Slap in the face by VFW

Following is an e-mail that I sent to all national, state and district VFW people yesterday. I am still upset today about this:

"First, a brief background: My husband is a Vietnam veteran and has belonged to the VFW since 1972. I am an Auxiliary member and served for six years as our local Auxiliary's President. We have always believed that the VFW supported our nation's veterans in the best possible ways, so we have always done what we could to support PAC.

"The Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) carried an article in the Saturday, November 4th edition that pertained to the candidates in an election race in Illinois. The Republican candidate, Peter Roskam, has no military experience; his Democratic opponent, Tammy Duckworth, lost both of her legs while serving in Iraq as a helicopter pilot. Guess who the VFW is supporting? Tammy Duckworth, the veteran who fought for the United States and suffered severe injuries? NO! The VFW is supporting her opponent! I can only believe that it is because he is a Republican.

"Shame on the VFW for giving Duckworth such a slap in the face. In the article, Duckworth says that she was never even contacted by the VFW regarding an endorsement. Apparently, she was not even good enough to get an apology from the VFW to explain why they felt it was necessary to back her opponent. It is my belief that if the VFW cannot support a veteran who is running for public office, then the politically correct thing would be to not support either candidate.

"Posts and Auxiliaries at the local level work hard to collect money for PAC. Do you honestly believe that veterans and Auxiliary members are going to be happy that the VFW supported a person with no military experience over a "tried-and-true" veteran?

"This reminds me of the uproar over the VFW calendar severals years ago, and I am sure that many of you remember that. A wonderful veterans organization, in an effort to save money, outsourced the printing of a calendar to Taiwan instead of having a U.S. company do the work. Now this sad state of events with Ms. Duckworth makes me wonder what people in the VFW are thinking. Does the VFW truly support our veterans or is the VFW only interested in what Republicans have to say?

"I am thoroughly disgusted, shocked and ashamed of my VFW today."

That e-mail went to approximately 45+ people. I find it disheartening that the VFW wouldn't support one of its own, no matter what party she is.

hopefully worthwhile job.