Gosh, I was not aware of the
”
Tug of War
”
going on over the use of the Veterans Hall.
Dear Editor:
Gosh, I was not aware of the “Tug of War” going on over the use of the Veterans Hall.
I would prefer not to be writing this letter in response to the Free Lance article of July 9. The VFW, and myself as its commander, have extended our help and cooperation to the American Legion. What we have received in return from its commander is a constant hassle at every step.
The American Legion is a fine, noble organization. It has been in this community since 1921. Sometime in the late ’70s it stopped doing anything in public – other than to participate in VFW-led ceremonies on Memorial and Veterans Day.
Two years ago, the Legion elected a new commander, Mr. Gonzalez. He wanted to start doing things again, especially those things that would raise funds. Unfortunately, most of those activities failed.
The VFW, during the Independence Day Rally, has been conducting fund-raising activities in the Veterans Hall for eight years. I as the VFW commander invited the Legion in to serve breakfast. From the first day, we have run into problems working with Mr. Gonzalez. Those problems continue today.
At the Legion’s request, the city chaired a mediation meeting to which the VFW attended. The purpose of the meeting was to mediate a fair resolution to the Legion’s perceived problems. The VFW complied with all aspects of the resolution. The American Legion let us know immediately that they would not.
Their noncompliance led directly to the alleged assault on Mr. Gonzalez by comrade Corder, a member of the VFW. We must look at the responsibility for this little tiff. Does the fault lay with Mr. Gonzalez, who grabbed Joyce Corder’s arm when she tried to plug in a pot (at a time when the Legion was to stop serving) and bodily blocked her access to the receptacle? Or does it lie with comrade Corder who later entered the bar area and shoved the lattice divider back to its designate space from which it had been moved by Mr. Gonzalez, so as to block access to the receptacle?
The question also remains as to why, if Mr. Gonzalez considered this to be an assault, did he wait more than 24 hours to report it?
To sum this up, if the Legion has a problem working with the city or myself, they need to look inward to find the solution. They have been treated fairly by the city and by the VFW. They have their office, storage, meeting and special activity space. They, like the VFW, also receive priority for short notice meeting space when the space is not previously reserved.
What they do not have, and do not have a right to, is a larger part of the VFW’s fund-raising activities during the Independence Day Rally.
As the VFW commander and the chairman of the rally fund raiser, I will continue to work with the Legion in all of our community activities. What we will not do is to subvert the legitimate VFW fund raising activities to their whims.
Charlie Scott,
Commander VFW Hollister Post 9242
