U.S. Vets Ask Bush to Halt Canadian 'Tribute to Cowards'

Monument Planned for City of Nelson Is an Insult, They Say

David Pugliese, Vancouver Sun

OTTAWA — The largest combat veteran's group in the United States has asked President George W. Bush to tell the Canadian government that a monument in British Columbia to Vietnam War draft-dodgers should not be built.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars says the proposed monument, to be erected in Nelson, is a tribute "to cowards" and a slap in the face to the 42 million Americans who have served in the military over the years."We're asking him to communicate to the Canadian government how insulting this is," said Jerry Newberry, director of communications for the 2.4 million-strong organization. "We understand the president can't tell the leader of the Canadian government what to do. But we are hoping there's going to be some communication there [and] perhaps on the Canadian side that will trickle down" to stop the memorial.

The privately funded monument, as well as a two-day event scheduled for July 2006 in Nelson to honour war resisters, has ignited a controversy in the U.S. News stories have been carried on the Fox cable network and CNN.

Organizers of the event, called Our Way Home, announced their plans at a press conference Sept. 7 in Nelson. The proposed monument will be a bronze statue showing Canadians helping U.S. war resisters.

Since the Fox news broadcast last week, the City of Nelson has been inundated with angry e-mails from Americans, many threatening to cancel vacation trips to the area.

But organizers from Our Way Home have said they will not back down from their plans despite the controversy. The gathering will involve a concert and speeches by members of the anti-war movement.

Many of the Vietnam-era war resisters have made their home in British Columbia, including in the Nelson area. An estimated 125,000 Americans came to Canada during the Vietnam conflict to avoid the draft with about half returning to the U.S. when Jimmy Carter, when president, granted them amnesty in 1977.

In a statement, John Furgess, Vietnam veteran and the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, said the memorial must not be allowed to go ahead.

"You can say what you want about the war, we all did and some still do, but do not dishonour the warrior by memorializing cowards."

Newberry said the veterans' organization supports freedom of expression. But he said the monument is in questionable taste and is derogatory to those who have served in the U.S. or Canadian military.

The White House did not have any comment Friday on whether Bush would become involved in the issue. An official with Prime Minister Paul Martin's office said that Washington has not mentioned the monument to Canadian officials.

On Tuesday, the City of Nelson distanced itself from any official involvement in the monument and the planned gathering in 2006. It noted that the city has not been asked to fund the monument or provide a location for the statue.

Roy Heuckendorff, executive director of the Nelson and district Chamber of Commerce, said local businesses are concerned about an economic backlash from angry Americans. Several U.S.-based vacation promoters have already cancelled ski trips to the area. "It's been made clear in no uncertain terms that return visits to Nelson are going to stop."