"In Salinas, more than 500 people packed two city blocks along South Main Street and Blanco Road….In Monterey, organizers estimated over 9,000 people attended the event at Window on the Bay Park.
…
“'It is extremely difficult to call bubbles and rainbows and little kids dancing and people bopping to drums and having a good time…as a war zone,’ said Meisner. 'If this is war, boy are we confused.'
…
"'America has always been a nation of immigrants,' said Louis Montano, a #VietnamVeteran who graduated from Salinas’ Palma High School in 1965. For Montano, protesting the current administration was part of 'an obligation to protect the #Constitution of the #UnitedStates of America … this is about our future.’”

Report by Chris Hamilton, with contributions from Melayna Hughes, for #MontereyHerald.

https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/10/18/monterey-salinas-hold-their-own-no-kings/
#NoKings #Monterey #Salinas

Remembering six U.S. military veterans who died alone:

Andrew Stanley Brzowtowski, originally of Syracuse, New York. #USArmy #VietnamVeteran
John Randolph McConnell, born in Maine. #USAirForce
Jeffrey A. Graham, born in Kentucky. US Army
David Calvin Schaeffer, from South Dakota. #USNavy
Ralph D. Hucke, born in Oregon. USArmy #DesertStormVeteran
Richard Clarence Wilkerson, born in Los Angeles. US Army

"Murphy talked about the struggles that veterans face when they come home, like maintaining relationships with loved ones, another casualty of their service.

“'So keep that in your heart.'”

Thank you, Pam Marino @pammarino, for "Six veterans who died alone are interred with full military honors at the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery.”
https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/six-veterans-who-died-alone-are-interred-with-full-military-honors-the-the-central-coast/article_fc040e55-292c-4682-8b50-4e58ce76f97b.html

"The ceremony was made possible by a policy change at the National Cemetery Administration, part of the Veterans Administration, last year.” https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/a-poignant-ceremony-honors-fallen-veterans-who-died-alone/article_29b40b99-9bcc-4215-8499-a074b1533c76.html

@mastodonmigration @GottaLaff
I needed this. Just spoke to a friend, a #vietnamveteran, offering him a ride to town to vote. He said he doesn't vote because he doesn't trust that a majority of us makes good decisions... And because all politicians are the same.
This from #obama proves - at least - that his second point is misguided.

I’m a #Disabled #VietnamVeteran. #ArlingtonNationalCemetery Is No Place for #Trump’s #Political #Theatrics.

The former president and #ConvictedFelon's #behavior on the #sacredground of #fallen #servicemembers should #disqualify him from being their #commanderinchief.

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2024-09-04/im-a-disabled-vietnam-veteran-arlington-national-cemetery-is-no-place-for-trumps-political-theatrics