Amvets Rolling Thunder DC

Pentagon Denies Rolling Thunder Permit, Throwing Vets, Other Government Agencies Under The Bus

If our leading psychiatrists sought to diagnose a case of collective schizophrenia, the Biden administration would be the place to start.

The administration has been on every side of the COVID-19 issue, and nowhere is that more prevalent than with vaccines and masks.

The same federal officials, including President Joe Biden himself, who declare that people should get vaccinated so they can get back to normal life are themselves fully vaccinated and still wearing masks and practicing social distancing.

No matter how you look at it, their message is confusing and self-defeating.

This matters because Team Biden has just cited its fear of COVID as the reason to kill a three-decade-old Washington tradition.

On Friday, local media in the District of Columbia reported that the Pentagon had rejected a permit for the Memorial Day Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally, which honors military veterans considered POW/MIAs and calls attention to veterans’ suicides.

“The U.S. Department of Defense has denied a parking permit to the American Veterans or AmVets to stage a rallying point at the Pentagon ending a 32-year-old tradition on Memorial Day weekend for Rolling To Remember,” WJLA, the ABC affiliate in Washington, reported.

“Now AmVets will try and secure RFK Stadium as an alternative staging area.”

AmVets had traditionally used the Pentagon because it is the largest public parking lot in the city.

WJLA got a statement from the Pentagon, which repeatedly has refused on-camera interviews.

It read:

“Unfortunately, the department has disapproved AMVETS permit request. The department took into careful consideration all aspects of AMVETS request, to include the current Health Protection Condition status on the Pentagon Reservation; substantial community transmission of COVID-19 in Arlington County, Virginia; number of Americans fully vaccinated across the nation; nature of this event with its decreased ability to maintain physical distance; and large crowds in one location for an extended period of time. This event draws national attention and participation; therefore the risk of exposure from participants from other communities extends well beyond the National Capital Region.”

The Pentagon added, “If COVID-19 conditions permit, the department would gladly consider supporting a future event request from AMVETS, potentially as soon as this Labor Day weekend. The department looks forward to supporting future events with AMVETS, and as always, we appreciate AMVETS’ support of our veterans, their families, and their communities, including promoting better awareness of veterans’ issues, as well as AMVETS continued support for our missing-in-action service members.”

Sure.

AmVets, which represents 20 million veterans, had sought approval for the event for a year.

After reviewing the request, nine other local agencies with authority over the permit had approved it.

But after the Pentagon’s reluctance to support AmVets received greater attention, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast noted, “In Joe Biden’s America, it’s harder for our veterans to get a permit than it is for illegal aliens to enter our country. That tells you everything you need to know.”

But it also tells Americans all they need to know that as more states end requirements on masking and large crowds, thanks to vaccines, that the Pentagon rejected this request as several mass-audience sites in Washington are reopening.

WJLA reported that the Smithsonian has announced eight of its facilities will reopen to the public in May, as will the National Zoo and the United States Holocaust Museum.

On its Facebook page on Friday, AmVets noted of the Pentagon’s move: “Good thing we’ve been coordinating plans B and C. Regardless, we will ride in May.”

Reacting to the denial, AmVets Executive Director Joe Chenelly told WJLA, “It’s very disappointing and for our members. There’s been shock and deep disappointment expressed to us.”

But he also explained how the Pentagon threw its partners under the bus.

“We are seeing it on websites and social media all over the place. Much smaller groups. They’re planning their own smaller rallying points and they’re coming in,” Chenelly said.

And as WJLA noted, “Which means a potential traffic nightmare for the District. Multiple staging areas all over the DMV before thousands of veterans on motorcycles head over to the National Mall.”

Other News: Trump Critics In Congress Have Spent Tens Of Thousands On Private Security Since The Capitol Riot

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