation, and at that time, the board decided not to make an exception to the rule without proper investigation.

American Gold Star Mothers is an all-volunteer 501.c.3 organization with no federal funding or benefits from any government agency. Its only means of income is from membership dues and donations. They are grateful for the outpouring of support from other Veterans Service Organizations over the years who have worked closely with the Mothers, and knows their only honorable intentions comes from the heart.

The Executive Board would like to take this opportunity to apologize for anything taken out of its context in the dissemination of information while being investigated by the media and improperly reported. They would also appreciate the time to seek a remedy to this situation and handle it internally so that the best interests of all, and to future Mothers, can be addressed.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[sfzombie13 307]

nobody should change their charter. they need to stick by their rules. this should not an issue here.

_________________________________________
Si hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes

[kallend 1,644]

Quote

I think it highly OFFENSIVE to liken the death of a GI to the wind blowing.
__________________________________________________

We agree ,Professor, but that is not the case in this instance.
The Lady merely pointed out that their organization has certain rules considering membership requirements and that this mother didn't meet the membership requirements. She is not a US citizen.
Here is a quote from their website "This is a group of mothers whose sons or daughters died in combat serving our country in order for the American people to live in peace and have all the freedoms that we enjoy today."
________________________________________________

The son WAS a GI, serving the USA, and I fail to see what the nationality of his mother has to do with it. This organization and its leaders need a good overhaul.
________________________________________________

Read the quoted text again ,Professor, and note the words "*our*country".
The possesive is plural and indicates that all members must be citizens of The United States.
Therefore, anyone who doesn't consider the great USA to be "their country" isn't qualified for membership. What is so wrong with that?
Or can't private clubs make their own rules of membership any more in the land of the free and the home of the brave,offensive to some or not?

I disagree. The possessive could relate to the organization's country, not the mother's. Besides, why can't a permanent resident consider this to be his or her country? Permanent residence is a required preliminary to naturalization.

Regardless, the quoted statement shows a complete lack of class on the part of this organization's leadership and DOES liken this soldier's death to the wind blowing.

For the record, I am the father of a GI (82nd Airborne).

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[eaglenrider 0]

For the record, I am the father of a GI (82nd Airborne).

[kallend 1,644]

Quote

For the record, I am the father of a GI (82nd Airborne).

_________________________________________________

Well then you will be happy to know that in support of the troops, I daily write various members of Congress urging them to end the illegal and unnecesary war in Iraq.
I hope you are doing the same.

Blues,
Cliff

[chuckbrown 0]

Quote

nobody should change their charter. they need to stick by their rules. this should not an issue here.

Sorry, but I think their rules were probably written at a time when we didn't have many "foreigners" fighting and dying for the USA. I think the mother of ANY serviceman/woman killed in action deserves to be considered a Goldstar Mother. It shouldn't matter whether you're a citizen or not; the only entry fee should be having your flesh and blood die a violent death on the battlefield for this country.

[eaglenrider 0]

Quote

Quote

I think my record of opposition to Bush's illicit war is quite clear.

______________________________________________

We all know that you oppose the war,John.
I'm curious to know what actions you have taken toward ending it.
Blues,
Cliff

• Quote

[kallend 1,644]

Quote

Quote

nobody should change their charter. they need to stick by their rules. this should not an issue here.

Sorry, but I think their rules were probably written at a time when we didn't have many "foreigners" fighting and dying for the USA.

Like, before 1776?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[chuckbrown 0]

Well it looks like the Goldstar Mothers have a heart after all.

Gold Star moms dump citizen rule


BY ADAM NICHOLS
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Grieving moms whose soldier children died in combat ended a historic rule yesterday that banned a Yonkers woman from joining their ranks.
The American Gold Star Mothers voted to end a bylaw that ruled that along with having lost a child in active service, its 1,200 members had to be U.S. citizens.

The abolition of the 77-year-old bylaw followed outrage after the Yonkers mom, Ligaya Lagman, was rejected by the group.

Lagman is a Filipino and U.S. permanent resident. Her son Anthony, 26, was an Army staff sergeant who was killed in a firefight in Afghanistan.

"Mrs. Lagman will be delighted at this decision, not for herself but for all the mothers who want to join," said Bob Foster, vice commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Eastchester, who helped Lagman apply for membership.

She abandoned her quest to join after being turned down this year, and was unavailable for comment yesterday.

But Foster said, "This bylaw had to be changed, even if there was just one mother wanting to join. That mother had her heart broken because her child gave everything to the United States."

"This change to our constitution was the right thing to do," said President Judith Young.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/story/323263p-276340c.html


P.S., Kallend, check when this rule was originally written.

[markd_nscr986 0]

Good!

Marc SCR 6046 SCS 3004