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Stories of American Heroes - Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado
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Stories of American Heroes - Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado |
EDITORIAL
Make fake medals illegalDon't wear military medals you didn't actually earn.
Most people don't have to consult an expert in etiquette or virtue to realize that wearing medals that weren't bestowed to them is beneath contempt. But that doesn't stop some people from doing it anyway.
The movie "Wedding Crashers" is causing a hubbub regarding the use of bogus Purple Heart medals. The two main characters use a variety of disingenuous means to worm their way into weddings and pick up women. One method they use to attract the opposite sex is to pin fake Purple Hearts to their lapels.
Shameful? Of course it is. But these are fictional low-lifes. It's just a movie.
New Line Cinema? That's another story. As part of its promotional campaign, the company set up a Web site that let fans print out fake Purple Hearts to gain "attention, admiration and plenty of free booze."
And some wonder how Hollywood gets a reputation for being amoral and concerned only with the bottom line.
Apparently, however, even the execs at New Line are susceptible to protests. Company officials have removed the promotion and apologized.
But that is not the end of it. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo., targeted "Wedding Crashers" last week when he introduced the "Stolen Valor Act." Currently, it's a class-B misdemeanor to falsely wear a Medal of Honor, but other medals are not protected.
Those who want to pose as war heroes can go online and order a Purple Heart for less than $20. Other medals also are available, including Navy Crosses, U.S. Army Distinguished Service Crosses and Bronze Stars. Salazar's bill would extend protections to all medals, making it a crime to wear them if they aren't yours.
In some cases, the medals are purchased by veterans or their families who have lost medals that were legitimately earned. While medals can be replaced through official channels, the red tape can be burdensome.
But some medals undoubtedly are bought by poseurs, folks who want the respect without going through the inconvenience of combat. And we support efforts to make that illegal. While no law can effectively prevent people from falsely claiming service in the military or acts of valor they never performed, Salazar's law may at least deny them props to carry out the ruse.
Meanwhile, here are some Web sites (we're sure there are others) that we do endorse. All three seek to unmask fake veterans: POWnetwork.org; HomeOfHeroes.com; AuthentiSEAL.org.
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Please Sign Our |
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Stolen Valor Act of
2005 . |
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Read/Download the Policy Analysis Paper that is the basis for this legislation. |
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John T. Salazar (CO-3) SPONSOR |
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Doug or Pam Sterner may be contacted at: (703) 461-3626 or by Email: Pam Sterner - Doug Sterner
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To more fully
understand the depth of this problem Please Visit |
HomeOfHeroes.com now has more than 25,000 pages of US History for you to view.
James
Fields (Left) regaled the audience in Chillicothe, MO, on
veterans day with tales of his heroism that earned him a Navy
Cross for heroism in Vietnam while serving under Lt. Col.
Oliver North. The same day in St. Louis, Michael Wielbacher
showed up for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball wearing the Navy
Cross and Distinguished Service Medal, along with a two Silver
Stars with "V", four Bronze, and more. Both were
bogus heroes. Wielbacher is prosecutable but Fields is NOT (he
was wearing a Navy Cross PIN, not the Medal. Both are exposed
in this excellent report from the St. Louis Fox Affiliate.
