Press Release

Am I the only person getting a bit concerned about the constant flag waving for soldiers and vets? Yes, we need to honor them. Maybe it's not like this everywhere. Vermont has sent a disproportionally large number of its citizens to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The only real 'local' tv news is from a station up in Burlington, and they cover every National Guard call up from departures to homecomings - and that now includes a series of daily reports of our soldier's lives there recorded by their 'on assignment' embedded anchor/reporter a couple of months back.

If the return home is a sad one, they practically have live coverage from arrival home up to the trip to the cemetery. And it's becoming jingoistic rally the home front, justify our involvement, glorify the soldiers, propaganda aimed at building support for war. Lots of war. Heroism and Glory.

Ummm, excuse me?
In "liberal" Vermont?
In a poll of Vermonters taken on October 16th, "forty-two percent oppose the U.S. and NATO mission in Afghanistan; but 38 percent support the war. Twenty percent are undecided." (Emphasis mine).

I handle the email for our local Community Radio Station, and this arrived today:

PRESS RELEASE

October 25, 2010

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Honor A Vet With Your Vote Is Launched This Election Season

Montpelier Teacher and 5th Graders Join Secretary of State Markowitz To Promote Voting In Honor Of A Veteran

Montpelier. On Monday, Oct. 25 at 11:00 am, Honor A Vet With Your Vote kicked off its 2010 campaign in front of City Hall on Main Street in Montpelier. Vermont Secretary of State Deb Markowitz was joined by Union Elementary School teacher, Kristie Bush, and her fifth grade students to distribute Honor A Vet With Your Vote buttons and talk about the importance of honoring those who have served and are serving our nation. Markowitz said: “During this time in our nation’s history where our service men and women are making such strong sacrifices, it’s important that we remember our veterans when we go to the polls on Election Day. The Honor A Vet With Your Vote program is one way to do just that.”

The Honor A Vet With Your Vote program provides personalized buttons to voters who wish to cast their vote in honor of a particular veteran or current service person. Thousands of veterans have been honored this way since the program’s inception! This year all Vermont town clerks have received the buttons for distribution. Buttons are also available by visiting the Secretary of State’s website at www.govotevermont.com.

Kristie Bush, Union Elementary School teacher, said: "I try to engage my students by teaching them that voting is an important part of our democracy and being a good citizen. My hope is that the principles they learn as part of the voting exercise while in 5th grade will remain with them, a memory they will carry forward when they are old enough to vote."

Secretary of State Markowitz added: “This is an opportunity for Vermonters to recognize those who have proudly served this country and worked to keep our democracy strong so that we have the right to vote! This year we especially salute the Vermont National Guard for their commitments. Thank you for your help in honoring all those who serve our nation.”

For more information about this program contact Olivia Gay at 802-828-1296 or visit the Secretary of State’s website at http://www.govotevermont.com/

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This kind of thing makes me very uneasy.