School cancels Vets for Freedom event for being "political" after anti-war parents politicize it; Audio: David Bellavia on the cancellation

Uncle Jimbo breaks the news and MM runs it down. Here’s the money quote from K-Lo at the Corner:

The patriots at Vets for Freedom were headed to Forest Lake Senior High School today with Rep. Michele Bachman. That is, until the Democratic Underground got to school administrators…

Planned was an assembly with about 150 Social Studies students. The vets — including Vets for Freedom head Pete Hegseth, a graduate of the school (and frequent NRO contributor) — were to talk about their experiences at war. According to Hegseth, “The venue was closed to the public, and we reached an agreement with the principal not to talk about anything political. We had 2 Silver Star recipients and 1 Navy Cross recipient lined up, as well as a half-dozen local veterans.”

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Well, look. I wouldn’t be thrilled if Iraq Vets Against the War decided to drop by my kid’s school for a chat, even one based on an agreement “not to talk about anything political.” VFF’s National Heroes Tour is in fact explicitly political insofar as it’s about “rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.” I take Hegseth at his word that they would have avoided that and stuck to a neutral discussion of service and battle, but a parent on the other side may suspect that the political and non-political aspects aren’t as easily compartmentalized as one might hope.

Too bad for the kids, though. Read this phenomenal excerpt from VFF member David Bellavia’s book to see what they missed. Exit question one: Since the left is suddenly worried about indoctrination, what studiously apolitical, scrupulously nonpartisan nuggets might we find in the school’s history curriculum about the Iraq war, do you suppose? Exit question two: Why cancel VFF instead of just inviting some opposing group to speak later?

Update: Courtesy of Mike Gallagher’s producer, here’s Bellavia — whom you really need to acquaint yourself with, if you haven’t yet — talking about the cancellation. One of the subplots here is parents possibly worrying about their kids wanting to enlist after hearing VFF speak. Imagine: career guidance at a high school.

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