politics / commentary ::.
Racism At Fort Atkinson American Legion Post |
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Dale Lawver served his country for over 19 years as an active duty member of the United States Navy. Dale will be retiring after 20 years of active service defending our freedom on July 31, 2006. This American hero served in the first Gulf War and serves as a model of citizenship many in the Latino community can be proud of. He currently serves in Janesville, Wisconsin as a Petty Officer First Class Navy recruiter. Dale is a Mexican-American. He was born in Texas. He has been working as a Navy recruiter out of Janesville for the last three years of his last enlistment. Dale wants to have a retirement party. In preparation for this he decided to visit the American Legion Post #166 in Fort Atkinson. Before visiting the post, Dale had done some research i.e., adequate hall accommodations, availability, and cost. Equipped with this information, Dale and his cousin set out for American Legion Post #166 to see the hall and inquire about its availability. Petty Officer First Class Lawver entered the American Legion Post #166 dressed in his Navy Blues uniform. First, he spoke to a woman at the bar. He began inquiring about the hall. Soon after the conversation started, the woman was called over by a man at the other end of the bar. Dale, thinking nothing of it, waited in order to continue the discussion. Before he knew it, Dale was face to face with Dennis White, the manager at American Legion Post #166. Petty Officer Lawver asked White about the hall’s availability for his retirement party. Dale was told that the hall was not available. When Petty Officer First Class Lawver asked why, his reaction was one of shock that then gave way to hurt, after hearing White’s response. White told Lawver that the hall would not be rented to “you people.” At first, Lawver thought White meant Navy personnel. When Lawver asked White what he meant by “you people,” White responded, “Mexicans.” White continued to say that the last time he rented to Mexicans, they caused problems. Petty Officer Lawver asked White what that incident had to do with him. White’s only response was that he would not rent the hall—that it was “unavailable.” When I telephoned for Dennis White at the American Legion in Fort Atkinson, I had to leave two messages. I finally was able to speak to White on Saturday over the phone. I asked him about the incident. White stated in a very sarcastic way that he would talk to me about the matter if I would come over to the Post. White did not want to talk over the phone. I said I would be happy to speak with him there. I asked him when would be the best time for me to meet with him. He said he did not know, and that he could not pinpoint a time or date. Well, I said, “How am I going to be able to speak with you about this”? He said he did not know. I asked him if he remembered the incident. He stated, “I remember the incident, in certain terms.” He then refused to answer anymore of my questions. At first, I perceived White’s invitation to meet him at the American Legion to be genuine. I looked forward to speaking with him about this matter. But after he refused to pin down a specific time and date for me to see him, it was clear White was not going to cooperate. I called the National American Legion, and I spoke with Wade Habshey, public relations for the American Legion. I explained to Habshey about the incident, and asked him if it was standard policy not to rent halls at American Legion Posts to veterans of Mexican heritage. Habshey expressed dismay about the incident. He stated that the American Legion is unable to control the over 14,000 Posts using its name because they’re all autonomous. He also said, “that the only colors the American Legion recognizes are Red, White and Blue.” He said that the national office would be looking into this matter. Meanwhile, Dale is going to retire in July. He is sickened by what took place. He says that he does not think he’ll be staying in Wisconsin. Petty Officer First Class Dale Lawver, because of his Mexican heritage, was denied an opportunity to celebrate his retirement at an American Legion Post in Fort Atkinson Wisconsin. This is shameful and serves as another example of America’s inability to disarm its xenophobic fears. • Miranda is a national award winning columnist, Latino community activist and Editor-in-Chief of the Milwaukee Spanish Journal. Email at: rmiranda@wi.rr.com >>More articles by Robert Miranda |