Aftermath Veterans' Day - 2007

The past two weekends have been an emotional roller coaster ride. It started as a roller coaster usually does, climbing up a steep incline to a peak. November 9th I was interviewed remotely from VFW Post 755 in Springfield, Illinois on Sam Madoina’s WTAX radio show at 7 am. Most of the interview was about my background, time in Vietnam, ‘my book Lost Survivor” and some discussion on the manuscripts I am working on. I had a chance to share breakfast with members of that VFW post and other veteran’s organizations like the Military Order of Purple Hearts. It was a good time sharing stories and experiences with veterans from WWII, Vietnam and Iraq. After work I went over to American Legion Post 32, Pam Furr from WMAY was doing a remote broadcast there. She interviewed me. It was the second time I had been on her show. All in all was a very good day.

Sunday, November 11th, Veterans’ Day. I was the speaker at VFW Post 755 formal Veterans’ Day ceremonial at 11:11 am. I spoke about the history of Veterans’ Day, how it started as Armistice Day marking the end of WWI (the war to end all wars), but was changed to Veterans Day after WWII. The Federal Government had the bright idea to use it as way to give Federal employee another three day weekend. However, Veteran Organizations, State Legislatures, and the American people demand that Veterans’ Day be the eleventh day in the eleventh month, no matter what day of the week or year. My remarks seemed to be appreciated. Channel 20 TV was there and part of my speech was aired that night. It was a very good day, and then I was plunge down into steep dive.

The wife and I stopped at the grocery store on our way home. While she was going through the check out line I stood by the store’s door waiting for her. I was dressed in my blue suit, tie with American flags all over it, and my Marine Corps pin with the American flag on my lapel above my Purple Heart lapel pin. On the other side of my coat I had a pin that had the cover of my book ‘Lost Survivor’ on it.

A white couple, who looked a few years older than me, walked past several young white kids that worked for the store that had blue shirts with the store’s name and logo and asked me if I would take their groceries out to their car, load their trunk and bring the shopping cart back inside the store.

I told the couple I only do that for my wife, who walked up at that moment. You need to get one of the young kids who work for the store to take your groceries to your car. They said oh, and walked towards one of the check out lines where several young kids that worked for the store stood talking to each other. I grabbed my wife’s arm and walked her out of the store. She was upset, that in this day and age, something like that would happen. The couple felt free to walk past store employees up to a black man dressed in a suit and tie to ask him to serve them as a grocery boy. What do you say, what do you do, how do you respond? Such a wonderful day spoiled by a causal act of strangers. A natural act to them, a wound of words to me.

My wife shared her anger with other through an email. Silence was not an option for her, she understands that it can be an acknowledgement that it was okay. Dave Bakke, a writer with The State Journal Register, did an article on the incident tying it to the extreme views in the community concerning the 1908 race riot that sparked the creation of the NACCP.

The response was overwhelming with many different views intensely expressed. Check it out:

http://www.sj-r.com/News/stories/20665.asp