Golden Valley Vietnam Vet Leads Veterans Day March to St. Paul
Veterans Day is a time to salute those who served our nation. Golden Valley‘s Larry Johnson is a Vietnam vet who took to the streets on Monday to promote peace. over war.
“It’s time to stop settling international differences by going out and killing people all over the world,” Johnson said. “Find other kinds of force to stop injustice without killing people to do it.”
With that kind of m.o., Johnson and a group of other vets set out on a personal Veterans Day mission to shine light on their peace over war beliefs. On 11/11, they walked 11 miles in frigid cold so they could ring a liberty bell in St. Paul at 11 am.
From Minneapolis to St. Paul
After leaving his Golden Valley residence, Johnson and the group began their peace march at the post office in downtown Minneapolis. From there they walked up University Avenue, before finishing on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol.
Along the way, they waved flags and braved a wicked-cold Veterans Day, walking by cars, trucks and the light rail green line. Johnson and his group garnered national attention for their march a few years ago and events like this are now common across the US.
Being a Vietnam vet, Johnson has seen war’s destruction and havoc from up close. He wants to change the narrative on handling conflict.
“I worked 23 years in the Minneapolis schools and if kids get in a fight you try to help them work it out,” Johnson said. “You don’t let them take guns and go after each other and the world needs to operate the same way.”
Instead of a 21-gun salute, those marching rang a bell after they arrived in St. Paul.
