Shallotte Activist is ‘Local and Vocal’: Veteran Has Unique Way of Supporting Troops
By Jason M. Rodriguez, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Jul. 16–George Samek is sending his message of supporting the troops in Iraq one rubber yellow duck at a time.
Samek, of Shallotte, is a retired Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 and Vietnam War veteran who has been to Washington to send a message that there are people in America who support the troops in Iraq and to try to prevent war protesters from defacing war memorials.
“The ducks were used to present to them as a symbolic representation that I felt like the duck was yellow, that they were yellow, and they were helping to cast that yellow stain across America,” he said in reference to what he calls his “Peace Ducks.”
“Whether they accept my message or not, that’s up to them.”
Samek belongs to Gathering of Eagles — a national, nonpartisan group that formed in March when about 20,000 war protesters arrived in Washington and threatened to deface the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Samek was there to stand arm-in-arm with fellow troop supporters to prevent any defacing.
Since that day, the group has made more trips to Washington.
Samek has used the group to market his yellow ducks by going to its gatherings, passing out the ducks and getting people at the gatherings to help hand them out.
According to the group’s Web site, it believes: “As long as our troops believe in their mission and in their ability to achieve it … this agenda translates into ‘complete the mission.’”
Samek said he plans to make a circuit this summer of civic groups and churches to spread his message of supporting the troops, regardless of whether people support the war. It will all culminate in a public gathering in Shallotte during the Labor Day weekend that he plans on hosting.
Samek said he plans to be “local and vocal” — one duck at a time.
“I feel like I’m trying to do my personal part in a national movement,” he said. “Regardless of who is in office in [2008], we will still be standing here supporting our commander-in-chief.”
Contact JASON M. RODRIGUEZ at 910-754-9868 or jrodriguez@thesunnews.com.
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