Alonso tells her side of the story
To the Times:
My name is Christine Alonso. I am the proud wife of an immigrant and a mother of four biracial children. I am also a decorated combat veteran who is disabled after being wounded while in the service of our country in Iraq.
I was the first female commander of the Norwood VFW, and I am currently the District Commander. I am also an elected official on the Interboro School Board. I hold a degree from Widener University in history, with a focus on African-American studies. I want to set the record straight on what happened on Saturday at the Black Lives Matter event in Ridley Township, and to correct the outright lies being spread about me on social media.
I went to the Folsom VFW to stand with my fellow veterans, and to protect the property of the VFW that was threatened on social media. I also fully support police and first responders. When individuals support defunding the police, I will always speak out against that idea.
I never saw a Confederate flag that day. I have never held that flag in my life. Anyone who says differently is an outright liar. I additionally did not say anything at any time that could be interpreted as being racist.
The BLM protestors yelled hateful things at me and others standing on the Veterans of Foreign Wars property. They were there for a confrontation. Protesters called us “racists, hillbillies, bigots, crackers” and one even made nasty comments about my personal appearance. At some point one of these protesters gave me the middle finger. The only thing I regret from Saturday was raising my voice and giving the middle finger with both hands to a woman who did the same to me first. For that I apologize. I should have kept my cool when this woman was giving me the finger, while people were screaming at me that I was a racist. But instead I gave her the finger back and said, “I guess I wasn’t racist when I fought and bled for your right to protest.” I cannot tell you it was my proudest moment, but I certainly will not allow myself to be defined by it.
The people who want me to resign from the school board know nothing about me. How dare anyone call me a racist. I live with the real consequences of racism every day. My family gets hurt by it, and it’s painful. I deplore racism.
I do not apologize for being at the VFW post. I do not apologize for being against defunding the police.
It is a stupid idea and if there is protest asking to defund the police next week, I will speak out again. I do not support one race over another, and I will not say that “only” Black lives matter because when I was fighting for our country all lives mattered. I fought for everyone’s life. I placed my life in the hands of Black men and women, and they placed their life in mine. I support racial equality, equity, and fairness for all.
Somehow in this country we have gotten off track. People see one moment of a phone video and they think they have all the facts. Since this incident I have been physically threatened and received death threats, I have been raked over the coals on social media, all by the same people that I fought to protect. My resignation from the volunteer position of school director has been demanded by an anonymous online” change.org” petition signed by people who don’t know me or even live in the school district. It’s the work of cancel culture. There is even a colleague on the board who has asked for my resignation.
Well, I will not be resigning. I do apologize to my colleagues for whom this has brought unwanted attention at a time when we are trying to open schools but I ask them to challenge their own principles and ask themselves if my voice should be silenced by a bullying mob of social media protestors who have no idea of the facts. After all I have given to my country to protect these freedoms I will not be silenced.