OMNI member fakes flier, trashes troops
Pamela Acosta, Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: News
A local peace organization denounced fliers carrying its name that contained profane language defaming the troops in Iraq, according to a press release sent out Tuesday.
An angry person, frustrated with the war, altered a flier originally written by OMNI member Chris de la Cruz, Dick Bennett, president of the OMNI Center, said in the release.
Bill Porton, another member, was responsible for the changes. He kept the original content of the flier, "he simply altered the message," Bennett said.
OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology representatives said they disagree with the war, but were respectful to the troops and their families in their original flier.
"We're critics of the government, the soldiers have been ordered to do this," said Bennett. "We hope that family members and friends of young people killed, injured, or still in Iraq, realize that even though we disagree with this war, we wish only the best for these soldiers," said Bennett in the release.?
Bennett said the fliers were disrespectful and did not reflect the opinion of the center.
The original OMNI flier promoting anti-war protests said, "Support the Troops, Bring them Home Now," but Porter altered the flier to read, "Condemn the Rulers' Hired Murderers."
The original flier included pictures of local soldiers killed in Iraq, but Porton changed the title above the pictures to read "local dumbshits killed in current aggressions."
Porton said he changed the fliers because the original was "morally disgusting." According to Porton, soldiers were hired hit-men and were "the rulers' troops," not ours.
"[It's] not something we should support, [it's] something we should condemn." He explained his alterations as "in your face protests that will shock people and hopefully make them think."
The fliers were placed on people's car windshields at the Fayetteville Public Library on Monday, said Bennett. According to the release, a member of OMNI reported the alteration to Bennett.
An angry person, frustrated with the war, altered a flier originally written by OMNI member Chris de la Cruz, Dick Bennett, president of the OMNI Center, said in the release.
Bill Porton, another member, was responsible for the changes. He kept the original content of the flier, "he simply altered the message," Bennett said.
OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology representatives said they disagree with the war, but were respectful to the troops and their families in their original flier.
"We're critics of the government, the soldiers have been ordered to do this," said Bennett. "We hope that family members and friends of young people killed, injured, or still in Iraq, realize that even though we disagree with this war, we wish only the best for these soldiers," said Bennett in the release.?
Bennett said the fliers were disrespectful and did not reflect the opinion of the center.
The original OMNI flier promoting anti-war protests said, "Support the Troops, Bring them Home Now," but Porter altered the flier to read, "Condemn the Rulers' Hired Murderers."
The original flier included pictures of local soldiers killed in Iraq, but Porton changed the title above the pictures to read "local dumbshits killed in current aggressions."
Porton said he changed the fliers because the original was "morally disgusting." According to Porton, soldiers were hired hit-men and were "the rulers' troops," not ours.
"[It's] not something we should support, [it's] something we should condemn." He explained his alterations as "in your face protests that will shock people and hopefully make them think."
The fliers were placed on people's car windshields at the Fayetteville Public Library on Monday, said Bennett. According to the release, a member of OMNI reported the alteration to Bennett.
