Poor victimized IVAW member reinstated
Evan Knappenberger is seen above during the Wednesday, March 19, event organized by Ferndale High School students to protest the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War, where Knappenberger was a guest speaker.
Evan Knappenberger, the Iraq Veterans Against the War lunatic who threatened to blow up the Gathering of Eagles and issued a “fatwa” to assassinate Michele Malkin, then got suspended from the IVAW, gets resurrected in his local newspaper’s (the Bellingham Herald) blog;
Evan Knappenberger, a local Iraq War veteran who did the Stop Loss Tower Guard vigil last summer and started the local Iraq Veterans Against the War chapter was suspended from the group, but reinstated after four days, for making threats online against pro-war activists two weeks ago.
Knappenberger, who initially suffered an indefinite suspension, told me on the phone this morning that he had received an apology from the IVAW board for what he called their “arbitrary decision” to suspend him in the heat of the moment.
Not only did the IVAW restore his membership, they apologized to him for suspending him. I wonder if they’re apologizing to Army Sergeant for the threats she gets from Knappenberger and his ilk. The blogger at the herald continues;
“I’ve been getting death threats for quite awhile now,” Knappenberger told me today. “I just kind of boiled over. Yeah, I slipped up.”
Knappenberger, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, said that the issue has been dead for two weeks and it’s not a big deal.
Yeah, he’s been getting death threats. I wonder why.
He said the IVAW is also “redefining” its terms of non-violence after the incident, with the recognition that they have soldiers in the group.
What the Hell does that mean? Does it mean that IVAW is defining what Knappenberger engaged in as “non-violent”? I got news for you guys, there’s soldiers in every group and we all live under the same rules as the rest of civilized society. But the fun is only beginning;
Because Knappenberger was not allowed at the Winter Soldier event, he offered up his testimony to them and he is also offering it up here. *Update* – Knappenberger has asked me to take the testimony down.
So that’s Knappenberger’s story – he would have offered up damning testimony at Winter Soldier, but since he couldn’t attend because of mean ol’ Army Sergeant jumping the gun, he’ll just give it to some fresh-faced journalist-type who couldn’t tell an IED from an IUD.
Quietly reinstating Knappenberger says more about the IVAW than anything I could write about them.
UPDATED April 2, 2008: Michele Malkin must be getting hits from the same story.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Gathering of Eagles, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Support the troops
“couldn’t tell an IED from an IUD.”
There’s a difference?
This story will get curiouser and curiouser. He should have just remained silent.
I expect he’ll run for the Senate whenever he attains the legal age to do so.
Of course he”l have the full backing of Murtha, Biden, Kerry, et al!
This reinstatement should come as no surprise to anyone. AS has mentioned elsewhere that they are continuing to to take testimony out of the public eye. It will be folded into the public testimony(?) for their final product.
Wonder if they’ll let Dewalt back in.
Jonn wrote: Well, why don’t you ask them, DeWald? Funny how few people visit this site from Menomonee Falls, WI.
All I’m going to say in response to this is that the reporter has not yet been in touch with the individuals who actually make the decisions. His story comes directly from Evan Knappenberger.
Take that for what you will.
Jonn wrote: Well, the reporter says he talked with you on the phone.
Well, that suspension didn’t last long, did it? You were right on the money, Jonn.
As the Special Events Coordinator for GoE, and in deference to my respect for AS, and admiration for this blog, I’ll refrain from saying what I actually think.
AS: I do apologize for jumping to conclusions. Given the context and your mention about continuing to collect testimony you’ll (hopefully) understand.
The reporter called me while I was driving, I told him there were inaccuracies and someone else would be dealing with it. He definitely didn’t take anything for his story. I appreciate the respect, concretebob and also ponsdorf. Things are really hectic and busy, and I am only one person with a lot on my plate, which is one of the reasons I passed this one off. The other is that since he mentioned the board, I thought perhaps the board should respond.
Army Sergeant typically doesn’t say anything, more than once, and everyone salutes and claps politely. I really don’t get it.
Knappenberger’s “suspension’ was a give away from the get-go. He’s too much a star of the show to get the permanent boot. But a few days is really a breathtaking piece of faux window dressing; of self-serving time buying.
I wonder what ever became of the referral to local, state and federal police authorities on this?
Jonn wrote: Army Sergeant gets special treatment here because she’s proven to be somewhat honest and trustworthy up to this point. She got TSO and me into Winter Soldier and she insured our safety. When I was I was verbally assaulted at IVAW’s theater production at the National Archives, she called me to apologize for their behavior.
I wonder what happened to the referral to the feds, too. Maybe the person who made the referral will see this and let me know.
Four whole days? Isn’t that what parents call a time-out? Heck, the Knappie-headed ho’ still could’ve gotten to WSII in time for the hearings if he’d been able to afford a plane ticket. And get past airport security.
But let me also join John and TSO in recognizing Army Sergeant’s basic civility to those of us visiting from “the dark side”.
Jonn wrote: Geez, I’m sorry, Rurik. I keep forgetting you were there because you were so sneaky.
Brother, I’m on your side! The Time-Warner Roadrunner servers in Menominee Falls handle nearly all of the web traffic in southeastern Wisconsin, more than three million subscribers. Don’t let one moonbat Milwaukeean ruin it for the rest of us!
Seriously, I wonder if they’ll let Dewalt back in. I read that he appealed his termination. Wouldn’t surprise me if they did now that there’s no press around for this “Winter Soldier” fiasco.