AMVETS Remembers WWI Veteran Frank Buckles

Over the weekend, Frank Buckles, the last surviving "doughboy" of World War I, died at his farm in Charles Town, W.Va., at 110 years old.

Buckles' remarkable journey started at age 16 when he attempted repeatedly to join each of the armed services. Upon seeing the fresh-faced young man, claiming to be 18, Buckles said recruiters often told him to "go home before [his] mother noticed [he] was gone."

Buckles finally made a successful case to an Army recruiter, enlisting on Aug. 14, 1917--nearly a year and a half shy of his requisite 18th birthday. During the war, Buckles served as an ambulance driver in Europe, where his service would take him across France and England. Following the Armistice that effectively ended the war, Buckles guarded and transported German POWs on their return to Germany. A corporal by age 18, Buckles was honorably discharged in 1920.

During World War II, Buckles worked as a civilian in the Philippines, where he was taken prisoner by the Japanese at the fall of Manila. He was interned for more than three years in Japanese prison camps, where he led his fellow prisoners--including American service members--in morning calisthenics.

Upon his release and his subsequent return stateside, Buckles married and raised a family on the same West Virginia farm he called home until the day he died. Buckles was the last of more than 4.7 million Americans who served in the conflict.

AMVETS leaders were honored to join Buckles for a special reception in his honor at the U.S. Capitol in 2008, where Past National Commander John P. "JP" Brown III presented Buckles with a plaque acknowledging his uniformed service in WWI and his leadership as a captured American prisoner in World War II, along with an American flag to fly over his ranch in West Virginia.

AMVETS Riders from the Department of Tennessee also made a special journey to Buckles' farm in 2008 to spend some time trading war stories with Buckles.

AMVETS Riders National Commander Victor “Dutch” Stivason presented Buckles with a letter of appreciation, and then-Tennessee Road Captain Bruce McElhaney presented Buckles with a framed certificate honoring his service. The Riders also presented Buckles with a his own embroidered AMVETS Riders vest and a custom WWI patch on behalf of AMVETS Riders across the country.

In 2007, Buckles received the Légion d'honneur from French President Jacques Chirac. Buckles has also been honored by President George W. Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates. A portrait of Buckles is on display at the Pentagon as part of a tribute to WWI veterans.

Earlier this month, American Veteran highlighted Buckles' 110th birthday.

"Frank Buckles lived a long, fulfilling life; selflessly sacrificing for the land he loved, seeing through some of our nation's most trying times and still grasping hold of the American dream," said AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop. "Today we have lost a tremendous link to our nation's history, so let us honor the memory of Frank Buckles and let us never forget the tremendous sacrifices of his generation, which helped to build the foundations of our strong and prosperous nation."

Buckles will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., with more details about memorial services available this week.

According to the Associated Press, family have asked that memorial donations be made in Buckles' honor to the World War One Legacy Project, managed by the non-profit Survivor Quest, which seeks to inform school children about WWI and the sacrifices of American service members in the conflict.

(Images: Top: Frank Buckles discusses his experiences in both world wars with AMVETS Riders at his Charles Town, W.Va. home. Photo courtesy Tennessee AMVETS Riders. Middle Right: Official Army portrait of Buckles while assigned to the U.S. Regular Army 1st Fort Riley Casual Detachment at age 16. Photo maintained by the Library of Congress. Middle Left: AMVETS Past National Commander John P. "JP" Brown III presents Buckles with a plaque and an American flag during the 2008 Capitol Hill reception. Photo by Ryan Gallucci. Bottom: AMVETS Riders join Buckles for a photo at his ranch in 2008. Photo courtesy Tennessee AMVETS Riders.)

Happy 110th Birthday, Frank Buckles

Frank Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I, celebrated his 110th birthday today at his home in Charles Town, W.V.

AMVETS leaders were honored to join Buckles for a special reception in his honor in 2008, where Past National Commander John P. "JP" Brown III presented Buckles with a plaque acknowledging his uniformed service in WWI and his leadership as a captured American prisoner in World War II, along with an American flag to fly over his ranch in West Virginia.

Buckles enlisted in the Army in 1917 at 16 years-old. Eager to see action at the onset of WWI, he volunteered as an ambulance driver. His service would take him across France and England. Following the Armistice that effectively ended the war, Buckles guarded and transported German POWs on their return to Germany.

