CBS2 Exclusive: Plan For 'Purple Heart Village' Signs Prompts Political Dust-Up In Hastings-On-Hudson

HASTINGS-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Memorial Day controversy has left a community divided in Westchester County.

As CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported exclusively Friday, the controversy stems form an effort to recognize Purple Heart medal recipients publicly.

Tiny Hastings-on-Hudson has a large VFW hall, multiple monuments to those who served, and even a street renamed Veterans Way downtown. But a move to put up a sign that would officially designate Hastings as a "Purple Heart Village" is on hold because some residents objected.

"It's totally frustrating, because we had the signs ready to go," said Hastings VFW Post Commander Richard Pecci.

Pecci, a Vietnam veteran, is the commander of the local American Legion post who suggested the Purple Heart designation that 19 other communities in Westchester – and the county itself – already have.

"It's just sad -- especially with Memorial Day coming up, we were going to do an unveiling," Pecci said.

Honoring military heroes seems simple enough, but some antiwar activists claim the language in this resolution actually glorifies what they call unjust wars.

"The issue is essentially, how can we support the warrior and not support the war?" said Frank Brodhead of Concerned Families of Westchester.

They object to putting up the signs and wording in the Purple Heart resolution like the reference to soldiers "defending the United States of America" and "for the good and protection of all Americans."

"If you think of the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia or Syria, none of these wars have anything to do with protecting us," Brodhead said.

Mayor Swiderski is now trying to revise the language to get it approved.

"We considered it a no-brainer," said Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Peter Swiderski.

But the revision and approval did not happen in time for Memorial Day celebrations this weekend.

"We granted a delay so everybody could weigh in more fully," Swiderski said.

Veterans were left fuming.

"This is not about war. This is about the veterans that served this country," Pecci said. "They fought, they sacrificed their lives for freedom."

Veterans noted that they themselves – and not taxpayers – paid for the signs.

A spokesman for the National Military Order of the Purple Heart told CBS2, "When an entity bestows this honor, it is in no way an endorsement of war or the policies that may have led to war."