The Bull Speaks!

For the record, the following is a true copy of the email I sent to American Gold Star Mothers. I urge all my readers to do the same. Stand behind the troops. Stand with their moms!

To: goldstarmoms@yahoo.com
Subject: Your Failure

American Gold Star Mothers,

I am an American Veteran and I am writing to you concerning you treatment of Ligaya Lagman. Her 27-year-old son, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman (American Hero), was killed last year in Afghanistan. Yet your organization has seen fit to deny her full Gold Star Mother status. Non-citizen or not, she is the mother of one of our Fallen Heroes. It isn’t even as if she lives in some far off land. The woman is a permanent resident and a tax-payer!

I find myself wondering about this incident and have written on my blog questioning how many mothers of black Americans killed in combat may have been denied Gold Star status as well in times not-so distant. After all, it is but a small step from the xenophobic reaction of yours towards Ms. Lagman and old fashioned racial bigotry.

You dare post on your website the following:
“American Gold Star Mothers was incorporated in Washington, DC and granted
a Federal Charter by the ninety-eighth Congress. That was in 1929, and in the years
since, through times of war and times of peace, this organization of American mothers
has changed, grown, and always been there when needed.”

I submit that you have not either changed, nor grown. Further, I am writing to my Congressmen and Senators demanding that your Charter and any further funding be pulled immediately. I will also promote a letter writing campaign via bloggers nationwide to the same effect.

You owe Ligaya Lagman an apology. A public apology. There is no room in today’s America for such bigotry as you have shown in this case. Do the right thing. Change your rules, give Ms. Lagman the recognition she deserves, and join the rest of us in Honoring ALL of our Fallen Heroes.

Sincerely,

Mark T. Jones, US Navy Veteran
Mobile, AL

Granted, they dispute the federal funding. No matter. They STILL have much to answer for! This Nation is at war. We must stand behind the families – and in my mind especially the Mothers – of our Fallen. If we fail to do so we will have disgraced ourselves as a people.

Omar, out.  

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In response to my email to American Gold Star Mothers I received an automated reply directing me to a website with the following statement, (my reply follows…):

American Gold Star Mothers
2128 Leroy Place, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-265-0991
Fax: 202-265-6963
Email: goldstarmoms@yahoo.com
Website: www.goldstarmoms.com

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Judith C. Young
National Service Officer
American Gold Star Mothers
Phone: 202-265-0991

May 27, 2005

Statement Regarding National Media Attention Concerning Ligaya Lagman And “The Denial Of A Gold Star�?.

The term “gold star” is a term used to recognize the family member of a serviceman or servicewoman who has died in the line of service to their country. As protocol states, the Department of Defense presents to the family, a gold star lapel button, in accordance with each branch of the military’s protocol. The gold star lapel button is not issued by the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

As to the accusation that Mrs. Lagman’s application was denied does not tell the complete story. The application for membership with American Gold Star Mothers was received by the Department of New York. It was not completed or signed by the applicant, nor did it have the required copy of the death certificate and the payment of the first years dues. There were several inaccuracies on the application as to the dates required. A certified letter was mailed to Mrs. Lagman requesting the application be completed in full and returned for approval. To date, we have not heard from Mrs. Lagman, nor have we received any form of communication to the status of her membership application.

To say that the application has been denied is not an accurate statement.

It is also true that the constitution and bylaws of the organization’s founder, Mrs. Grace Darling Seibold, established in 1928, along with fellow charter members, named the organization ‘American Gold Star Mothers’.

In Article IV, Section 1 under Eligiblity and Membership states

“Natural Mothers, or citizens of the United States or the Territorial and Insular Possessions of the United States, at the time of their sons or daughters induction into the United States Armed Forces and died as a casualty, killed, captured, missing in action, or as a result of illness or injury received through engagement in the Armed Forces in WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Afganistan, and other Strategic Areas.

On June 12, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed and approved a charter for the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. granted by the 98th Congress of the United States of America, which states under Powers, Section 2:

“American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. shall have only those powers granted to it though it’s bylaws and articles of incorporation filed in the state or states which is incorporated and subject to the laws of such state or states.�?

As Congress has dictated above, by it’s issuance of the federal charter, by virtue of its name, shall be recognized as “American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.�?.

In the article there is mention to the fact that the membership board voted and discriminated against Mrs. Lagman. It was not a vote taken for membership, nor a change in the constitution. It was only from an outside source that the discussion took place regarding an upcoming applicant situation, and at that time, the board decided not to make an exception to the rule without proper investigation.

