I'm 57 years old. I don't consider myself ancient but I have to admit, I'm not young or even in the prime of life. Even so, I don't know anyone my age or even older, who would join the American Legion.
They are assholes. Mostly racists. Dinosaurs left over from a long ago and better forgotten past. While they officially desegregated in 1948, when Truman desegregated the Army, what minorities exist within the membership, mostly belong to segregated chapters located within their own neighborhoods or communities. Minority membership is not much represented at regional or national gatherings. You go to American Legion halls today, you see more sons and grandsons of dead legionnaires than you do younger veterans who have joined after recent service. Most recent veterans are not racists. Most aren't asshole xenophobes. They want nothing to do with the Legion or it's ilk.
The American Legion sponsors a ball at the Presidential inauguration every four years. Barry O didn't go to it. What the fuck? Why should he. He got no support from the Legion and probably damn few votes. The Legion tries to dress up their affair as in support of Medal of Honor recipients and paralyzed veterans. Lipstick on a pig. They also support amateur baseball leagues for young adults and are a major impediment to young African Americans trying to break into professional baseball due to the de facto segregation of the organization.
The American Legion has everything to do with racist, sexist, exclusionary politics of a reactionary nature in this country and nothing really to do with honoring men who served their country in the military.
Politicians have been pandering to the prejudices of the American Legion and other similar odious groups for generations. It's time they stopped. The Right Wing wants to make an issue of Barry O not going to the Legion Ball. Let them. The American Legion are scum. Who says so? I say so.
2 comments:
I joined the VFW a few years ago. Turns out that my midshipman boomer cruise made me eligible. I'm an unaffiliated national member. The local club seemed to not care if I became a member, so screw them.
My father in law advised me that the American Legion was just a glorified drinking club and to not join it.
As most veterans clubs grow older, they are looking for fresh blood. But I think the younger generation aren't joiners.
Wow. I never knew.
I don't know the American Legion from the VFW or the Elks Club.
I've been to one once, and I appreciated the cheap beer. They didn't seem to mind letting non-members in.
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