Veterans support anthem kneeling

The recent actions of kneeling during the playing of the U.S. National Anthem by professional football players is NOT an action that is disrespectful to veterans. It is an act of civil protest, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, to focus attention on what is occurring today to black and brown men all over this country. As Military veterans we, the undersigned, applaud Mr. Kaepernick and others who have exhibited the courage to bring attention to the racial inequities, injustices, and loss of life suffered by people of color at the hands of some authorities.

We Veterans who have served in foreign countries like Vietnam and Korea with the objective to protect and preserve the American ideal of the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some of our peers gave their very lives and well-being to achieve this goal. However, we now hear some people saying that these players don’t have the right to do this. Did the individuals involved in the ‘Boston Tea Party’ have the right to do what they did? Yes! The key word was protest; out of which a Nation was born.

The words of the national anthem came from the pen of a man who was a slave owner himself and glorified the killing of black men in his anthem’s verse ‘ ..no refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave:’ It is circumstances such as this, embodied in our anthem, that these players are focusing on.

In our USA, black veterans returning from fighting in World War II were forbidden to ride the bus to get home because of the color of their skin; all while wearing their uniform. Today,we must learn from the past and strive for a better future ; one in which there is truly “..liberty and justice for all.” Nate Alston, Elwood Dixon, John

Robinson Jr., Coatesville

Take stand against domestic violence

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when domestic violence service providers across the country mourn those who died, celebrate those who have survived and now thrive, promote the availability of free and confidential help, and encourage their community members to get involved in efforts to stop the violence. To signify the importance of this awareness, volunteers from the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) will be tying ribbons to lampposts on Thursday, Oct. 5 in the downtown areas of West Chester, Downingtown, Coatesville, Kennett Square, Oxford, Phoenixville, and on the campus of West Chester University.

The Domestic Violence Center of Chester County has been providing free and confidential services to victims of domestic abuse and their children in Chester County since 1976. Victims can be found in every geographical area of the county, as well as in every social/economical level of our community. The 3,100 victims and their children we served last year tragically only reflect a small percentage of actual victims in Chester County since domestic violence is a highly under-reported crime.

Domestic violence is an escalating tragedy in our country. The number of domestic violence victims is staggering: it is estimated that one in four women and one in seven men experience some type of domestic violence in their lifetimes, and one in three teenagers experience dating violence each year. This violence includes physical, verbal, emotional, financial and/or sexual abuse. 15.5 million children will witness abuse against a parent every year; three women, on average, are murdered each day by their abusers; and the cost to taxpayers is an astounding $5.8 billion annually from medical expenses and lost time at work.

Despite tremendous success in bringing domestic violence out from behind closed doors ... in building a nationwide network of hotlines, shelters, and counseling centers ... in enacting sweeping legal protections ... ignorance, tolerance, skepticism, and denial continue to create barriers to individuals coming forward for help and thwart efforts to effect lasting social change. The need for sufficient funding for domestic violence programs and shelters cannot be ignored or overstated, given the dangerous and potentially lethal nature of many of the victims’ circumstances.

Our hope this month is that each member of our community takes a stand against domestic violence.

Whether it is on the larger scale of government sponsored prevention efforts or individuals working independently or with businesses, community groups or communities of faith, we must all commit to preventing domestic violence and bringing hope and healing to those affected by it.

Dolly Wideman-Scott CEO of the Domestic Violence

Center