Town may ban certain activities at memorial
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

MILLSTONE - The chairman of the Millstone Township Veterans Memorial Council has asked the governing body to prohibit certain demonstrations at the veterans memorial.

At the May 16 Township Committee meeting, Richard Brody said the language in the proposed ordinance that would ban certain acts at the memorial mimics the federal Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act.

In a letter to the Township Committee, Brody said he attended ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Memorial Day 2006.

"As our entourage entered the Arlington National Cemetery entrance, we drove by a group of demonstrators shouting, blowing air horns and holding up signs such as 'Your sons and daughters are murderers, and they deserved to die,' 'The U.S. military is made up of gays and lesbians, and they should all die,' etc."

Brody continued, "We can only imagine how hurt the families of our fallen soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines visiting Arlington National Cemetery felt on that day."

To prohibit these types of situations from occurring in the future, Congress passed the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act, according to Brody.

As chairman of the Millstone Township Veterans Memorial Council, Brody asked the Township Committee to adopt an ordinance similar to the federal act in order to prohibit certain demonstrations and activities at or near the Millstone Township Veterans Memorial that have not been authorized by the veterans council or the mayor. The memorial is located on Stagecoach Road next to the municipal building.

Brody said that the memorial is "holy ground to veterans." He said there is a duty to safeguard "this sacred place" as a protection to the memory of those who served in the armed forces.

Brody said it is important that returning troops have a place to sit and remember their fallen brethren.

"Those who did not serve in the military - they may not understand what young returning veterans are going through," he said.

Mayor Nancy Grbelja commented about the prohibition of some demonstrations at the veterans memorial.

"There are people who may or may not support the [Iraq] war," she said.

Grbelja said the memorial gives families a place to mourn and reflect on those who have given their lives.

Brody said the ordinance would not inhibit anyone's right to speak or demonstrate. Any such activities can be approved through a permit process, he said.

Township Clerk Maria Dellasalla said that any permit for such assemblies goes to the Township Committee for approval.

According to the sample ordinance Brody submitted, any demonstrations would have to take place at least 150 feet away from the memorial.

Committeeman Steven Sico said he thought the proposed ordinance would have to be rewritten using the appropriate language.

Grbelja said Township Attorney Duane Davison's office would review the proposed ordinance.

The township's Memorial Day parade, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. May 28, will start at the Clarksburg post office on Route 524 and end at the memorial.