Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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STAFF PUBLISHER Bill Bowman bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Janice Burton Joy G. Kirkpatrick editor@upandcomingweekly.com STAFF WRITER Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Tabitha Kidd tabitha@upandcomingweekly.com Steve Rogers steve@upandcomingweekly.com OFFICE MANAGER Suzy Patterson suzy@upandcomingweekly.com –––––––––––––– GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Soni Martin, D.G. Mar tin, Pitt Dick ey, Margaret Dickson, Bob Cogswell, John Hood, Shanessa Fenner, Erinn Crider, Karen Poppele, Renee Gibbs, Heather Griffi ths, Ashley Young –––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a “Quality of Life” publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what’s happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2010 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. From: Gerald and Pam Nelson Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 4:50 PM To: Tony Chavonne Subject: Sister City in Viet Nam Dear Mayor Chavonne, I am wondering why people are making decisions for others when they were not even a part of the experience? It is interesting how civilians seem to know more about war and its effects than people who have gone to war and lived through its horrors. I have been asked, “Why the Vietnam Veterans don’t just “get over it” since it has been almost 40 years since the war. I think you could ask that of the World War II veterans who still are having problems with the Japanese and the Germans. I recently sat down and talked to one veteran who could not believe I drive a Honda because he still feels bitterness towards that country. I don’t know, because I was not a veteran of either of those two wars. I talked to him about the dropping of the fi rst atomic bomb and if he felt it was necessary. He told me stories about the brutality of the war and how his fellow Soldiers were not sure if we could win the war by invading the country and how they dreaded the thought of it because they had diffi culties doing the right thing when they saw the enemy doing inhumane things to fellow Soldiers. I did not see buddies killed viciously in front of my own eyes so I can not tell people they should “get over it” or be happy with this “sister city” idea. These wars were both against countries who did not abide by the Geneva Convention and the atrocities were great. The United States was guilty of atrocities as well but the difference was that our country was outraged by those disgraceful deeds. It was a way of life for these three countries. The Vietnam Veterans lived with these atrocities as a way of life for their enemy. It is not easy to let go of these memories of an enemy, and for this to be rammed down their throats is to bring up the whole unpleasant past again. It also brings back a lot of memories of their return and how the American people turned their back on them after they served their country under very trying times. I think it is appalling to try to gloss over all of this by saying you are really doing this to help bring closure for the Vietnam Veterans, and it is much too much for the Veterans to stomach. It is very evident by the overwhelming disapproval of this project by our veteran’s groups that most Veterans do not share the 4 UCW APRIL 7-13, 2010 INSIDE PUBLISHER’S PEN by BILL BOWMAN I am yielding my space this week to publish army veteran LTC-R Gerald Nelson’s letter to Mayor Tony Chavonne voicing his concerns over the consideration of making Soc Trang, Vietnam a sister city to Fayetteville. More surprising, interesting and disappointing was Chavonne’s response to Nelson. Profound leadership or defi ant arrogance? You be the judge. Thank you for reading. same opinion as you do. Have you talked with any professional counselors in the VA Hospital system or the Vet Center, who are the ones who deal with these issues regularly, to see what they have to say about this idea? Many of them, I believe, would not share your opinion that this is a good idea. You are going to increase their work levels and increase the stress these Veterans have with their pasts. You have shared one story of a Vietnam Veteran who found closure with a trip to Vietnam that was related by a friend. That Soldier was at the point where he was ready to deal with the past. This person seems to be in the very small minority of Veterans who are ready to put the past in the past. Isn’t it interesting that until the last few years, World War II Veterans were not ready to go back to the place of war? That means that maybe in another 15 or so years our Vietnam Veterans may be in the same place. Mayor Chavonne, I am, also concerned with the costs of this idea. There will be trips for elected offi cials and we are already dealing with a budget crisis. I do not believe for one moment that this idea will bring us any more commerce. Maybe some of our money will be helping them, but maybe a better idea would be to try to do something for our Veterans who are homeless in Fayetteville. Are you really concerned about our Veterans? Then why not come to our meetings and listen; not tell us what you think. You may fi nd that there are a lot more Veterans than Don Talbot, who oppose this idea, and you may learn how this community can really support their Veterans. If our city wanted to recognize our Vietnam Veterans why did we not support the U.S. Senate adopted resolution stating March 30 is Vietnam Veteran Recognition Day? Not one peep? Aren’t you promoting that this is the All American city who cares more about Soldiers than other places? Yet, there was no mention of this special proclaimed day by anyone in Fayetteville. Mayor Chavonne, I ask that you abandon this idea and wait for the Veterans Groups to come and suggest ways that would let Fayetteville, The Great American City, show their appreciation for all the Veterans. Please, please do not go forward on this proposal. It may not be a bad idea for the future but it is defi nitely not the right time. CH (LTC-R) Gerald Nelson, Gulf War Veteran From: Tony Chavonne Date: 3/31/2010 9:55:42 PM To: Gerald and Pam Nelson Subject: RE: Sister City in Viet Nam Thank you for your service. I understand that it is an emotional issue and am hearing from all sides on it. I appreciate the fact that you fought for the very rights that allow us to speak openly and, at times, disagree. 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