SikhSpectrum.com Quarterly Issue No.21, August 2005
Gold Star Membership Denied to Mom of Slain Fil-Am Soldier
Danny Chan
The Filipino-American mother of an American soldier killed in Afghanistan was denied membership to Gold Star Mothers Inc. because of her citizenship. Efforts to allow Ligaya Lagman, mother of Staff Sergeant Anthony Lagman, were rebuffed because she is a Philippine citizen.
Gold Star Mothers, the nation’s largest organization for mothers of American soldiers killed in combat, rejected the application despite the fact that Ms Lagman has held legal-residency status in the United States with her husband for almost three decades. The group stipulates all members must be American citizens. Ms Lagman’s membership was submitted by a local veteran, Ben Spadaro, who said he heard of the citizenship rule while working on a national cemetery committee of the Veterans Administration.
“[Anthony]’s buried in a military cemetery, with full honors. She should be able to join.
“We decided to tell the absolute truth on the application,” he said. “We put down, ‘I am not an American citizen’. It was a ploy to get them to reject her, and then we said they should change the rules.” His brother, a Florida attorney, wrote a letter to the Department of Justice, noting the organization receives federal funds and requested an investigation. But the organization’s 12-member executive board voted against any amendment. Its president said the decision followed standard policy.
“There’s nothing we can do because that’s what our organization says: You have to be an American citizen,” Ann Herd said last month. “We can’t go changing the rules every time the wind blows.” Their decision was subsequently denounced by several members of Congress.
“It is disheartening that any mother of a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine who has died in the line of duty would be denied membership in an organization that honors the memory of fallen service men and women,” Nita Lowey, the congresswoman for Ms Lagman’s district in Yonkers, said.
Eliot Engel, the representative for an adjoining district, added, “Whatever the excuse, American Gold Star Mothers’ decision smacks of xenophobia and is in stark contrast to what Mrs Lagman’s son fought and died for.” A former president of the organization, Dorothy Oxendine, said, “There’s no discrimination in a national cemetery. There’s no discrimination when they get killed side by side. So how can we discriminate against a mother?” She added she was certain the general membership would approve a rule change if voted by the board.
“I can’t believe that 12 intelligent women would ever not have in their hearts to think about another Gold Star mother,” Ms Oxendine said. “You pay a high price to join the American Gold Star Mothers. I figure her dues were paid.” Another former president, Ann Wolcott, echoed the sentiment.
“Times have changed since this organization was started, and there are a lot of men and women serving today whose parents are not citizens. I think they deserve every honor and privilege that we have as Gold Star mothers,” she said. Some members of the Filipino-American community further suspected racist undertones behind the decision.
A report from Associated Press meanwhile said the criterion could eventually be changed. Judith Young, the organization’s incoming president, said the rule was an anachronism.
“The charter was written 77 years ago and we’re in the next generation. Things have changed, times have changed, people have changed,” she said.
Ms Lagman, who was presented with a gold necklace with a gold star during Memorial Day commemorations, was unavailable for comment. But her son Chris told a local newspaper that his mother wanted “recognition as the mother of this fallen soldier.”
Staff Sergeant Lagman was killed during a firefight while battling Taliban and al-Qaeda forces on March 18, 2004. His body was flown back to America where he was buried with honors. The 28-year-old had enlisted in the US Marine Corps right after high school.
