by Michael 'Sudsy" Sutherland

I want to thank the National Commander for writing a swift response to the Secretary of Homeland Security.  I've been a Legion member for maybe two years, and also am a member of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.  So far, I much more pleased by the swift response from the American Legion on this issue. 

I'm not upset at the IAVA however.  Like me, many probably feel the stab in the back pretty bad right now an if we write so soon after reading this report, we won't be in the right mind set to be able to respond constructively.  Rage is slowly subsiding in my case, and the sadness is setting in.  

 I'm trying to to be disenfranchised by this report, or incited to harsh action.  However, its hard not to see as a report made to goad angry young veterans to violence.  Its hard to set aside the idea of some 'conspiracy' trying silence all opposition to the current administration.  When I read the nine page report, I was hoping that it was just a hoax.  I thought the MIAC Modern Militia Report was bogus for a short time until it was confirmed as real, and discredited and the ones who wrote the report disciplined.  Now we see this new DHS report, and its written no better than the MIAC report.  It equates to a poorly hidden, almost blatant, political hatchet job.

 As I calm down, I think I might be able to construct the words necessary in a constructive manner to my Congressmen.  I'm going to demand that Secretary of Homeland Securtiy Nepolitano step down.  There is no other real way to send a clear message to the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement agencies across the county that such political, racial, and service oriented profiling is unacceptable.  This report needs to be trashed, and the ones who wrote it need to be repremanded for not backing up they're findings with more facts and figures.  They need to be repremanded for painting 'domestic terrorists' with SUCH BROAD STROKES that would make anyone who is a Caucasion veteran of GWOT who is a conservative minded individual a potential white supremacist terrorist.

 I appreciate everything the Legion is doing for us.  I appreciate everything the Legion is doing for all veterans.  I also want to especially thank all the Vietnam and Vietnam Era Veterans who have worked so hard since coming home to change the attitudes of the American public towards returning combat veterans!  My generation has reaped the fruits of your labor, and we are grateful.  There is still much work to be done as this report shows, and it will be good to be working with the men who inspired me to enlist.

 So far, I've just been able to respond a bit on my regular blog, Trend Nemesis and with some artwork that I've posted in my Deviant Art online gallery.