Fox and Friends condemned the actions of protestors, portraying them as having interrupted a medal ceremony honoring 100-year-old World War II?Veteran, Navy Lt. Dario Raschio.
It sounds atrocious! How dare these protestors interrupt an event to honor a hero of our country – someone who fought against oppressive governments that posed the greatest threat to civilization! Who the hell do they think they are?
Except, that’s not exactly how it happened. This was a Town Hall Meeting, which Fox mentions but that fact is quite obviously ignored by the news station, as well as many of their followers.
Yep, they almost had me there, that sneaky Fox News. But, it’s certainly something we’ve come to expect from them. Remember, the audio editing debacle where they modified reality. However, it appears their Facebook fans ate it up, saying these individuals had no right to voice their opinion at this public forum?which included a ceremony honoring this veteran.
Yes, protestors citizens were at Senator Wyden’s Town Hall Meeting. – one that was advertised on his page and meant for ?we the people? to show up and voice concerns. This meeting is part a series of town halls that the Senator has hosted annually for over 20 years.
This is the place people are supposed to be involved in their government, right? To make their voices heard to those that represent them with the hope that the initiatives will make it to the representative’s agenda. We elect them to be our mouthpiece, right?
I mean – there was a general invitation to attend, it’s even plastered all over Ron Wyden’s website.
Ok, so it was a town hall meeting that they placed a medal ceremony within. Got it. Also, for the record, Oregon Live, the website for The Oregonian reported,
?They were silent as Wyden awarded medals for heroism during World War II to 100-year-old Navy veteran Dario Raschio.? (Emphasis added)
So, let me get this out of the way. Why are we waiting 70 years after the end of a war to honor a veteran and give him his medals? I say this in no way to take away from Dario Raschio’s sacrifice for his country and the world. But, don’t you think we could have done something just a bit more timely? The man is lucky to have lived another seven decades so we could thank him. Isn?t that just a bit shameful in and of itself? Certainly better late than never, but come on.
Wyden tweeted his photo op with honoring Raschio.
Honored to present my neighbor, 100-year-old Dario Raschio, with long-overdue medals he earned in WWII. pic.twitter.com/n00SuGaDRj
— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) January 4, 2015
After the medal ceremony the concerns shared by the protestors citizens were addressed, correct? Surely, the senator then stopped and bestowed upon the attendees?his knowledge of plans within government to address the issue of police brutality and racial divide in our country, right?
Not quite.
The Oregon Live?article continues,
?However, immediately following the award presentation, the chanting began again. Protesters stated it was “their town meeting” to which Wyden responded, “Yes, it’s your town meeting, but it’s theirs as well” as he gestured toward the audience.?
And then the story says,
?At 3:15, after Wyden’s event had been delayed by 45 minutes, it was announced that the town hall was not going to be held. Many attendees left, shaking their heads and frustrated by the event.?
The article concluded with Senator Wyden promising to reschedule the town hall meeting, saying,
“We are certainly going to reschedule it. It’s important to be able to throw open the doors of government to everybody. That’s why town hall meetings are so important.”
Umm, why delay, cancel, and then reschedule? Can someone please tell me why the Senator didn’t just engage his constituents? It sounds like concerned citizens ran through those doors when he threw them open!
You’re right, sir, this IS important. And, you blew it!
How can we be so oblivious to that which is not only staring us down, but also beating us about the head?
People showed up to a town hall to voice their concerns. Because they weren’t the “right” people addressing the “right” concerns, the meeting was cancelled.
Perhaps we are too busy patting ourselves on the back for saving the world 70 years ago to notice that there are still many, many issues worth fighting for – right this very second. The more we look back, rather than forward, the worse it becomes.
Yes, this?vet was dishonored at a town hall meeting. The dishonor came in the form of a seven-decade delay in recognition and then the dismissal of the citizens? voices who attended a town hall to tell their representative where they stand on an issue, with?the expectation of receiving a response.
To be fair, Oregon Live did say the senator met with some of the protestors citizens in a private conference room. However, that action begs the question, why not address them during the town hall. Is that not the purpose of such a forum?
Featured image source: Cutiemoo on?Flickr
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Elizabeth Preston is a senior writer and an editor for Liberal America. She is a thirty-something wife and mother of three living in Florida. She is a fierce liberal with a passion?for equality and justice. As?a skeptic by nature she is?often the Facebook friend that rains on the urban legend parade with fact checking. Follow her on?Facebook,?Twitter,?and check out her personal blog,?My Four Ha? Pennies.
