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57 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, September 19, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 31, 2004 Veterans, others rally locally against Bush Southern Oregon supporters of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry rallied Monday to counter the messages touted at the Republican convention in New York. Southern Oregon Veterans for Kerry gathered about 25 people in Veterans Park for half an hour Monday afternoon. "We’re going to hear a lot of speeches from Republicans, but it’s too late for words," said Chuck Keil, an Ashland residentwho served in the Navy from 1968-88. "We’ve seen their actions and in the military that’s what counts." The rally was followed by a 9 p.m. Monday night protest in Medford’s Hawthorne Park, where about 100 people lined east Jackson Street and held flashlights in the air in a symbolic gesture against what they called the dark side of the Bush administration. The hastily organized protest mirrors similar ones in New York City neighborhoods at 9 p.m. Monday, Eastern Daylight Time. "We’re really, really upset at how this country is going," said protester Bo Robinson of Medford. "We’re trying to put light on the real darkness of Bush administration policies. Advertisement "The future of this country is light and hope," Robinson said. At the afternoon rally, Keil outlined some of those actions, as researched by the Democratic Party of Oregon. He noted that the most recent federal budget provided $1.2 billion less than requested by the Department of Veterans Affairs and was criticized by various veterans groups. Also, President Bush has proposed increasing enrollment fees and co-payments for veterans’ health care. Veterans sometimes wait up to six months to get doctors’ appointments within the VA system, he said. Dan Davis, an Applegate resident who served in the Army in Vietnam, introduced Kerry’s plan to help veterans. The Democrats promise to fight for mandatory funding for veterans’ health care and make sure those who have served get the care they need in a timely manner. They also say they will ensure military members and families have access to health and dental care and extend military health insurance to activated reservists. The Democrats’ plan also proposes ending a rule that forces disabled military retirees to give up a dollar of their pension for every dollar of disability payment they receive. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities