Yesterday, two Vietnam War veterans joined with One Iowa to call on Bob Vander Plaats to denounce the latest outrageous statement by the AFA’s Bryan Fischer claiming that the Medal of Honor has been “feminized” because we only give it to soldiers who exhibit bravery in saving lives, not in taking lives.
The reason they called on Vander Plaats to denounce Fischer was because the AFA was the main force behind the Iowa for Freedom effort that Vander Plaats ran as they sought to remove three state Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of marriage equality, spending at least $140,000 on the effort.
But Vander Plaats says he will not denounce Fischer because neither the AFA nor Fischer speak for him and so he has no obligation to comment:
[D]espite numerous ties to Fischer and the American Family Association — which includes AFA spending $140,000 on Vander Plaats’ successful campaign to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices and an appearance by Vander Plaats on Fischer’s radio program — Vander Plaats says he won’t answer for something someone else said.
“As the son of a World War II veteran, I understand the sacrifices those in the U.S. military such as Staff Sgt. Giunta make to preserve our liberties and freedoms,” Vander Plaats said in a statement to The Iowa Independent. “It is disappointing a group would try to settle a score and try to make me accountable for words that aren’t mine. Bryan Fisher and AFA do not speak for me or Iowa For Freedom, and we don’t speak for them.”
Of course, just a few months ago Vander Plaats appeared on Fischer’s radio show, saying it was a “thrill” to be with him and thanking him “for everything that you do with AFA.”
Apparently Vander Plaats’ “thanks” for “everything” Fischer does at AFA does not include insulting Medal of Honor winners.
