Posted on 08/14/2004 9:55:42 PM PDT by RonDog
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A Glimpse of What Life Might be Like Under a John Kerry Regime
August 14, 2004
by Ray Blumhorst
What would life be like under a John Kerry regime? Some aspects of policies under a Kerry administration appeared to be in clear display earlier this week in the behavior and words of his supporters on the streets of a little town in California called Santa Monica. Santa Monica is well known for its liberal politics and the predominately liberal lifestyles of its inhabitants. Thursday, August 12, 2004 President George W. Bush came to Santa Monica airport for a political fund raising event, and was greeted there by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other Bush supporters. I did not personally see President Bush, although at one point, from my vantage point, I did see cars come to a stop on the inland bound side of Ocean Park Blvd. At the same time all the cars were absent from the ocean bound side of Ocean Park Blvd. A few minutes later an excited lady ran back to us saying, “I saw him,” and “He had his window down and waved to me.” It was our President she was referring to. That was pretty much the political highlight of the afternoon, but by no means was it the only political event worth noting.At 2:45 P.M. in the afternoon I arrived near the beginning of the re-elect President George W. Bush rally. There were already some people with signs on the street corner of Ocean Park and 31st so I drove a short block to pay parking and hurried back to join the throng of Bush supporters already there. There were some Kerry supporters across the street, but all in all things were polite and civil, that is, until some Kerry supporters decided to come to our location and start standing in front of our signs with their signs vilifying the president. The leader of the Bush supporters decided at that point to led us to the east, although I was not pleased that we had ceded the spot where traffic heading inland would first see the rally. As the afternoon wore on, the intolerant and abusive character of many of the Kerry supporters (and some people driving by) began to come out like exorcised demons out of the head of a possessed person. It was not an easy afternoon to be a Bush supporter, but I wouldn’t have missed the opportunity for the world.
Over the course of the afternoon Bush supporters in Santa Monica were spit at, jostled, cursed at, gestured to obscenely, heckled, bullied, shouted at, lied to, and otherwise abused. I did not observe anything like that from the Bush supporters. It struck me at one point, that for a city that so prides itself on tolerance there really wasn’t much just a tyranny expressed in irrational “Bush hating” contained in their own one sided views. There group certainly didn’t appear to be any kind of a tent, big or otherwise, that was welcome or inclusive to the people they were prejudging and excluding with a furious anger and hatred. Signs and placards vilifying President Bush where prominent among the Kerry supporters everywhere and in my opinion expressed there biased perception of reality more than an objective and factual assessment of all factors making up current and historical events in our world.
At one point, a lady standing next to me said, “You know, I don’t see a single American flag on their side, and we have hundreds over here.” Later, another lady bravely went to the other side and inquired about this. She came back and told us that one person had told her, “We are ashamed of America, and its role in the world under George W. Bush.” The answer didn’t surprise me much, because on the other side of the street (Kerry supporters) used hundreds and hundreds of square yards of material with “pink” as the background color for their banners. In fact, a huge pink banner hung on the store front of one of the buildings across the street, and I seem to recall it said something in protest to the war in Iraq. This on a day when our valiant military where very evidently in harms way in Iraq. The site sickened me as I thought, “That’s going to be a motivation and great aid and comfort to our enemy. My initial impression was that these people appeared to be the same type of people (war protesters) who motivated, aided and comforted the enemy when I was in Vietnam. Even though the pink color so evident in the Kerry supporter ranks may have been a color being used by some feminist group, I couldn’t help but wonder if the true colors of their ideology (communist/socialist) weren’t really coming out. A brave bicyclist had passed the entire assembly about an hour into the rally holding a sign that said, LIBERATE the People’s Republic of Santa Monica!”
Sometimes unexpected events happen in settings such as this so I would be remiss if I did not mention a moment when one of the leaders of the Republican rally came to me impromptu and said, “I need you to clear a path for the baby.” At first it struck me as an odd thing to say, but when I turned around, there before my eyes was a tiny little baby, being pushed in her stroller by her Father. My heart melted, and I was honored. I turned around, put my Bush/Chenny placard in front of me and said in a polite and assertive voice, “Make a hole; baby coming through.” I was happy to reach the Republican crowd, where people at least showed some respect for the rights of all others. I looked at the beautiful little darling in her pink outfit and thought, “Your safe now.” As I looked at the crowd across the street, raging in violent hatred, the thought also crossed my mind, “There’s the abortion crowd that’s contributed to the murders of millions and millions of innocent babies. Thank God this little baby has been completely born. They’ll have a lot more trouble murdering her now.”
Going on four hours into the rally, nerves were beginning to fray on both sides of the crowd, and given the unstable nature exhibited by the Kerry supporters to begin with, our leader decided, “We’ll soon be calling it for the night,” especially since one Kerry supporter was stalking around the assemblage of Bush supporters and repeatedly shouting, “F_ _ k Bush!” Several men pointed out to him that there were children present, and asked him to cease his profanity, but the raving Kerry supporter would not stop swearing(tolerance in action again). Finally, after terrorizing a number of women and children, the Santa Monica police held open the barricade tape, and ordered him to the Kerry supporter side.
It was near the end of the day that I had the distinguished honor of standing next to a Vietnam veteran who was also Vietnamese by birth. He spoke in broken English still. As I shook his hand and said welcome I felt a tinge of pride to be standing next to him.
