January 26, 2008 06:32 PM UTC

Polis Declares War On...Anti-War Veterans Group

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Polis offers additional thoughts.

As the Denver Post reports:

A veterans group lashed out at the Jared Polis congressional campaign today for what it called “offensive” editing “for political purposes” of the iconic picture of Marines raising the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima.

The Boulder Democrat recently sent a mailer to voters in which the original photo was shown alongside an edited version that featured the logo of the Blackwater security firm superimposed on the flag.

“When American troops risk their lives for our freedoms it’s heroic. When companies risk American lives for their profits it is anything but,” it read.

“Polis has not only defaced the flag, he has defaced the service veterans gave to this country – and the service of those men who laid down their lives to raise that flag,” John Fuchs, a former Marine, said in a release sent by Colorado Veterans for America.

The group, which has about 2,000 members, has endorsed Polis challenger Joan Fitz-Gerald in the race to replace Rep. Mark Udall in Colorado’s Second Congressional District. Conservationist Will Shafroth is the third Democrat in that contest.

The Polis campaign was quick to defend itself…

Which, in the recurring theme, is where it got interesting.

Polis has been highly critical of the role of private security contractors in Iraq since returning from a trip to the Middle East late in 2007.

That led to a charge of hypocrisy from CVA member Jim Hudson. “When he was over in Iraq, who provided his security?” Hudson asked. “If these security companies weren’t doing it, who would? It would require that we have more young people in the military.”

Hudson, a former solider, took his critique of Polis one step further in a telephone interview with The Denver Post, questioning why Polis, who is openly gay, hasn’t served in the military.

“He says that he has to ‘tell’ that he’s gay,” Hudson said. “I can tell you, when I served in Vietnam, I served with many gays, and was honored to do so. And they didn’t feel compelled to make an issue of their orientation, because, I presume, that they thought it was more important that they serve their country.”

Asked to respond to Hudson, Polis said in a statement: “This is the kind of homophobic comment that we have worked so hard to overcome in order to reach some sort of tolerance in America. I was in ROTC as a college student and the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy of the military definitely played into my decision to not continue my training. I don’t feel that anyone – man or woman – should have to pretend or hide who they are to serve our nation and I look forward to a time when gay men and women can serve openly in our military.

“I ask Joan Fitz-Gerald to disassociate herself with this obviously homophobic group.”

There are enough landmines in this little exchange that we’re going to leave the commentary to you, gentle reader.