IS KILLEEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE POLITICIZING FORT HOOD ANNIVERSARY?

There will be two memorials to commemorate the first anniversary of the Fort Hood massacre. One will span two days, with the memorial ceremony on November 5th and a 'celebration' on November 6th. The Killeen Chamber of Commerce is billing those days as being the 'official events.' The City of Killeen is responsible for organizing the off-post event. The other memorial will be held on November 21st at the Killeen Civic Center and his being organized by the Forum for Middle Eastern Understanding.

Here is the press release via Special Guests:

HOUSTON, TX (Oct. 27, 2010)-- A Memorial for the Ft. Hood Fallen scheduled for Nov. 21, 2010 has been many months in the making. But instead of joining the solemn assembly, The Killeen, TX Chamber of Commerce is playing politics by only promoting a Nov. 5 event and attempting to thwart the Nov. 21 memorial service.

The Killeen Chamber went so far as to issue a letter to its members stating that they are supporting the Nov 5th, and are not supporting Nov 21st event. They have also insinuated that there is a money issue, and that the 'competing' event's sponsor, The Forum For Middle East Understanding, has been "pressuring" local businesses to sponsor the Nov. 21st event. They have further stated to members that our event is being misrepresented as a memorial service.

Conducting interviews on this topic are Keith Davies, executive director of The Forum for Middle East Understanding, and Michael Riker, president of the International Counter Terrorism Association and retired detective of Prince Georges County Police Dept. in Maryland.

"Why is the Chamber of Commerce of Killeen even taking sides one way or the other?" asks Keith Davies, adding, "I would not expect their animosity."

What adds insult to injury is that the memorial service and symposium for the Ft. Hood victims is proudly a private affair funded by donors, ticket sales and sponsors. The overall cost of the private sector event is in excess of $80,000, while the Nov. 5th memorial service is totally funded by the 'deep pockets' of U.S. taxpayers.

"We are offering Killeen businesses the opportunity to participate as a sponsor, said Davies, "but no one is pressuring anyone as insinuated by the Chamber."

Keith Davies says he has not been in communication with the Killeen Chamber of Commerce and wonders why they have so much animosity toward the second event. Keith believes the answer is likely the ongoing issue of political correctness, the very reason why the Ft. Hood tragedy occurred in the first place, and the root cause of similar incidents, because of the lack of resolve necessary to properly address the issues and roots of terrorism.

Said Davies, "Our conference wishes to truly honor those soldiers and civilians who lost their lives with a memorial service, and then present terrorism experts who are not afraid to share the truth with the American people. We dishonor our men and women in uniform, and put them at greater risk by not speaking the truth or facing the facts about Jihadist Terrorists like Major Nidal Hasan, whose hidden agenda killed 14 and wounded 35.”

The theme of this memorial event is DIVERSITY STARTS WITH THE TRUTH, which will be held at the Killeen Conference Center Nov. 21st, 2-8 PM Central Time. A primary sponsor of the event is the ICTOA (International Counter Terrorism Officers Association). Among the five keynote speakers, each of whom are experts in terrorism, are former military officers, law enforcement officers and two former Jihadist terrorists, Walid Shoebat and Kamal Saleem, who want to share with the world the root causes of terrorist and what can be done to fight the spread of terrorism.

There appears to be a controversy bubbling over opposing memorial events at Fort Hood.

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