Enough.

It took me a long time to join the American Legion. They weren't exactly welcoming to Vietnam vets back in the day, and the national office has always held to a pretty conservative line on a number of issues that extend beyond the general interest of veterans. Still, the troika of the VFW, the Legion and the Disabled American Veterans constitute the most effective voice for the defense of veterans rights and benefits at the national level. Those things seem to matter more as you get older, and a couple years back I decided it was time to add whatever weight my membership might bring to the strength of that voice.

This convinces me I was wrong.

The American Legion, which has 2.7 million members, has declared war on antiwar protestors, and the media could be next. Speaking at its national convention in Honolulu, the group's national commander called for an end to all "public protests" and "media events" against the war, constitutional protections be damned.

"The American Legion will stand against anyone and any group that would demoralize our troops, or worse, endanger their lives by encouraging terrorists to continue their cowardly attacks against freedom-loving peoples," Thomas Cadmus, national commander, told delegates at the group's national convention in Honolulu.

The delegates vowed to use whatever means necessary to "ensure the united backing of the American people to support our troops and the global war on terrorism."

Sorry, Commander Cadmus. That's not what I fought for. That's the kind of thing that really does demoralize our troops, at least the ones who take their oath seriously.

I've got a renewal notice in the hopper right now. Screw 'em. The money's going to these guys.