Mother of fallen Bokoshe soldier fights for federal law
Woman wants son's name removed from T-shirt
Last updated Sunday, July 23, 2006 6:15 PM CDT in News
By Aaron Sadler
The Morning News
WASHINGTON -- An Oklahoma woman whose son was killed in Iraq is urging Congress to enact a law to restrict commercial use of soldiers' names and images.
Rep. Dan Boren, D-Okla., introduced a bill in the House earlier this month at the request of Judy Vincent of Bokoshe.
Vincent's 21-year-old son, Marine Cpl. Scott Michael Vincent, was killed by a suicide bomber two years ago.
The Soldiers Targeted by Offensive Profiteering Act targets vendors who sell merchandise that includes the names or likenesses of U.S. troops, often over the objection of the soldiers or their families.
Vincent specifically is angered by a Flagstaff, Ariz., man's anti-war merchandise. He sells T-shirts listing the names of 1,700 soldiers killed in Iraq along with the phrase: "Bush lied. They died."
Oklahoma and Louisiana have enacted laws similar to the measure now in Congress.
"Two states is not enough to shut down people like him and people in the future," Vincent said. "We don't need to go through this. I've gone through this a year and a half."
Cpl. Vincent and another Marine were killed April 30, 2004, near Fallujah when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device near Vincent's vehicle. Six other Marines were injured.
Dan Frazier, whose Web site www.carryabigsticker.com drew Judy Vincent's ire, said he would fight any federal legislation in court if necessary.
"To me, the right thing is to continue drawing attention to the horrific toll this war is taking in terms of the lives lost," Frazier said. "If these legislators really cared about the families of the troops, they would stop their political posturing and pass legislation to bring the troops home."
However, he said, the T-shirt is selling poorly and that he probably will discontinue sales before legislation could be enacted.
Under Boren's bill, a person or company must receive permission from soldiers or their families before using names or images associated with their armed forces service.
"Can you imagine being a mother who's lost their son and then they see an image of their son being used in a way that they might not agree with?" Boren said. "That's just inherently wrong."
He introduced the legislation July 11.
A day later, Republican Reps. Charles Boustany of Louisiana and Geoff Davis of Kentucky introduced a bill to ban unauthorized use of a deceased soldier's name or image for either commercial or political purposes. Boren's bill does not prohibit the use of a name or image for political purposes.
Boren said he thought the alternate bill was a response to a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Web video that showed images of flag-draped coffins. The committee later pulled the ad.
He said the constitutionality of the other bill is "pretty murky" since it restricts political use of soldiers' names.
Vincent, too, said she thought the alternative bill may violate the First Amendment. However, Frazier appears to be profiting off her late son's name, she said.
"If it's basically an anti-war statement, he could use 'Bush lied.'" she said. "I don't need to be reminded that my son died."
Boren's bill is endorsed by the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, the Air Force Sergeants Association and American Veterans, according to a news release.
The bill has 49 co-sponsors. Boren, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he plans to meet with Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., to discuss moving the measure swiftly.
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