Group Rejects Slain Soldier's Mom Because She's Not U.S. Citizen

[Kadie]

Group Rejects Slain Soldier's Mom Because She's Not U.S. Citizen
Woman Is Permanent Resident, Taxpayer

POSTED: 4:02 am PDT May 27, 2005

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- A woman whose son gave his life in Afghanistan has not been allowed to join a group that recognizes the mothers of fallen soldiers.

Army Staff Sgt. Anthony Lagman was killed last year. But the American Gold Star Mothers has rejected his mother, Ligaya Lagman. She's a Filipino and lives in Yonkers, N.Y., but she's not a U.S. citizen.

Gold Star National President Ann Herd said the organization's rules clearly state that to be a member you have to be an American citizen.

snip...
Lagman has lived in the United States more than 20 years and is a permanent resident and taxpayer.

more...
http://www.thekcrachannel.com/family/4539042/detail.html

[getmeouttahere]

1. Can't we go one lousy day.....

without some awful news like this!

[insane_cratic_gal]

2. Guess i'm writing

Didn't realize you had to be american to loose a son or daughter in Iraq to be honored.

Although they do have hiliary on the main page
http://www.goldstarmoms.com/


[e-mail]

[ComerPerro]

12. Well, at least they have that then.

I gotta say, at least they keep that Hillary link on their main page.

But it seems absurd that one of their membership requirements is that you must be a citizen.

If the war on terror is such a global effort, why not have international membership anyway?

[insane_cratic_gal]

13. Hillary even reprimanded them

Territorial and Insular Possessions of the United States of America

which includes the philippine islands so they are violating their own charter technically.

[ComerPerro]

15. Yeah good point

[Benhurst]

3. What a sick, sick joke.

[Lannes]

4. They should know better than that.

and change the rules.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dogday]

6. Her Son Should Be Awarded Citizenship Posthumously

[Gormy Cuss]

14. Her son was a citizen according to news reports

That's what makes this membership issue so unbelievably picky.

[enigmatic]

7. This is the height of BS...

Pretty disgusting, but I guess I shouldn't expect any less...

[SteppingRazor]

8. Eh, whattaya gonna do?

It's a private organization. If the Boy Scouts can keep out gays, the Gold Star Mothers can certainly be "Americans only." Not saying I agree with it, but it is perfectly acceptable from a legal standpoint and it's their right to keep such rules in place.

:shrug:

[SteppingRazor]

9. Eh, whattaya gonna do?

It's a private organization. If the Boy Scouts can keep out gays, the Gold Star Mothers can certainly be "Americans only." Not saying I agree with it, but it is perfectly acceptable from a legal standpoint and it's their right to keep such rules in place.

:shrug:

[insane_cratic_gal]

10. Their own charter

Blue Star was used to represent each person, man or woman in the Military Service of the United States.

her son died in service to this fucked up country! She has every right to stand there as they do!

It's discrimantion plain and simple./

Natural Mothers, who are citizens of the United States of America or of the Territorial and Insular Possessions of the United States of America, whose sons and daughters served and died in line of duty in the Armed Forces of the United States of America or its Allies, or died as a result of injuries sustained in such service, are eligible for membership in American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.

Adoptive Mothers and Stepmothers who reared the child from the age of five years whose natural mother is deceased, are also eligible under the above conditions.


TITLE 48 - TERRITORIES AND INSULAR POSSESSIONS

CHAPTER 1 - BUREAU OF INSULAR AFFAIRS
CHAPTER 2 - ALASKA
CHAPTER 3 - HAWAII
CHAPTER 4 - PUERTO RICO
CHAPTER 5 - PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[memerzatz]

11. Wrote Message

I wrote a message to the yahoo address. Shame on them

[Kadie]

17. Adoptive Mothers and Stepmothers

"Adoptive Mothers and Stepmothers who reared the child from the age of five years whose natural mother is deceased, are also eligible under the above conditions."

:wtf:

[paineinthearse]

16. "we got what we wanted, now go back from where you came"

How despicable.

Nominated!