A corporal by age 18, Buckles was honorably discharged in 1920. While working as a civilian in the Philippines, Buckles became embroiled in WWII when he was taken prisoner by the Japanese at the fall of Manila. He was interned for more than three years in Japanese prison camps, where he led his fellow prisoners in morning calisthenics.

Upon his release, Buckles married and raised a family on the same West Virginia farm where he lives to this day.

AMVETS Riders from the Department of Tennessee made a special journey to Buckles' farm in 2008 to honor America's last "Doughboy."

AMVETS Riders National Commander Victor “Dutch” Stivason presented Buckles with a letter of appreciation, and then-Tennessee Road Captain Bruce McElhaney presented Buckles with a framed certificate honoring his service. The Riders also presented Buckles with a his own embroidered AMVETS Riders vest and a custom WWI patch on behalf of AMVETS Riders nationwide.

In addition to honors at the U.S. Capitol, Buckles has also been honored by President George W. Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates. A portrait of Buckles is on display at the Pentagon as part of a tribute to WWI veterans.

(Images: Top: AMVETS Past National Commander John P. "JP" Brown III presents Frank Buckles with a plaque and an American flag, honoring his service at a Capitol Hill ceremony in 2008. Photo by Ryan Gallucci. Bottom: AMVETS Riders join Buckles for a photo at his ranch in Charles Town, W.V., in 2008. Photo courtesy Tennessee AMVETS Riders.)

Fall NEC Highlights: Camp Hope, Healing Heroes, Riders & Sons

This weekend AMVETS hosted its fall meeting of the AMVETS National Executive Committee at the Hilton Washington Dulles Hotel in Herndon, Va. Representatives from the six AMVETS national districts and 48 departments came together to tend to the regular business of the organization.

Below is video from AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop's NEC report, calling for support to his national program, Camp Hope, the wounded warrior outdoor retreat in Hotop's home state of Missouri founded by Gold Star father William White in honor of his fallen son, Marine Pfc. Christopher Neal White.



In addition to the requisite reports from each organizational leader, AMVETS heard from leaders across the AMVETS family of organizations.

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Past National President Patty Piening presented a $25,000 check to AMVETS Healing Heroes, the national project for her term in office last year.

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Dee Kreiling also introduced her national program for the coming year, Sharing & Caring, which she discusses in the fall issue of American Veteran.

AMVETS Riders National President Victor "Dutch" Stivason asked for the NEC's support in applying uniform standards for the fledgling Riders organization to ensure compliance with the Confederation of Clubs, or CoC, the sanctioning body for motorcycle riding groups.

Sons of AMVETS National Commander Robert Hammett and AMVETS Department of California Commander Charles Ramos signed the charter for the new Sons of AMVETS squadron at California AMVETS Post No. 113.

Finally, AMVETS welcomed other special guests, Choice Hotels, University of Phoenix and the pilot veterans' benefits IT solution, TurboVet.

TurboVet is a web-based data exchange system designed by Stratizon which could enable VA, claims service officers, and veterans to easily process benefits claims, potentially replacing the cumbersome paper-based process. The commonwealth of Virginia and AMVETS Department of Virginia are working closely with Stratizon on the implementation of TurboVet, learning how to best integrate the data-exchange system with the current VA claims process.

University of Phoenix, which currently offers $350,000 in scholarships to veterans and their families through its partnership with AMVETS, also announced an additional ten percent tuition discount for AMVETS members.

Choice Hotels, an AMVETS partner which offers room discount rates for AMVETS members, also discussed potential entrepreneurship opportunities for veterans interested in the hospitality industry.

(Images: Top: Nebraska NEC Representative Albert Christner delivers his report to the floor of the AMVETS Fall NEC. Middle: Past National Commander Jimmy T. Smith accepts the $25,000 donation to AMVETS Healing Heroes from Past National President Piening. Bottom Right: AMVETS Riders President Stivason discusses the proposed uniform standards while Cmdr. Hotop display's Stivason's regulation Riders vest. Bottom Left: Sons of AMVETS National Commander Hammett and AMVETS Department of California Commander Ramos review the new charter for the Sons squadron at Post 113. Photos by Ryan Gallucci.)

Fall Issue of American Veteran Now Online

The latest issue of American Veteran magazine is now available online. To read the fall 2010 issue, Click Here.

