WICHITA, Kansas (KSN) -- An event designed to remember soldiers during the week of Independence Day turned into a rally against a new memorial proposed for the Veterans Memorial Park.
Members of the city's large Vietnamese community would like to see a monument added to the park honoring soldiers from their homeland who fought side-by-side with U.S. troops against the communists during the Vietnam War.
Many veterans are against the idea. They say the park is for Americans and only Americans.
Veteran John Wilson said the proposal comes from a "misguided, misinformed minority". Wilson went on to say diminishing the respect for the memorial "is not a bone to throw diversity and so called political correctness."
Patriot guard co-founder Dennis Scuffham said he had no problem with a memorial honoring the Vietnamese, as long as it’s kept out of the Veterans Memorial Park.
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer spent his evening at a town hall meeting geared for the city's Vietnamese community. As a veteran, Brewer said he understood both sides of the issue.
Brewer said the city is meeting with both veterans and Vietnamese leaders hoping to come up with some sort of compromise.
If they can't, the City Council will vote on the proposal at their July 14th meeting.
