A national tour featuring decorated veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan didn't stop at Forest Lake Area High School as planned, after school leaders abruptly canceled the visit.  According to the Veterans for Freedom website, the National Heroes Tour "is about supporting our troops, honoring their commitment and rallying the country to complete the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan." Forest Lake High School principal Steve Massey says he canceled the planned appearance by the Vets for Freedom tour at the school because he didn't want politics in the classroom.  But the cancellation itself was apparently a response to political pressure.  He said the school had received several phone calls from parents and others, some of whom indicated that they may stage a protest if the event took place. The tour was  moved to American Legion Post 225 in Forest Lake.

 Pete Hegseth, a Forest Lake High grad and the director of Vets for Freedom, told the Star Tribune that he had talked with school officials during the planning process, and made clear that presenters would not make political statements. "It's Iraq and Afghan veterans talking about what they saw and what they did there, and about what it means to put on the uniform of your country," he said.

Pete  told the crowd that since the venue was moved off school grounds he no longer felt constrained about talking about "progress in Iraq.""It's unfortunate circumstances that we're here, but I think our message remains the same: That we believe that the veterans of this conflict, guys who have walked the ground, seen the enemy first hand, understand what's at stake, should have a voice and be a part of the public discourse as it pertains to the war and what's actually happening."We weren't going to talk about this at Forest Lake High School but we can talk about this here -- the incredible progress that's been made in Iraq over the last year because of the surge and the counterinsurgency strategy."

 The veterans who spoke were Marine Sgt. Jeremiah Workman, who served as a squad leader in the Battle of Fallujah and received the Navy Cross; Chief Warrant Officer Tom Parks of the Marines, who received the Silver Star; and former Army Staff Sgt. David Bellavia, who received the Bronze Star and Silver Star for valor and is the author of "House to House: An Epic Memoir of War."

Of the people in Iraq, Workman said, "These people know they're up over that hump and they can see the horizon." He added: "People ask me all the time: Do you think we can win the war? I shake my head and say, 'You're damn right we can win this war.' "

Katherine Kersten, Star Tribune metro columnist put it best. "Shame on Forest Lake High administrators for caving to political pressure under the guise of preventing political pressure. Apparently, they only understand the sort of political pressure exerted by left-wing anti-war groups."

 From the Women Against Military Madness site:

“Principal Massey has responded this afternoon to pressure from the voices of peace in our community, the conference and protest are canceled. Principal Massey is commended for refusing to allow the misuse of his public high school for pro-war propaganda.”

“The National Heroes Tour is in Minneapolis today for a number of events however we will not be visiting Forest Lake High School, because the right of whiny left-wing buttheads to censor the troops out weighs the right of American students to hear from and meet the folks who have risked their lives for the freedoms we all enjoy. This is Pete Hegseth’s High School and he had personally arranged for a non-partisan event where students could hear from the vets and ask them questions about their service. This so offended the delicate sensibilities of the usual suspects that they began hassling the Principal and threatening protests.”