The organizers of Salute gave Naperville a nice Fourth of July weekend of music and entertainment. The Watchdog was there most of the weekend and was impressed. Salute does not draw the masses like Ribfest or the Last Fling did and does. In many ways this makes it better. It’s easier to go to and more relaxing.
They also do a very good job honoring veterans and our military personnel. So attendees get a healthy dose of patriotism with their music.
Naturally, this patriotic community event appeared to draw almost none of our elected officials. Numerous former councilmen were spotted there at one point or another. But virtually none of our current councilmen or Springfield officials were in attendance. Hat tip to Mayor Wehrli and Councilman White. Both were spotted amongst the crowd.
The event was accessible to the disabled and it appeared to be in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements so it remains unclear why Councilman Holzhauer was unable to attend.
Naperville Salute organizers deserve a thank you for hosting this very nice event and for injecting some needed patriotism and good vibes into our community. Let’s hope they get a stronger show of support from there elected officials next year.
Another cheap shot at Ian, but positive feedback for the Mayor and Councilman White. Where were McBroom, Leong, Taylor or Wilson or do they get a pass simply because they are held to a different standard than you hold for Ian?
Why wouldn’t they come? Major missed opportunity.
The formula of success is SIMPLE: Pro-America, Pro-FAMILY, and Pro-Business! Rinse repeat!!!
Hilarious comment about Ian!
I am a veteran and I did not attend this event. I am also a member of the VFW and known not every Naperville veteran attends this event, for various reasons.
To assume a veteran must attend this event is simply ignorant.
How do you know if the WD or anyone else on this list served? Ian was never in combat and held an administrative position in the Air Force. Those VA doctors will sign that tax paperwork for anyone. It’s beyond offensive that we have an elected official that is so obnoxiously abusing a benefit that was clearly intended for injured war vets. Pushing his tax bills on all of us in the process. Screw that guy, he needs to go.
The WDs quip about the ADA compliance is funny because it’s true. Ian is supposed to be 70% disabled. Such a disability would render someone wheelchair bound or close to it. Yet he’s running marathons?
First I know for a fact the WD has never served in the military, but your welcome to waste your time trying to prove otherwise.
Second getting rated as disabled by the VA is not easy and getting any rating above 25% disability requires a lot documentation from both the DOD and VA specialists.
Any veteran, elected or not, that has been rated disabled by the VA and taking advantage of any benefits approved by the Federal, State, County and other local governments is not offensive. I have not talked to a single veteran that is offend by Ian or Ben taking advantage of DAV benefits allowed to them.
Finally, I worked for many years with a veteran that was over 70% disabled (as rated by the VA) from a hand grenade he jumped on in Vietnam. He was not in a wheelchair and in fact was more then capable of keep up with me on our daily duties (I work with him for several years before I finding out he was a DAV). So I don’t know were you are getting your information that you have to have a certain physical appearance to be rated a disabled vet.
You might be able to convince people that are ignorant of what the VA does and what DAVs are like, but those of us that have real world experience and knowledge will never take you seriously.
Jim you are clueless. It was ticked off vets that told everyone about it. There’s a reason Ian is never at Salute, that crowd doesn’t like him and he knows it. Vets never question the benefit because many need it and no one wants to see it taken away. But abuse of it should be called out, particularly when abused by an official.
Spot on Jim! I saw plenty of veterans that were disgusted with how the local right wingers weaponized this against Ian for politics
Thank you for your service, we had forgotten your illustrious history, and your reminder was due. You do know what they say about “assume” right? The sentiment was about the level of engagement that certain Councilpersons show by joining the community at events held in town. There was no connection made between attendance and veteran status. Comment was made to illustrate the callous disregard that some Councilpersons seem to hold their constituents in when public events are shunned in favor of enjoying their bourgeoise amusements in private. But, the hyena will always show us his spots, none should be surprised by this level of noblesse oblige. To assume that a public servant would not be judged by the optics of “I’m too good to be seen with the common folk at their silly little patriotic picnic” is at the very least ill-advised, if not completely over the line into ignorant.
It is amazing how the right can keep going on about how if you don’t have a visible disability (a missing appendage, paralyzed, disfigured, etc) you can’t be a disable vet while at the same time putting themselves forward as the group that “honors military service”.
The reality is a very large number of veteran that are disabled do not show any outward signs of their disability. This judgement (prejudice) based on physical appearance has a long history on the right.
It is also a fallacy to assume only veterans who have served in combat can be disabled. My cousin’s husband is a disabled vet but never saw combat. He was injured in a training exercise by an artillery shell (there were not suppose to be any live rounds for this exercise) that exploded and resulted in him losing a significant percentage of his intestines. He was luck, because he live, some of this team mates didn’t.
People who have never served (have no family member that serve) really do not know what they are talking about on the subject of veteran disabilities. When these people deem themselves more qualified to determine a veteran’s disability then the VA all they are proving is their own hubris.
Yet Jeanne Ives, who is a vet, voted against giving this tax break to vets because she knew it would be abused. Pretty sure Ian and Benny’s intestines are fully functional and intact. Also quite certain Ian’s training as a JAG in the Air Force never put him in close proximity to artillery. Maybe Ian and Benny wrap bandages around their intestines while running marathons?
So wait, your saying a Republican, a member of the party that claims to “honor” military service, decided to deny disabled veterans this benefit because she believe a few “non deserving” people might abuse this benefit? Sound like the like of hollow support veteran usually get from the right. Just look at Project 2025 if you want to see just how much BS the rights support of veterans truly is.
My examples were intend to only provide a few examples of DAVs that can perform on a job without displaying any physical or other signs of their disability. Lots of DAVs with PTSD are actually encourage to engage in activities like running marathons to help them deal with their disability. A veteran does not need to suffer any physical injury (intestinal, head, limb, etc) to have PTSD.
Finally, how do you know how well the intestines of Ian and Benny work? And what does that have to do with being a DAV? Lots of people that have intestinal issues are not veterans and you would not know my cousin’s husband has any permanent injury (let alone intestinal issues) just by watching him.
Let face it if Ian was not label a “liberal” by the WD, the WD would not care.