American Gold Star Mothers is an all-volunteer 501.c.3 organization with no federal funding or benefits from any government agency. Its only means of income is from membership dues and donations. They are grateful for the outpouring of support from other Veterans Service Organizations over the years who have worked closely with the Mothers, and knows their only honorable intentions comes from the heart.

The Executive Board would like to take this opportunity to apologize for anything taken out of its context in the dissemination of information while being investigated by the media and improperly reported. They would also appreciate the time to seek a remedy to this situation and handle it internally so that the best interests of all, and to future Mothers, can be addressed.

American Gold Star Mothers have received threats, malicious accusations, and disturbing e-mails, phone calls, and faxes. This organization of moms joined to support each other and also to support the veterans who are fortunate to come home. They have spent the last 77 years devoting their time and energy in service to the Veterans Administration, volunteering in VA Hospitals and nursing homes, accruing millions of hours helping those who honorably served their country.

Thanks for the automated response. However, I still have serious issues with your group. Whether or not you are actually receiving Federal funds will be looked into my myself and many others. That set aside, you have still not explained the contradictions between your claims of “growth” and “change”, and the treatment of Ms. Lagman. I read your press release carefully – twice. Sounds like horse crap to me. I’ve been around the block enough to know the sound of someone scrounging for a quick answer and hiding behind verbiage.

Your auto-response also mentioned a story by the AP entitled “New Leader Says Gold Star May Change Rules“. Problem(s): It says “may” not “will”. Further, the story confirms that your Executive Board has voted down the change in rules. I’m sorry, but you have still not managed to cover a wide swath of shiny bare behind!

Offhand, I’d get busy putting my house in order if I were you, American Gold Star Mothers. The Nation is watching you. The Nation is not happy with what it sees.
Omar, out.  

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Now here is a case of an organization that has taken taxpayer money and gone WAY too damned far out on a limb. This Veteran thinks it may be time to prune that particular limb…

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. �?? Everyone agrees that Ligaya Lagman is a Gold Star mother, part of the long line of mournful women whose sons or daughters gave their lives for their country. Her 27-year-old son, Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman (American Hero), was killed last year in Afghanistan, but American Gold Star Mothers Inc., has rejected Lagman, a Filipino, for membership because �?? though a permanent resident and a taxpayer �?? she is not a U.S. citizen.

“There’s nothing we can do because that’s what our organization says: You have to be an American citizen,” national President Ann Herd said Thursday. “We can’t go changing the rules every time the wind blows.”

That explanation isn’t satisfying the war veterans who sponsored Lagman’s application, some other members of the mothers’ group or several members of Congress.

“It is disheartening that any mother of a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who has died in the line of duty would be denied membership in an organization that honors the memory of fallen service men and women,” said Rep. Nita Lowey (search), whose district includes Lagman’s home in Yonkers.

Rep. Eliot Engel, who represents an adjoining district, said the group should change its rules immediately.

“Whatever the excuse, American Gold Star Mothers’ decision smacks of xenophobia and is in stark contrast to what Mrs. Lagman’s son fought and died for,” Engel said.

[Read the rest of this story here on Fox News.]

Man, this story pisses me off! Not only has this group of hags dissed the mother of an American Hero, they have forced ‘The Bull‘ to agree with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

I get the sinking feeling that if we look back into the records of this bunch we’ll find many more mothers that have been denied. Oh say, black mothers who lost sons in WWII, Korea, & Vietnam. After all, it isn’t too long a leap from xenophobia to old fashion racism.

This story makes me sick. If you are pissed off as much as I am, then write to this bunch of racist hags and let them know how you feel! their email address is: goldstarmoms@yahoo.com
They dare open their web page with this statement: “American Gold Star Mothers was incorporated in Washington, DC and granted a Federal Charter by the ninety-eighth Congress. That was in 1929, and in the years since, through times of war and times of peace, this organization of American mothers has changed, grown, and always been there when needed.”
Yet they can’t “change” or “grow” enough to honor EVERY mother now can they? Bah! As far as that Federal Charter goes, I submit that without an immediate change in rules and policy, complete with a public apology to Ligaya Lagman, we should demand that that Charter be pulled by Congress immediately.

Write to these so-called “Gold Star Mothers” and demand a change! Then write to your Senators and demand action. American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. took your money, they should then toe the line. The mothers of ALL American Heroes should be – WILL BE – honored equally!
Omar, out.  

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