In the latest issue, we sit down for an exclusive interview with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki, where the secretary shares his charge to transform VA into a 21st century institution capable of efficiently meeting the needs of veterans and their dependents which, surprisingly, still date back to the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln first commissioned his Veterans Administration.

We also discuss the 2010 AMVETS Symposium for 21st Century Veterans, which took place at the 66th annual AMVETS National Convention in Louisville last summer, bringing together 50 veterans of the current conflicts to candidly discuss issues critical to their generation. Stay tuned to American Veteran Online for updates on the imminent symposium report, highlighting this summer's findings.

This fall, we also cover the AMVETS Department of Missouri's POW/MIA Recognition Day festivities alongside one of America's most storied Major League Baseball franchises, the St. Louis Cardinals. The day's event was hosted to raise funds for Missouri's POW/MIA museum project.

In a special From the Front, American Veteran also highlights Army Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta, who recently became the first living Medal of Honor recipient in the Global War on Terror.

This fall, we also launched two new sections we hope you will enjoy--"Forward Observer," a by-the-numbers look at critical veterans' issues and "National Archive," which delves into the 60-plus years of the National AMVET and American Veteran magazine to bring you critical stories on veterans' issues from the past, tying them into current issues facing our nation's military and veterans' communities.

We also highlight the AMVETS Department of Virginia's role in this summer's Run For The Wall, which stopped off at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., before proceeding to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In "Keeping Posted," you can also read about the great work of AMVETS in Indiana, Illinois, California, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.

As always, we're eager to hear your thoughts and see the great work going on at AMVETS posts and departments around the country, so keep your letters, stories and photos coming, so we can consider them for future issues of the magazine.

(Photos: Top: VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki sits down with American Veteran magazine at his office in Washington, D.C. Photo by Luis Jimenez. Middle: AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop, American Ex-POWs St. Louis Chapter President Paul Dillon, and former POW Richmond P. "Red" Dillon stand for the National Anthem at Busch Stadium on National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Photo by Ryan Gallucci. Bottom: A Run for the Wall road guard directs riders at the National D-Day Memorial in Virginia, just one of the historic sites visited on the cross-country ride. Photo by Jay Agg.)

AMVETS Pays Respects to Fallen Heroes at Arlington; Around Washington

On Memorial Day, AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Patty Piening joined Vice President Joe Biden, the nation's military brass, and leading veterans' advocates at Arlington National Cemetery to honor America's fallen heroes.

Miskulin and Piening hosted four wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the AMVETS' box for the day's program.

Miskulin and Piening also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns and accompanied their guests on a visit to Arlington's Section 60, where the fallen heroes from Iraq and Afghanistan are laid to rest.

Throughout the day, AMVETS participated in a variety of events around the nation's capitol ranging from the culmination of the annual Run for the Wall motorcycle ride to the national Memorial Day concert at the U.S. Capitol.

AMVETS Riders had participated in the Run for the Wall over the ten days leading up to Memorial Day, starting in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., and following two routes across the United States.

AMVETS Deputy National Legislative Director Christina Roof joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), her staff, veterans, and other top veterans' advocates on the Speaker's balcony for the Memorial Day concert.

At 3 p.m. on Memorial Day, AMVETS leaders also joined in the National Moment of Remembrance--the national moment of silence commissioned by Congress to demonstrate national solidarity and honor the sacrifices of America's fallen war heroes.

(Photos: Top: Cmdr. Miskulin and President Piening lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Photo by Jay Agg. Middle Top: AMVETS hosted four wounded warriors from Walter Reed in the AMVETS box at Arlington National Cemetery. L-R: Cmdr. Miskulin, Spc. Cunningham, Staff Sgt. Waugaman, Staff Sgt. Hockaday, Sgt. 1st Class Huey, and President Piening. Photo by Jay Agg. Middle Bottom: Riders participating in the national Run for the Wall cross Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. Photo by Toni Roof. Bottom: The crowd gathers at the U.S. Capitol for the National Memorial Day Concert. Photo by Christina Roof.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran we will recap AMVETS' participation in this weekend's Memorial Day activities in the nation's capitol and around the country.

AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Patty Piening took part in the national memorial services at Arlington National Cemetery and laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

AMVETS posts and departments around the country also participated in a variety of events, which we will highlight.

