American Legion Passed Resolution Opposing Park on Veterans Land

CALIFORNIA AMERICAN LEGION PASSES RESOLUTION OPPOSING PUBLIC PARK ON VETERANS’ LAND

By John L. Stamatiades

At the American Legion Department of California’s 2008 Convention in Bakersfield, a Resolution regarding a public park on Veterans land in West Los Angeles was presented to the Delegates representing 150,000 members and it was unanimously approved with this summary:   “RESOLVED … that the American Legion, Department of California, should not endorse the establishment of a public park for use by the community generally on land donated for the exclusive benefit of veterans, and should not endorse any use of the property at the Veterans Home Land which is not for the ‘sole purpose of providing veterans a place to heal from war’.”

Legion Rescinds Endorsement of Group’s Proposed Park
Mandated by adoption of the Resolution by vote of Delegates to the 2008 Department Convention (the highest authority in The American Legion), California Department Commander Alan C. Lennox, served notice by letter dated July 28, 2008 to the Veterans Park Conservancy, that “ … at American Legion Department of California Convention 2008, the Delegates voted unanimously to adopt a Resolution rescinding any endorsement of the project of the Veterans Park Conservancy to create a park at the land administered by the Veterans Administration in Los Angeles, California, and commonly known as the Veterans Home Land.” 

 “In compliance with said Resolution, notice is given hereby that neither the Veterans Park Conservancy nor any of its agents, employees, representatives, or others acting in concert with it, are authorized to represent in any manner, including publicity, that the Veterans Park Conservancy’s actions at the Veterans Home Land are endorsed by The American Legion Department of California.”
 The notice specifically cites the VPC’s press release containing the quote of endorsement from Leo P. Burke, and rescinds it; and requires VPC to notify all those to whom it had previously represented that VPC was endorsed by the Department of California, that the Department, by vote of its members in Convention, has “rescinded any prior endorsement.”

Park’s Executive Director Refuses Legion’s Certified Notice
On July 30, 2008, Ms. Sue Young, the executive director of Veterans Park Conservancy wrote “Refused” on the Certified Mail envelope that contained the aforementioned letter and Resolution from the American Legion Department of California, and she further wrote “RTS” (Return to Sender) with arrow directed back to the Legion’s address. 

As result of Ms. Young’s refusal to acknowledge and accept the American Legion’s notice sent via U.S. Certified Mail, another notice was subsequently hand-delivered and served upon the Veterans Park Conservancy.

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John L. Stamatiades is the Past Commander of District 17 of The Department of California’s American Legion, and a Member of the Legion’s National Legislative Council.

Note: Rees Lloyd, a civil rights attorney and Past Commander of District 21, authored the Resolution for the California Legion opposing the use of Veterans Home Land for a public park. Mr. Lloyd is also Director, Defense of Veterans Memorials Project of The American Legion Department of California