I was dismayed to read Ruth Hatcher's condemnation of Lt. Col. Jim Parsons in the July 28 edition of The Vista. As former chairperson of the POA board of directors, I'd have thought Ms. Hatcher would have learned something about discretion concerning her statements about fellow members. And I'd have thought that she would show respect for Mr. Parsons and all our men and women in uniform.
Lt. Col. Parsons served in the Vietnam war. He was a Green Beret. Part of his duty was to evacuate wounded soldiers. Despite the horrors he has witnessed, he remains a true and honest gentleman. Mr. Parsons continues to serve his fellow veterans by staying involved with the Veterans Council and by organizing events at the Veterans Wall of Honor. I've never seen Ms. Hatcher at any of these events.
At age 88, Mr. Parsons has always done more for this community than most. He organized the 4th of July Patriot Parade 13 years ago and has been the driving force behind it ever since. He works for months putting this together. And while others have joined with him over the years to help, he remains the key coordinator and promoter of the event.
Mr. Parsons is driven to do what's right. While many others remain ignorant with their heads in the sand, afraid to say or do anything, Mr. Parsons takes action. For him, doing the right thing is all that matters. This is the reason for the current suit against the POA. And this is the reason I've joined him as a plaintiff.
I won't go into the details of the current lawsuit, nor will I cherry-pick lines from our complaint out of context as Ms. Hatcher has done. Instead, I'll encourage readers to learn about it for themselves. Become informed and make your own decision.
Kevin Dooley
Bella Vista