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Second Vice Commander's Column |
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The three-day session of nearly 121,000 members of the Ohio American Legion will be conducted at the Dayton Convention Center. This weekend event will begin on Friday with an Opening Session of The American Legion/American Legion Auxiliary at 7:00 p.m. to officially open the Convention and be called to order by Department Commander Bob Kimball. Highlights of the Convention will include addresses by National officers and other dignitaries, the election and installation of the new 2009-2010 officers, and consideration of constitutional amendments and resolutions that involve Legion business and policies of state and national interest. In addition, various Department awards for the year will be given out to those deserving Posts/individuals who have excelled throughout the year. Delegates of the Legion and Auxiliary will begin arriving in Dayton on Thursday, June 25th, for pre-convention meetings, and will occupy approximately 700 hotel rooms in area hotels. Approximately 1,700 Legion members, their spouses, and friends are expected to attend the three-day meeting. The Third District is providing liaison officers to welcome and assist delegates while in the Dayton area. The Third District also will distribute hospitality packets at the District Caucus meetings, outlining what Dayton has to offer out-of-town visitors and answer any questions they may have. Registration will take place in the convention center in the main lobby beginning on Friday at 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and there will be a registration fee of $5.00. The Department of Ohio American Legion
Convention Headquarters will open beginning
Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. in room 302 of the
Convention Center. Legion Posts cautioned on hall rentals American Legion Resolution 407, passed in 1923 but still in force today, is provided below. There are indications that radical groups have used deceptive practices in booking "halls" for meetings that support racist agendas. At least one "hate group" has made a practice of renting several different halls/posts under deceptive conditions for their activities in the event that their identities are discovered and owners cancel prior to the event. National Commander Rehbein urges all post commanders to carefully review requests made for rental of post facilities. Resolution 407 says it best: WHEREAS, the fundamental law of our country guarantees to all peoples equal rights and equal opportunities and the right to worship their God as they see fit; and WHEREAS, it is provided that our laws shall be made and enforced by representatives of our people, chosen under the law so to do; and WHEREAS, membership of The American Legion is made up of those who served our country in time of great national stress, without distinction as to race, color, creed or class; and WHEREAS, The American Legion is pledged to the orderly enforcement of our laws through lawful agencies; therefore, be it RESOLVED, by The American Legion, in national convention assembled this 17th day of October, 1923, that we consider any individual, group of individuals, or organizations, which creates, or fosters racial, religious or class strife among our people, or which takes into their own hands the enforcement of law, determination of guilt, or infliction of punishment, to be un-American, a menace to our liberties, and destructive to our fundamental law; and be it further RESOLVED, that we consider such action by any individual, groups, or organizations, to be inconsistent with the ideals and purposes of The American Legion. |