We will also post some photos from the annual Run for the Wall event, which rolled into Washington, D.C., over the weekend with the support of AMVETS Riders.

We will also post photos from recent events, including the launch of the AMVETS Warrior Transition Workshops and the recent Camp Hope open house, as promised in previous weeks.

Congress is on a break for the Memorial Day holiday this week, allowing for the AMVETS National Legislative Department to focus on the upcoming AMVETS Symposium for 21st Century Veterans, taking place prior to this summer's AMVETS National Convention in Louisville. American Veteran will bring you an update on the symposium this week.

We will also highlight the spring edition of American Veteran magazine, which shipped last week.

As always, we're eager to hear what you think, and if you have a Memorial Day story you would like to submit for consideration on the blog or in the print edition of American Veteran magazine, please send them my way, rgallucci@amvets.org.

Keeping Posted Online: Tennessee Riders Honor Vietnam Vets

Riders from AMVETS Riders Chapter 104 in Strawberry Plains, Tenn., came together on Monday, March 29 to honor those who served in Vietnam.

The Chapter 104 Riders held a brief ceremony at the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial in Knoxville, then rode to the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery to memorialize Vietnam veterans Hugh "Rabbit" Snow and others who had fallen in the conflict.

March 30 is considered Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day by many states across the country, including Tennessee, marking the final withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Vietnam.

Links to other AMVETS-supported Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans ceremonies around the country are included below:

AMVETS Post No. 113, Irwindale, Calif. Click Here.

AMVETS Post No. 6, Gary, Ind., Click Here.

AMVETS National Service Foundation also hosted a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans ceremony at AMVETS National Headquarters last week.

If your post or department has a Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans story you would like to share, please send photos and details to rgallucci@amvets.org.

(Photos: Top: Vietnam veteran Jerry Taylor takes an etching at the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial. Bottom: AMVETS Riders National 2nd Vice Commander Bruce "Bruiser" McElhaney clears the headstone of Hugh "Rabbit" Snow at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. Photos courtesy of Bruce McElhaney and AMVETS Riders Chapter 104.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week, Congress is still on a break for the in-district work period. However, the work continues for the AMVETS National Legislative Department, which is planning for more Capitol Hill visits to discuss veterans' issues ranging from recent daunting unemployment figures to follow-up on assistance dogs for wounded veterans.

Over the weekend, AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin was quoted by CNN on the latest veterans' unemployment figures, which surpassed 14 percent. Cmdr. Miskulin is in Indiana for the week, touring the AMVETS Department of Indiana.

This week, American Veteran will begin to discuss AMVETS' new program to help address the invisible wounds of war, as details emerge this week. We will also discuss the upcoming 2010 AMVETS Symposium for 21st Century Veterans. Details about the upcoming symposium are now available on the AMVETS National Web site.

This week, we will also highlight the work of AMVETS Riders in Tennessee, who honored local Vietnam veterans last week.

Finally, members of the AMVETS family were on hand at the White House this morning for the annual Easter Egg Roll. Photos will be available shortly.

If you have a story you would like to share with us for publication on the blog for American Veteran magazine, or in the quarterly print edition, please let us know. And, as always, we're eager to read your comments.

BE OUTRAGED: Gold Star Father Ordered to Pay Court Fees

Yesterday, media outlets around Baltimore reported that Gold Star Father Albert Snyder of York, Pa., would be ordered to pay court fees for the radical Kansas pastor who pickets military funerals. The fees are related to Snyder's ongoing lawsuit against the notorious church, which we refuse to name on this blog.

Snyder's son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, was killed in Iraq in 2006. His funeral was protested by the hateful fanatics, who held up signs laced with anti-homosexual rhetoric, tying American military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan to America's tolerance for gays.

Snyder decided to take action to reclaim his son's dignity and sued the pastor. Initially, Snyder was awarded $17 million, but the lower court's decision was overturned. Now, upon further appeal, the Supreme Court has granted certiorari on the case. However, in the interim, Snyder has been ordered to pay more than $16,000 in associated court costs for the picketers.

This afternoon, Snyder said he will refuse to pay the court-ordered fees.

Personally, I hope the Supreme Court rules that this hateful church cannot impede on the First Amendment rights of the Snyder family and other military families, who have the right to freely practice their religious beliefs, which should include dignified funeral proceedings.

