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Sign tallying military deaths upsets Army
12/31/2005, 7:49 a.m. ET
By PATRICK CONDON
The Associated Press
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Scott Cameron never imagined his modest memorial
to American troops in Iraq would transform a quiet street here into
the latest front of the nation's tense debate about the war in Iraq.
His sign tallying the war's dead and wounded rests feet from the local
Army recruiting office, and Cameron's refusal to take it down despite
Army requests has drawn national attention. The fuss is giving the
Vietnam veteran a chance to air a view he wishes he'd expressed long
ago.
"The way veterans have been treated in this country is shameful,"
Cameron said this week.
His tribute has irritated the military recruiters next door, who
dislike the daily reminder of friends lost. Staff Sgt. Gary Capan, the
post's commander, requested that the sign come down for his
colleagues' benefit.
"They're saying, 'Why should we have to look at that? We lost people
over there,'" said Staff Sgt. Gary Capan, the post's commander. "It's
not just a number to them."
Some of Cameron's supporters believe the sign will hurt recruiting.
"You're a young kid and you see those stark numbers, you might realize
there's a cost you didn't consider," said Gary Tonkin, a Vietnam
veteran.
It all started a month ago, when Cameron, a volunteer for Democratic
gubernatorial candidate Steve Kelley, posted a sign in the window of
the campaign's local office. It reads, "Remember the Fallen Heroes,"
and contains three tallies: the number of American troops killed in
Iraq, the number wounded and the days passed since the war began.
"The sacrifices our troops and their families are making are an
important part of Minnesotans' lives right now," said Kelley, one of
several Democrats seeking to unseat Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty next
year. "If this draws attention to that, it's all to the good as far as
I'm concerned."
As of Friday, the sign reported 2,177 troops had been killed and
16,155 injured, after 1,017 days in Iraq. Capan said the sign hasn't
hurt recruiting: "We had three people sign up just today," he said
earlier this week.
It's not the first dust-up over the U.S. military's continued presence
in Iraq. Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed there, camped outside
President Bush's Texas ranch for weeks.
Duluth seems an unlikely location for the latest flare-up. The city of
brick mansions and steep hills rising off Lake Superior in
northeastern Minnesota is a stronghold of blue-collar progressivism
mixed with old-fashioned Midwestern patriotism.
Many residents seem uncomfortable with the controversy.
"This really shouldn't be that big a deal," Sam Johnson said. His
companion, Lisa Whitestone, said, "I think it's a fair thing to be
reminded that there's a cost for us to be over there."
Cameron said he never intended to discourage recruiting efforts — but
he's not particularly concerned if it does.
A native of Spokane, Wash., he went to Vietnam at 19. He was injured
when AK-47 fire ripped through the floor of a helicopter he was riding
in, hitting his spine and collapsing his left lung.
He's had nearly four dozen surgeries since then, he said, and supports
himself with his disability pension.
Cameron said he's always regretted not speaking out against Vietnam
after his injury. He's hoping to steer media attention over the sign
toward veterans' problems. He wants Congress to pass legislation that
would prevent future cuts in benefits.
He said he's contacted several manufacturers to produce and market a
line of signs like his that war opponents could post on their lawns or
elsewhere. A portion of the profits would go to veterans
organizations.
"I'm in awe of what's happening here," Cameron said. "If that sign can
be used as a force for good, then it's worth it."
Copyright 2005 Associated Press
--
Contempt of Congress meter reading-offscale.
Hello, theocracy with a fundamentalist US Supreme
Court who will ensure church and state are joined
at the hip like clergy and altar boys.
America 1776-Jan 2001 RIP
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president
represents, more and more closely, the inner soul
of the people. On some great and glorious day the
plain folks of the land will reach their heart's
desire at last and the White House will be adorned
by a downright moron." --- H.L. Mencken (1880 - 1956)
Religion is the original war crime.
-Michelle Malkin (Feb 26, 2005)
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