A group of war veterans in Massachusetts hung an “All Lives Matter” banner over their town’s American Legion Post because they are tired of the protests over a”Black Lives Matter” banner the mayor refuses to take down.
“We seen what went on with City Hall. We’re not happy about it. We’re not knocking Black Lives Matter. We’re not knocking anybody … We don’t care about your color. We don’t care about where you come from — all lives matter,” post Commander Dave Chamberlain told the Boston Herald.
A banner reading “Black Lives Matter” has hung over the Somerville, Massachusetts city hall since August 2015. Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone refuses to take it down despite disapproval from the president of the Somerville Police Employees Association, Michael McGrath, and other police officers.
McGrath previously wrote a letter to Curtatone saying the majority of police officers must protect a movement that “loathe[s]” them. (RELATED: Police Union Calls For Removal Of BLM Banner, Mayor Rules To Keep It Up)
McGrath, some police officers and a few police unions held a rally in July to protest the banner.
“The banner implies that Somerville police officers are somehow responsible for racially motivated decision-making against minorities,” McGrath said to WWLP.
Despite the rally, Curtatone said the banner would stay.
The war vets’ said their move is a “non-political” gesture, according to Chamberlain.
“It’s something I felt I had to do. We don’t care about color. We don’t care about nationality. Yes, we’re sick about the police officers being shot (and) we don’t like seeing black kids getting shot by cops … We’re not political. We don’t want to be. We’ve got to make a statement. Everybody matters,” Chamberlain declared.
The post’s junior vice commander, Mark Killoren, told the Boston Herald that the banner shows what it is like to be a veteran.
“In the military we’re all green. Everybody who served their country, their color was the same. When you were in a foxhole, you didn’t give a (expletive) what color they were. They’re saving your life. That sign is going to stay up on the post,” Killoren said to the Boston Herald.
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