Though groups like the ACLU have supported the protester's First Amendment claim to free speech, similar protections must be afforded to private family matters, such as funerals. In my opinion, the intent of the First Amendment was to ensure the free flow of information in an effort to maintain transparency in government. I cannot believe that the framers intended it to be used to bully private citizens, as this hateful clan has done for years.

In response to the outlandish protests, motorcycle riders such as the Patriot Guard Riders and AMVETS Riders have mobilized around the country alongside police, firefighters and other public servants to protect Gold Star Families from the vile messages.

Officially, AMVETS believes that all who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty deserve nothing but the utmost respect from a grateful nation. Gold Star Families have earned the right to bury their sons and daughters with dignity.

The Snyder family has been receiving donations from around the country to help defer the potential court costs, and on Fox News last night, commentator Bill O'Reilly offered to pay Snyder's legal expenses, should the court system fail him and his son.

Thank you for stepping up to the plate, Bill, but let's hope it never has to come to that.

-Ryan

(Image: Gold Star Service Banner, which signifies a family member who has fallen in combat. Public domain.)

AMVETS Riders Lead an American Warrior Home

On Sunday, Nov. 15, AMVETS Riders from Chapter No. 7 in Morristown, Tenn. joined the local Patriot Guard Riders and members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol to escort the body of Army Spc. Fred Greene back to his hometown of Mountain City, Tenn.

Greene, a 29-year-old Army combat engineer, was one of the 13 victims of the Nov. 5 shooting at Fort Hood, where Army Maj. Nadal Hasan opened fire on a crowded room of soldiers preparing to deploy.



Alan Sipe, president of AMVETS Riders Chapter No. 7, said the AMVETS Riders joined up for a 45-mile stretch of the journey, which passed through the mountains of eastern Tennessee on Sunday morning. Sipe said that entire congregations of small churches along the route lined the streets to pay their respects to Greene.

"The Tennessee Chapter No. 7 Riders were very moved at each and every moment of the ceremonies as they led one of their fallen brothers to his final resting place," said Sipe. "May he forever rest in peace."

Greene was laid to rest on Wednesday at his family church in Mountain City. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was in attendance to pay his final respects. Sipe said that Greene was buried with full military honors and treated as a KIA.



According to the Associated Press, Greene enlisted in the Army in 2008 and was assigned to the 16th Signal Company, which was heading overseas. Greene is survived by his wife, Christie, and his two adopted daughters, Haley and Allison.

(Photo: AMVETS Riders served as members of the Honor Guard when Spc. Greene arrived at the Tri-Cities Airport on Nov. 15. Photo courtesy of Alan Sipe. Video: TriCities.com news coverage of Spc. Greene's ride home and his funeral on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Embedded using HTML code provided by TriCities.com.)

This (Short) Week at American Veteran

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, AMVETS National Headquarters will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 so that our staff can spend the holidays with their loved ones. Congress is also on recess this week for the Thanksgiving District Work Period, which means many of our legislators will be in our hometowns, listening to their constituents.

Tomorrow on American Veteran Online, we will feature the story of AMVETS Riders Chapter No. 7 in Morristown, Tenn., which helped to escort Army Spc. Fred Greene, one of the fallen from the Fort Hood shooting, to his home town of Mountain City, Tenn.

American Veteran will also follow up on last week's Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, citing government contracting fraud among businesses claiming to be service-disabled veteran owned small businesses (SDVOSBs).

In May, AMVETS Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof testified that a lack of oversight could lead to excessive fraud by small businesses seeking to take advantage of veterans' preferences in contracting and proposed changes to the system to ensure compliance. The new report confirmed AMVETS' greatest concerns over the gravity of the situation.

We will also post highlights from Cmdr. Miskulin's visit to the Far East, which we were unable to post last week.

We're always eager to hear from our readers and the AMVETS posts and departments around the country, so please feel free to comment below, send us story ideas and content, or click on the new "Like/Dislike" boxes at the bottom of each entry.

Finally, AMVETS leaders ask that this Thanksgiving, we all give thanks for the brave men and women, young and old, who have fought to preserve the ideals of our great nation--especially those who have been called to serve and cannot join us this holiday season.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, the latest print issue will head downrange. Be on the look-out for the latest issue in the coming weeks.

