ACLU in Monumental Battle Between Vets and Artist
Posted on December 12, 2005
Hat tip: Soldiers’ Angel
Soldiers’ Angel gives us a little history on this one.
This monument, unveiled June 13, 1900, with numerous distinguished guests in attendance, including Governor Roosevelt. It has the names of soldiers from the town who died in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 inscribed on it. It sits in the very center of the town, in the center of the main intersection, traffic goes around it. In the summer, flowers are planted around the base and American flags around it. It is part of the very fabric of this village. In the year 2000, the town and village proudly celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the monument with a parade, a reenactment of the original dedication ceremony, and a community choir singing patriotic tunes.In March of 2005, an artist from a different town, a Ms. Cindy DeFelice, approached the Village board with a proposal to erect a temporary art exhibit around the monument. The plan was for a four sided stepped terrace be built around it with planted dandelions. In August, the village approved it. However, after objections from Veterans, the Village Board voted unanimously at the September 06, 2005 Board Meeting to cancel the project. Veteran’s claim that her projects are anti-war and disrespectful of the fallen soldiers and to Veterans in general.
After this “artist” had her first project shot down, she decided to propose a new one. This project, called “Let Them Eat Cake” required shutting down traffic on the State Highway, while bakers handed out cakes. The village board voted to allow the performance, but this week, decided to change its location.
The board cited traffic in its decision not to close down the intersection for the art piece. But DeFelice says it’s all about location, that’s what gives it meaning. She says she’s being censored.
“Because the work is site-specific, by the board moving it, the board has censored the content of the work,” she said.
DeFelice has enlisted the help of the American Civil Liberties Union.
“The pressure by the vets is what we call a ‘heckler’s veto,’ in that those who are opposed to the content of the expression have included the government, in this form, the village board, to change its position,” ACLU attorney Scott Forsyth said.
The ACLU says that gives DeFelice a good case in court.
Joe Calourie, a Vietnam Veteran, said, “This threat from the ACLU, it doesn’t bother me a bit. If this is what the ACLU does with its time and our money, let it be.”Source
I don’t understand how protesting the Iraq war is site specific to a monument honoring war heroes from the Revolutionary War. It seems quite disrespectful and spiteful to me, especially since she had the audacity to dedicate it to a local Vietnam Veteran who is opposed to her “project”. The wife of the Veteran to whom it was dedicated stated that it is an insult and a shame and embarrassment to her husband.
Hey, Cindy, why don’t you go do your “art” in your own town? Maybe because you have to live there and you don’t want to alienate your neighbors? Or maybe because the monuments and war memorials in your town aren’t in the middle of the street, and nobody would know or care that you were doing it there?
I hate to break it to the ACLU, but this is how the government works. The village council listens to those it represents, and their voices have been heard. There is no censorship here, she can still have her little protest project, just not at the expense of disrespecting our veterans, and shutting down traffic. If the ACLU succeeds in this one, I think a counter protest would be in order.
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6 Responses to “ACLU in Monumental Battle Between Vets and Artist”
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if this so called artist is allowed to disrespect the vets as planned , there will be alot of vets from motorcycle clubs across the country on hand to protest this injustice to our war dead and every living vet. the word is out and bikers are more than willing to back up the vets..
I can’t see any point to her protest, why protest the heroes that have already returned home? This is as bad as Cindy She-Devil protesting in front of Walter Reed, blocking traffic and generally making herself and whatever cause she stands for look bad.
Get this woman a tissue and lets move on to winning.
I’ve added a couple more pictures and comments here. Thank you for posting about it.
It’s just depressing that the ACLU would even attempt something like this.
What I find hilarious is that according to the ACLU you can protest whatever you want on government property, but we all know what would happen if the Vets put up a big Cross in front of the monument. This is anti-American hypocrisy at its best, and another case of the ACLU defending the “civil liberties” of one person and then removing them from someone else. In their world, only liberals have a right to do anything. More and more they illustrate why they should be reduced to soilent green.
Another small update here. The exhibit is going forward with ‘private funding’.