Gold Star Families Recount Confrontation Entering Inaugural Ball

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Ryan Manion and Amy Looney, who run the Travis Manion Foundation, said they were verbally and physically abused while entering American Legion Veterans Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C. last week.

Looney, whose husband Brendan was killed in Afghanistan, told Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT said the incident quickly escalated out of control.

"We found ourselves in the midst of a group of around 75 and I don't even feel comfortable calling them protesters because it was doing violent acts and criminal activities are a whole other level from just basic peaceful protests. Ryan and I were simply just trying to get in to get in to show our support. We weren't there for any kind of a political agenda. It was simply to show support for a community, our military community, that's given back so much to us and that we continue to try to give back to each and every day through the work that we do at the Travis Manion Foundation."

Manion, Travis Manion's sister and President of the foundation, said she did not even believe the demonstrators were aware of who they were confronting.

"I don't think it was directed at the military, per se. One of the first comments we had screamed at us was get a job. It was a group of middle aged women that were just chanting get a job, get a job. Amy and I found that incredibly ironic because we thought, well, we have a job and our job is to restore character in our country and we wish you only knew that."

Looney stated the encounter has left her more determined about achieving the goals set by their foundation and other groups focused on helping veterans.

"The point, I think, that we wanted to make was that, obviously, these were very much wrong doing and that the things that were said were completely untrue and vulgar but the work that we're doing at the foundation in empowering our veterans and our families of the fallen to develop character in future generations just showed and demonstrated to us that we were even reinvigorated to come out and say we need to get our message out there and we need to stop contributing to the divide and some of the violence that's being displayed, but bring people together and unify this country."

Manion hopes that, by recounting their ordeal, they can help change a narrative of general disagreement she feels is over-represented in American society.

"I think that's why Amy and I decided it was important for us to share our story about what happened. We, very much, could've just not said anything and talked about it internally with each and our families, but we decided that it was important to start this dialogue and start this conversation about what's happening. We're at a point in this country where people are just disagreeing just to disagree. How can we as a country come together and celebrate our differences?"