American Veteran will also continue to follow AMVETS National Legislative Department, as Congress is back into full swing. On Wednesday, AMVETS will be on hand for a hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs to address a series of veterans' issues ranging from PTSD to VA contracting. AMVETS Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof has submitted testimony for the record.

American Veteran will also highlight the AMVETS Riders' first national program, supporting the Camp Hope Riders in an effort to raise funds to finance a retreat for wounded warriors.

We will also monitor implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, with VA set to make its next round of payments on Thursday, Oct. 1. We will also follow implementation of VA's emergency living stipends for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which will first be available on Friday, Oct. 2 for veterans experiencing payment delays. AMVETS first suggested advance payments in late August, when reports of late G.I. Bill payments first surfaced.

As always, we're eager to hear what's happening in the field. We're also eager to hear your comments on our stories.

This Week at American Veteran

After technical difficulties yesterday, American Veteran Online once again has the ability to post. We apologize for the inconvenience.

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and the reported delays in benefits payments. Over the last couple of weeks, AMVETS has received numerous complaints from veterans and their loved ones over missed payments and the resulting financial hardships. AMVETS leaders continue to pressure VA for answers on Chapter 33 and when benefits will be delivered. In the meantime, we are still eager to hear about the issues student-veterans face across the country.

American Veteran will also be following the AMVETS Riders, who will take part in the 61-day national ride, raising money to support "Camp Hope," a retreat in North Carolina for wounded and disabled veterans to enjoy outdoor sports. The retreat was founded in honor of Marine Pfc. Christopher White, who was killed in Iraq in 2006. The ride kicked off yesterday and AMVETS Riders from around the country are slated to participate in all 53 legs of the ride over the next two months. Check in regularly for updates on the ride.

The print edition of American Veteran magazine also closes this week, which means this is the last chance to submit content for Keeping Posted. We are always eager to hear what is happening in the field, and if we cannot fit it in the print edition, we are always open to posting stories on this blog.

If there is anything else you would like to share with us on American Veteran Online, we're always eager to hear from you.

I usually don't agree with the ACLU, but...

The Associated Press reported today that the ACLU has filed suit in Michigan on behalf of Lewis Lowden and his late wife Jean, who were pulled over and arrested while driving in the funeral procession for Army Cpl. Todd Motley in 2007. Lowden was cited for violating Michigan's law prohibiting funeral protests for a sign in his car's window which criticized then-President George W. Bush.

The ACLU is concerned that the current Michigan law is written in a way that gives authorities a blank check to arrest anyone who makes a statement that could be construed as controversial in and around funeral proceedings. To view the Michigan law, as it is written today, Click Here.

In 2006, the law was passed with bipartisan support to restrict the protests of that "church" in Kansas (I refuse to name them on this blog). You know, the "church" that's now notorious for picketing troops' funerals around the country, claiming that their deaths were punishment for American tolerance of homosexuality; the "church" that has given the Patriot Guard Riders, AMVETS Riders, and patriotic Americans across the country something to protect.

According to the AP, lawmakers who helped to draft the bill did not foresee an issue such as the Lowden case. The law was passed with noble intentions, but the ACLU claims the language is too broad, and can lead to authoritarian abuse, which seems to be the case with the Lowdens.

For a little background on the Lowden story, Lewis and Jean were long-time family friends of Motley. In fact, they helped with his home schooling and frequently took him on fishing and camping trips as a boy. Lowden was well known around town for the political signs he would hang in his vehicle, and when he arrived for the funeral, no one objected.

As the funeral procession passed through town, the Lowdens were pulled over and arrested on the spot. The city eventually dropped criminal charges at the request of the Motley family.

When I first came across this story, I thought it was going to be another whiny ACLU case, but I was encouraged to see that even those responsible for drafting the law are eager to hear the courts' decision on how to properly enforce a reasonable standard.

The decision on whether a political statement connotes a "disturbing or disruptive effect" on a funeral should rest solely with the grieving family. To me, it seems absurd that the police could determine what such families would take offense to--especially in this case, where the offenders were IN the funeral procession!

But don't take my word for it. Read this story for yourself, and let us know what you think.

-Ryan

(Photo: A member of the Patriot Guard Riders stands on guard at the funeral of Army Sgt. John Styles, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2008. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Liesl Marelli, released.)