Line drawn in park over statue

[derekkj 0]

Line drawn in park over statue

"No middle ground" in battle over look, location of memorial

By Joey Bunch

Denver Post Staff Writer

Article Launched: 04/06/2007 01:00:00 AM MDT

Littleton - With its green lawn, jungle gym and picnic gazebo, Berry Park is an unlikely battlefield, but the local flap over the statue of a fallen war hero set to be placed here brewed into a national conflict Thursday.

The Internet, talk radio and cable news spread the word of some parents' concerns about the planned bronze sculpture of Navy SEAL Danny Dietz holding his automatic rifle.

"There's no middle ground here, and that's unfortunate," said Emily Cassidy, one of a handful of Littleton parents who say the statue with the gun should not be near three schools and two playgrounds at the southeast corner of South Lowell Boulevard and West Berry Avenue.

"We're continuing to try to spread our message," Cassidy said. "The message is not against Danny Dietz, his family or the war. It's location, location and the audience that will view it."

Reached at home Thursday in Virginia Beach, Va., Patsy Dietz, Dietz's widow, said she sympathizes with the message that guns and schools shouldn't mix, especially in the community where the Columbine shootings took place.

But to use her husband to forge such a political statement about guns is irresponsible, she said.

"It's a parent's job, including these parents who are protesting, to teach their children the difference between two thugs who murder their classmates and a soldier who died fighting for their freedom," she said. "Danny represents every soldier and sailor who has fallen, and for them to take this stand, well, that's offensive to me."

Patsy Dietz found out about the opposition via an e-mail forwarded by Janice Caulfield, the parent-teacher association president at Centennial Academy of Fine Arts Education.

Caulfield had received the e-mail, which solicited opposition the statue.

"They were barking up the wrong tree," said Caulfield, the daughter of a 24-year Navy man and the cousin of a Navy SEAL who served with Danny Dietz. Caulfield said she could not speak for the PTA, but in her opinion admiring a local war hero is good for children.

"I'll be proud to take my children there, and I'll be glad to show them a hero who died fighting for them and how we live our lives in freedom," she said.

The statue of the Heritage High School graduate is being cast at a foundry in Loveland. Sculptor Robert Henderson of Cañon City based it on the last photo taken of Dietz, showing him in a crouched position and holding the rifle on one knee.

It is scheduled to be unveiled at the park July 4, the second anniversary of the discovery of his body on a mountainside in Afghanistan. Dietz died June 28, 2005, fighting off dozens of al-Qaeda guerrillas. He posthumously received the Navy Cross for heroism.

The opposition to a war memorial is unprecedented in Jim Carrier's experience He is a national board member for both the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund and the Navy SEAL Warrior Fund, foundations that help the families of those who die in service to the country.

"They are missing the point," Carrier said. "It takes guns to defend our freedoms against terrorists when they are trying to kill you and your children."

But those who side with Cassidy see a different depiction.

"A statue of a soldier holding a child would send a better message," said Calvin Freehling, a Vietnam veteran from Indianola, Neb., who e-mailed The Denver Post. "An automatic weapon doesn't signify protection. It signifies violence. I'm 64 years old now, and I'm tired of violence."

Ann Levy of Denver, who calls herself a "peacenik," would like to see Dietz's sacrifice honored in a different way.

"They should be putting up a peace dove instead," she said. "The question is do we stand for peace or do we stand for war?"

Staff writer Joey Bunch can be reached at 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_5604793

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Damn you liberals!!!

[Ban Hammer 13,636]

"There's no middle ground here, and that's unfortunate," said Emily Cassidy, one of a handful of Littleton parents who say the statue with the gun should not be near three schools and two playgrounds at the southeast corner of South Lowell Boulevard and West Berry Avenue.

i wonder if this means every statue like that needs to be moved. hell, we have a statue of a guy on horseback holding a gun on ft leavenworth about half a mile from the school. and the kids walk by it on the way to school. should i be scared they will

a- steal a horse

b - steal a gun

c - go on a wild rampage?

Calvin Freehling.....I'm 64 years old now, and I'm tired of violence."

what a relief. i'm tired of 64 year old veterans that are not tired of violence

[Otto 83]

"A statue of a soldier holding a child would send a better message," said Calvin Freehling, a Vietnam veteran from Indianola, Neb., who e-mailed The Denver Post. "An automatic weapon doesn't signify protection. It signifies violence. I'm 64 years old now, and I'm tired of violence."

Oww...we need a statue of the Easter Bunny now... something soft and fluffy...

[almaty 19]

the vet was right ..

[Ban Hammer 13,636]

the vet was right ..

that was you they interviewed, i knew it!

[almaty 19]

the vet was right ..

that was you they interviewed, i knew it!

yeap, i wanted them to have a bar girl on his arm instead