Matters of the Commonwealth

Chris Peace needs some input from the good citizens of the Commonwealth.

He has a few questions he'd like you to answer.

I filled it out. Its no big deal to access, and the more information he has, the better he can perform his duties. We are obligated as citizens of the Commonwealth to assist our elected officials in any way we can.

The Ba'athists Are Coming The Ba'athists Are Coming

Its party time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Information has been received indicating that the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is planning protest activity within the region. The group is described as an extremist hate group opposed to the military and homosexuals. The WBC has garnered media attention by protesting at the funerals of service members, famous people, people who have died from AIDS, as well as military installations and political events. The activity is planned to target schools, Jewish facilities, and military events in Henrico County, the City of Richmond, and the Tidewater area.

The WBC is a highly organized group based out of Kansas. The WBC has a history of seeking confrontation in order to file lawsuits that may result in settlements to fund the group's activities. The protests focus on provoking responses which provide the basis for confrontation and litigation. Historically the group has not engaged in violence when left alone.

The following is a list of planned WBC events in the area:
27 Feb - Virginia Beach 1115 hours Funeral of Staff Sergeant Mark A. Stets,
Wave Church, 1000 N. Great Neck Road

1 Mar - Norfolk 1400 - 1430 Granby High School
1445 - 1515 Bina High School (in B'nai Israel Congregation)
1520 - 1550 Ohef Sholom Temple
1610 - 1640 Norfolk Naval Station
1700 - 1730 Temple Israel

2 Mar - Virginia Beach, Richmond, Henrico
0655 - 0725 Landstown High School, Virginia Beach
0800 - 0830 Simon Family JCC, Virginia Beach
0900 - 0930 4th Annual Naval Expeditionary Forces Symposium, Virginia Beach Convention Center
1145 - 1215 Virginia Holocaust Museum, Richmond
1240 - 1310 The Jerusalem Connection, 210 Giant Dr, Richmond
1330 - 1400 University of Richmond Hillel, Richmond
1540 - 1610 Hermitage High School, Henrico

3 Mar - Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Norfolk
0650 - 0720 Churchland High School, Portsmouth
0845 - 0915 Torah Day School of VA, Portsmouth
1130 - 1230 4th Annual Naval Expeditionary Forces Symposium, Virginia Beach Convention Center
1400 - 1430 Norview High School, Norfolk

Although these types of demonstrations are generally peaceful or nonviolent, they are assessed to present a potential domestic Force Protection issue.

While the protests staged by anti-war and anti-military groups/organizations are legal, the controversial nature of the protests tends to invoke counter protests and creates a hostile environment that could easily evolve into violence. Counter protest groups such as Gathering of Eagles, a pro-soldier group, have appeared at events involving protestors from the WBC. There is generally an overwhelming support provided to the US military in the local community; however the potential exists for a spontaneous, unprovoked attack against either the demonstrators or pro-US Military persons.

Please inform your Soldiers, civilians, and family members of the potential for protests. Instruct them to avoid these events and not to interact with these individuals in any way. If they do come into contact with these protesters and are harassed or assaulted in any way, they should immediately report the incident to the Military Police or local police. The single best preventive measure is to AVOID the areas where anti-war and/or similar protests are projected to or are actually taking place. If you witness a suspicious incident in your community, at work, or while commuting you should report it to Law Enforcement immediately.

Ensure that personnel are advised that the practice of OPSEC is critical in protecting the integrity of the operations and missions, and as a result protects the lives of the Soldiers, family members, and community.

Take the Poll

Gathering of Eagles: NY
Fighting the Insurgency at Home
Should WWII Medal of Honor Hero Be Allowed To Fly His Flag?
December 3, 2009

Col. Van T. Barfoot, Rtd., is a 90 year young veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Never a shirker from his duty he is fighting one more war today, the Battle of Henrico County.
One note of warning to the Sussex Square Homeowners Association; “I think you picked a fight with the wrong guy!”

MoH Recipient Has Flagpole Issues

WWII MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER FACES SUIT OVER HIS FLAG-FLYING
By Zinie Chen Sampson The Associated Press
RICHMOND

A 90-year-old Army veteran who won the Medal of Honor during World War II is battling his neighborhood association for what he says is his right to fly the American flag from a pole in his front yard.
Col. Van T. Barfoot says he erected the 21-foot flagpole in September, raising the flag daily at sunrise and retiring it at sunset.
The Sussex Square homeowners’ association told him recently that the free-standing pole violates the townhouse neighborhood’s aesthetic guidelines and ordered him to remove it by 5 p.m. Friday or face a lawsuit.
“I don’t have any qualms with their authority, but the thing about it is that I cannot get enough conversation out of them where we can try to work out a solution,” Barfoot said Wednesday in a telephone interview.
The homeowners’ association said they denied a previous request by Barfoot to erect the flagpole but that he put it up anyway, according to a statement issued by its lawyer Sandy Bowen. The statement says Barfoot can display an American flag, as long as it’s in a way that conforms with association rules.
“This is not about the American flag. This is about a flagpole,” the statement reads. Barfoot, who moved into his townhouse in June, won his medal for actions near Carano, Italy, in 1944 and is one of about 90 surviving Medal of Honor winners. He also won the Purple Heart and other decorations, and served in Korea and Vietnam before retiring from the service in 1974.
“I’ve flown the flag at my home as long as I can remember,” said Barfoot, who lived in rural Amelia County before moving to suburban Richmond. “This is the first time in the last 36 years that I’ve been unable to put my flag up on the same pole, the same staff and take it down when it’s time to come down.”
Neighbors largely have expressed their support, but he realizes that ultimately it’s up to the nine-member association board whether they will grant an exception to the rules.
“Emotional torture is what they’ve done to my father,” said his daughter, Margaret Nicholls. “He has lost sleep; he worries about it constantly. He just doesn’t understand. He thinks that if it’s on his property they can’t tell him what to do.”

Henrico County MoH Recipient Has Flag Issues

Homeowners Associations are like this, yeah they are.

The Barfoot family is accepting donations from supporters but wants the money to go to the USO, the military service organization.
"We want the money to go the families of servicemen, not us," said Margaret Nicholls, Col. Van T. Barfoot's daughter.
The homeowners association in his western Henrico County community wants Barfoot, 90, a Medal of Honor recipient, to remove a freestanding flagpole that he erected in his yard, and from which he flies the American flag daily.
Checks should be made out to the USO and sent to: Stand Tall for Colonel Barfoot, c/o The Hoople Group, 12105 Browning Court, Richmond, Va. 23233.
The Hoople Group also is serving as a clearinghouse for telephone calls, letters and e-mails of support