Minnesota Veterans to rally against the shutdown

This Sunday in Washington DC, several veterans groups are planning a rally at the WWII Memorial to make the government understand that closing war memorials is unacceptable.

Now a group of Minnesota Veterans are planning a rally at the MN Vietnam Memorial in conjunction with the rally in DC-

Minnesota Vets and Supporters Rally as Part of the Million Vet March on the Memorials

St. Paul, MN, October 9, 2013 - The Million Vet March on the Memorials is an event created in response to the closure of WWII Memorials in Washington, DC this week.  Veterans and supporters will be gathering at the Minnesota Viet Nam Veterans Memorial starting at 8:00am on October 13, 2013 in conjunction and in sync with the national rally being held in DC at the same time.   The goal of this peaceful assembly is to show remembrance to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and support those who wish to access these memorials unencumbered at any time. 

Greatly disappointed by the barricading and shutting down the World War II Memorial to veterans, a group of five friends from military backgrounds created the Million Vet March on the Memorials on October 3, 2013. All have a family member who is a Veteran, some paying the ultimate sacrifice. Feeling like the Veterans were being used as political pawns in the ongoing government shutdown and budget crisis, they desired to get people involved in protest of these closures in all cities across the United States.  From that, the Million Vet March on the Memorials was born.

Kenneta Fabing, the daughter of a retired US Navy veteran and coordinator for the Minnesota rally states, “We understand that concessions need to be made during the shutdown, but the closure of the WWII Memorial in DC this week invalidates the service of veterans who have fought so valiantly to ‘let freedom ring’.  We have to send a message that Americans are not going to stand for it.”

After the budget crisis, the Million Vet March on the Memorial founders, in a grassroots group effort, will ask for a bill to be introduced that would prevent any member of the government from closing down memorials to any American, except for maintenance purposes.

The Minnesota rally is open to those who support and love our Veterans, whether Democrat, Liberal, Conservative, Republican or Libertarian.   Not desiring to become a political protest against Congress or the Administration, participants will be peacefully raising voices to tell our government that the American people will not stand for the behavior shown to our American Veterans.  

The Minnesota Viet Nam Memorial, where the event is being held, is located just south of the State Capitol in St. Paul, behind the Veterans Administration building (which is on the North side of interstate # 94). The Veterans Administration building has a parking lot a short distance from the MVVM. The official address of the VA Building is: 20 12th St W, St Paul, MN 55155.   More information and details can be found at www.facebook.com/events/242644715889229/ or http://1mvetmarch.wordpress.com