Several military veterans with ties to labor unions stood in front of Jacksonville’s Memorial Wall Wednesday morning to publicly decry Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The vets said his economic policies would spell disaster for service members and their families. They’re also upset over Trump’s seeming lack of respect for veterans.
Former Marine and Purple Heart recipient Will Fischer said Trump’s acceptance of a supporter’s Purple Heart because, the candidate said, he always wanted on made Fischer remember an August day 12 years ago.
“That’s the day I was awarded a Purple Heart,” Fischer said. “It’s also the same day that my brother who had his arm blown off was awarded a Purple Heart. And my brother who lost an eye, that was the day he was awarded a Purple Heart. And, my brother who was killed that same day, he was awarded a Purple Heart," he said. "What Donald Trump struggles to understand is that a Purple Heart is a reminder of a very bad day. And it’s not something anyone who has one ever wanted.”
Fischer is executive director of the AFL CIO Union Veteran’s Council. The AFL CIO is one of four labor unions that, along with billionaire Tom Steyer, created a left-leaning Super Political Action Committee called For Our Future. The group’s goal is to get Democrats elected this November.
Army veteran Jerry Green also weighed in on Trump’s candidacy. Green, who’s the Florida outreach director for Vote Vets, detailed the main reasons why he believes Donald Trump is the wrong man for the job.
“Trump has demonstrated time and time again that he is unqualified to be president and commander and chief of our armed forces," he said. "He has demonstrated time and time again that he does not have the character, the temperament, the self-control, the maturity, the knowledge or judgment to be trusted with leading our great military or any decisions of war and peace. “
After Jacksonville, the group was headed to Orlando where they planned to reiterate their anti-Trump sentiments.
