Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

Veterans Day events
A slap at veterans


Leave it to the St. Petersburg Times! On Veterans Day, we as a nation at war pay tribute, respect and honor not only to those who have served, but also to those who have paid the ultimate price to provide us the freedoms we all enjoy. It is this freedom that permits the Times to print your liberal and biased views!


Yet, on Veterans Day the Times chooses to show antiwar films in its first-floor auditorium and has the audacity to list it under "Veterans Day events," offering free admission and parking as inducements. What a slap in the face!


Roderic A. Johnson, St. Pete Beach

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/15/Opini ... dent.shtml

Veterans know war is futile

A slap at veterans, letter Nov. 14

As a member of Veterans for Peace, I am offended by this letter to the editor. It is high time more veterans, who - more than anyone else - know the horrors and futility of war, spoke out against it.

Our invasion of Iraq was unprovoked, it was incompetently planned and conducted, and it has brought death or injury to at least 25,000 American men and women and something over a half-million innocent Iraqis. We have ruined their country. And much of the credit for that "accomplishment" is due to the blind, ignorant support of the Bush policies by people like the letter writer. Thanks to the Times we were at least able to show those who care the grisly futility of war.

Emmett J. Murphy, Bradenton

Honoring their sacrifice

A slap at veterans, letter

The letter writer accuses the St. Petersburg Times of being both liberal and biased for hosting the antiwar films shown in the Times auditorium on Veterans Day.

We were memorializing those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our Constitution. We were also memorializing those who have more recently given their lives so that the Bush administration's biggest campaign contributors could make money in the oil fields of Iraq.

It is altogether appropriate for the Times to host antiwar films on Veterans Day, when our troops are dying in the name of lies told for the profit of several large and powerful corporations.

Watch where the upper echelon of the Bush administration goes two years from now. They will go to the corporations that are now war-profiteering in Iraq.

Christopher S. Brudy, Treasure Island

Dissent is patriotic

A slap at veterans

This letter expressed dismay that the Times had included the showing of antiwar films in its auditorium in a listing of Veterans Day events.

We live in a democracy, fought for by war veterans and private citizens alike. I am a Vietnam vet, and I disagree with this administration. Voicing opposition to the current policies is not unpatriotic. All Americans create where this country is heading, and freedom of speech is how we preserve our democracy. The Times is providing a forum for different points of view. Is this unpatriotic too?

Jim Willingham, St. Petersburg
(jimboloco)

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/18/Opini ... _pro.shtml

also the letter written by Jayalexis
prez of local VFP not printed,

Responce to the man in St Pete Beach,FL

We did not Slap any Veterans in the face! We are VETS!

The Tampa Bay Chapter of Veterans for Peace give thanks for use of your beautiful auditorium on Armistice/Veterans Day on November 11th. This was not a slap in the face of Veterans! The film showing was sandwiched between two other activities that day. A ceremony was held at Williams Park and continuation of other films at the Studio at 620. Participants at the morning ceremony stood in silence for two minutes at 11 AM and we recited the names of the 148 fallen from Florida. Then we opened the microphone to all from veterans, singers and poets. That evening we had a guest speaker. Scott Camil a decorated Vietnam Veteran and a founder of Veterans for Peace spoke of his appearance in the movie Winter Soldier. Also last week the voters had enough on the current conflict and voted to hopefully end it at the polls.
(jay alexander)