Posted on 07/29/2004 3:38:48 AM PDT by kattracks
Boston (CNSNews.com) - Hours after Sen. John Kerry sailed into this city with his Vietnam swift boat crewmates Wednesday, about a hundred other veterans gathered near the Democratic National Convention site to protest the anti-war positions of Kerry's past.
"He's a phony and he's a traitor," said Vietnam veteran Rich Burke, 66, of Boston. "He returned from Vietnam and testified in Congress that the military were baby killers and war criminals. He abandoned and left all of his comrades to put up with that sort of statement. He's no good."
The veterans gathered near Kerry's Boston office at 1 Bowdoin St. around 6 p.m. and marched toward the FleetCenter, where the convention is taking place. Vietnam veterans were joined by Korean veterans and Vietnamese-Americans, many of them from Boston and its suburbs.
The protest was designed to counter Kerry's use of Vietnam, including his war medals, as a campaign issue. Even before Kerry's arrival in Boston with 13 veterans Wednesday, the Democrat had routinely enlisted some of his former comrades to boost his presidential campaign.
"They're in the minority," said Korean War veteran Richard Creccr, 70, of Brighton, Mass. "These are the veterans right here. We're the ones who count. We'll be the ones voting. Let's hope he doesn't make it, but in this country, you never know."
But one prominent veteran, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a one-time Democrat presidential candidate, dismissed the veterans' effort.
"What [Kerry] did was straightforward and courageous," Clark told CNSNews.com. "He received the appropriate recommendations and awards for it. That's the way it should be."
Kerry's repeated mention of Vietnam in his presidential bid has irked some veterans because of the anti-war positions he took once he returned from his four-month tour of duty. Kerry became an influential leader of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, aligning himself with activist Jane Fonda. One sign on Wednesday compared "Hanoi Jane" to "Hanoi John."
The future U.S. senator also testified before Congress about alleged atrocities that American soldiers had committed in Vietnam. Those memories still linger for some veterans.
"Because of people like Kerry and Fonda, Vietnam vets had to hide under a rock for 15 years," said Reg Cornelia, 60, East Hampton, N.Y. "He came back and he lied about the atrocities, and worse still, he brought guys to testify before Congress who he knew had never served in Vietnam."
Kerry turned on U.S. soldiers as a matter of "political expediency," Cornelia said. He wondered why the news media hadn't pushed Kerry on that subject.
"Mark my words," Burke added. "See how much national news coverage this protest gets. These guys are all veterans, they know his record, and they're all against him. Yet the mainstream media will probably ignore this rally so it becomes a non-event."
Some veterans said they've tracked Kerry's career. Vietnam veteran James Booth, 58, of South China, Maine, said coming out to oppose the Democrat on the eve of his prime-time speech was the right thing to do.
"We know he's a phony," Booth said. "You don't get two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star and a Silver Star in 21 days. You don't do it, no way. I was at Walter Reed [Army Medical Center] for 18 months. I got one Purple Heart. I lost an eye, part of my jaw and got hit in the arm. This guy's got three scratches and he's making a big deal out of it. It doesn't seem right."
E-mail a news tip to Robert B. Bluey.
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A great article about a worthy protest!
Bump
Sayss a lot about the man who would be president, can't be bothered to visit the sick and wounded...to busy campaigning and vacationing.
I would enjoy seeing Kerry have to answer to real vets like these guys for his traitorous behavior. It will never happen, but I would pay to see it.
I have yet to hear ANYTHING about protests from the Leftstream Media.
SOME??? I haven't visited with one brother that has anything good at all to say about this jerk!
I suspect Kerry knows what kind of reception he would get in a military hospital. Most Vets are REAL people, not caricatures, and they understand the bad people in the world much better than the rest of us.
There's a list of names that I can't mention around my dad (drafted in '63, served two yrs statesite) unless I want to hear a lengthy curse filled rant. Kerry's looking to beat X42 for the top of that list.
"Mark my words," Burke added. "See how much national news coverage this protest gets. These guys are all veterans, they know his record, and they're all against him. Yet the mainstream media will probably ignore this rally so it becomes a non-event."
Neither have I.
I admire these protestors and wish them Godspeed in getting their message out.
I have the utmost contempt and disgust for Kerry because of the harm he inflicted on thousands of honorable men who served in Vietnam.
There is one where I work that claims to be a Marine Corp Vet,
claims to have been a DI in fact. He supports all known commiecRATs.
I don't discuss politics with him. To do so wouldn't be good for his health,
or my continued employment.
I watched to see if there would be any coverage of veterans' protests, especially given Kerry's emphasis of his service while on his water taxi cruise. Of course, like you, I saw zero in the news about the demonstrators. I was sure that there were some protests, but somehow the mainstream media just missed them (as usual). I noted, as well, that the media makes it sound like Kerry's "crewmates" are all 100% supporting him... they might want to check with the Swift Boat Veterans' group on that point.
kerry, testimony before Congress, 22 April, 1971, kerry says, "I have been to Paris. I have talked with both delegations at the peace talks, that is to say the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the Provisional Revolutionary Government,...."*(not on any authorised mission by the U.S. Government or by the U.S. military, kerry and his VVAW group meets and negotiates with the then enemy).
*excerpted from the Official U.S. Congressional Record dated 22 April, 1971.
"revamp the U.S. military", read as kerry's plan to PURGE the U.S. Military of Pro U.S. Military Veterans and Republicans, make it totally dependant on U.N. forces support for any significant achievement capable military(similar to france,germany, etc.), Turn home based U.S. Armed Forces, Intelligence agencies and Law Enforcement agencies into the democratic party's{including CPUSA and DSA} Praetorian Guard!!!!
kerry stabbed U.S. in the back continually since his return from Viet Nam. How much more backstabbing from this 22 April, 1971 testimony(self confessed traitor) before Congress that he(kerry) met with the then enemy in Paris, are we supposed to stand????
Some More Interesting historical news about kerry:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1091943/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1160580/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1165078/posts
Some of kerry's friends listed below:
http://www.cpusa.org/
http://www.dsausa.org/
DSA's "Progressive Caucus" Links below:
http://bernie.house.gov/pc/
http://bernie.house.gov/pc/members.asp
They are the Enemy Within!!!!
I have at least one or two interesting posts about said such subject matter, below:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1165983/posts
And see:
http://tonkin.spymac.net/hanoikerry1.html
More: Communist Party Backs the RATS!!!! below:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1171176/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1172055/posts
More!!!! Socialists(DSA) backs kerry!!!! Below:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1179854/posts
More of the Enemy within!!!!
Even More!!!! Red China Backs kerry!!!! See Below:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1180437/posts
Avoid the Socialists/Communists backed johns(not capitolised on purpose) like the Plague!!!!
BUSH/CHENEY 2004!!!!:-)
May God Continue to Bless America!!!!
But I do remember coverage of the "cages" that the mean 'ol government(read - Bush Administration) was setting up before the convention.
Ditto! Brother.
Vets- the voting block tsunami building over the horizon in the open sea of politics.
Rest assured, protesters will have equal time by the time the RNC coverage ends.
Isn't that the truth!!!
Anyone have the precise dates?
I know it was February and March, and that he requested reassignment in March as well.
An exciting two months by any measure.
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