Opinion: No matter what a former military person does later in life, does not change the fact that, s/he served their Country earlier and was honorably discharged. Quite often, the person that entered the military is not the person that leaves the military, and we cannot say what effect that service has on later life. This bill would be likened to an ex post facto violation, if passed!6-3-2010 Washington DC:
Congress is set to ban full military burials for veterans convicted of forcible rape.
The U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House. The bill will now go to the Senate.
U.S. Rep. John Shadegg, an Arizona Republican, introduced the measure at the request of a former Phoenix Camelback High School classmate, Steve Bush, who now lives in San Diego. In 2001, Bush's daughter, Jenny, was attacked in Tucson by serial rapist James Allen Selby.
An Army vet who served in the Gulf War, Selby was buried in 2004 at Fort Sill National Cemetery with full military benefits. Selby hanged himself in a Pima County jail cell before he was to be sentenced for 27 counts ranging from sexual assault to attempted murder.
Veterans are currently entitled to be buried in a veterans or national cemetery and to a ceremony presided over by an honor guard, while next of kin receives an American flag and certificate from the president. After the Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh in 1995, Congress stripped the burial honors from veterans convicted of capital crimes.
But rapists such as Selby still have the right to such burials.
"I'm elated," said Steve Bush. "There is still another hurdle to clear, but I am overjoyed. This is long overdue. As a veteran myself, I think the circumstances as they are now are an insult to veterans and a slap in the face to victims."
Shadegg said he expects the amendment to stay in the bill because Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., is co-sponsoring similar legislation.
"This was really important to me because of Jenny herself and similar victims who are legitimately revictimized when they learn these kinds of honors are afforded to heinous criminals who violently raped them," Shadegg said.
Staff Sgt. Jake Richmond, a spokesman for Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, declined to comment on the legislation.
"Our job here at D-M," he said, "is to follow orders from our leaders." ..Source.. Phil Villarreal Arizona Daily Star
1 comment:
Being a Disabled Vietnam Veteran, this is just another slap in the face we all experienced back in the '60's and '70's. Now if there is a capital crime, we are forbidden burial in all national cemeteries and denied military honors. Now there wish to ad rape to the list. As reprehensible and horrific this crime may be, it has no bearing on the past service performed by the veteran. Today's young veterans deserve respect from their nation, something those who fought and died in Vietnam never received. Just give all veterans this one last dignity, we earned it.
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