By this time in the rally there were two lines of Santa Monica police between the Bush and Kerry supporters. It appeared to me that the Kerry supporters were being allowed to roam freely where they chose, walking and standing in the street at times, while the Bush supporters were ordered back further from the street and treated more assertively. It appears the Santa Monica police know the majority of the people in Santa Monica who pay their salaries are liberal Kerry supporters. ...so much for enforcing free speech equally in Santa Monica.
As I stood next to my newly found buddy wearing the little yellow and red striped flag (symbolizing the fallen nation of South Vietnam) I began to speak in the direction of the Kerry supporters across the street, separated only by the Santa Monica police lines.
I had three service ribbons and two service medals on my chest, but I pointed to the place where one was missing and said.
“I’ve lost this one somewhere over the years, and since it was awarded by the now fallen nation of South Vietnam, it’s irreplaceable. I was in the combat zone up by the DMZ serving on the USS Valley Forge, LPH-8 in December of 68 during the Tet offensive, when LBJ acquiesced to the war protesters in America and called a “cease fire” to the bombing of the Ho Chi Minh trail. Our dead and wounded doubled. On one occasion I may have saved the life of a Marine who was drowning in his own blood from his wounds, but I don’t know if he made it. Today as Americans are fighting and dying in Iraq, Hanoi John Kerry’s picture hangs in the war museum in Hanoi (Ho Chi Minh city) for his service to North Vietnam in defeating America. John Kerry disserved America then, but he especially disserved our military personnel who were then fighting and dying for their country. John Kerry worked hard to help America lose South Vietnam, motivate our enemy, and increase American casualties. Will some soldier, fighting today in Iraq, some day have to point to a missing medal on his/her chest and say, “Hanoi John Kerry lost Iraq after we won militarily, thereby, once again, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, just as he helped to do in Vietnam after the Tet offensive in 68? John Kerry and his war protesting ilk politically lost South Vietnam. If John Kerry is elected President, we’ll be lucky if we don’t lose America to Islamic fundamentalists who’ll bomb us in our sleep, or in our streets, or in our work places.”
At one point my friend next to me joined in, “John Kerry helped lose South Vietnam. John Kerry lost my home.”
As I trailed our group heading back to our cars I hated to leave, but our leader told us that the Santa Monica police were going to start cuffing people (no doubt Republicans to protect them from the hostile Kerry supporters who as I mentioned before, predominantly pay their salaries). Near the end of the Republican lines stood another Vietnamese man finely and honorably dressed in his camouflage, ARVN uniform. Our eyes met momentarily. I pointed to my service ribbons and medals, and said, “Welcome, I’m happy you came today.” “I’m honored to be here,” was his reply. “It is an honor to support our great President, I replied.” Of such was the disparity between the Bush and Kerry supporters in Santa Monica, Thursday, 8-12-04. How much less tolerant will “the tyrannical tolerant” Kerry regime be if he is elected president 11-02-04? I cringe at the thought.
Ray Blumhorst is currently a Supervisor of Maintenance, and has worked in California public schools for over 30 years. In addition to his day job, he worked for 8 years as a part time teacher in California public schools in the evenings. Ray is a Vietnam Vet. Ray is also a victim of domestic violence and is currently the plaintiff in a civil rights lawsuit for an injunction against ten state funded domestic violence shelters that refuse to provide shelter or even motel vouchers to male victims. The action is currently on appeal before the 2nd District Court of Appeals of California.
It will be Saigon again someday. Remember Leningrad--named to honor the revolutionary "hero"? Its now Saint Petersburg again. Once the Communist "Fad" is over the old name will return and old Ho will be pulled out of his tomb and buried somewhere.
read later bump
If your so special, how come your still alive when other Marines are dead? What makes you so special? Who appointed you God's special judge over what other people say? I don't need you trying to lay a guilt trip on me, so keep your disrepect to yourself. I was in the Navy and did my time, and I'm sure not going to be apologizing to you for my service so keep your stupid comments to yourself. Newsflash, I don't need your permission to talk about my experiences, and if your too ignorant to know what's real when you hear it that's your problem. A lot of what we did was supply and support Marines in the field, and yea, I saw a fire fight in Danang harbor close enough to take a stray round, but like you, I'm still here, and I certainly don't owe you a thing.
Have a Nice Day, Ray
Well we certainly know your quite vociferous, but I don't believe I'll let myself be bullied by you today. By the way it's agianst the law to make threats of violence on the internet so maybe the law will be tracking you down soon to ask why you are engaging in that behavior.
I've respectfully answered your questions and your nobody to insult my service to my country. John Kerry is another story. When he came back to America, he turned traitor as far as I'm concerned, by engaging in anti-war protests while American military was in harm's way. If you have any questions you'd like to ask specifically, I'll be happy to answer. If you want to behave in an abusive communicative manner I suggest you keep your rude, insulting, unconstructive behavior to yourself. As I've said I don't owe you anything, especially a guilt trip for my service to my country, which I have truthfully conveyed. I paid my dues, and if you don't like that maybe you should use your "courage" to get some help. You seem to have some serious issues.
Sincerly, Ray
"squids are all the same" - My friend David D. was Navy. He was a Hospital Corpsman. His name is on the wall in Washington. Have you forgotten what Hospital Corpsman did? You know when a Marine gets wounded and hollers "Corpsman," they're the guys who get up under fire and run to their aid and treat their wounds. I take your statement as misrepresenting the truth.
I would be curious to know how many of each branch of the service is on the Veitnam wall. The way you talk you'd think it was all Marines, but that just isn't the case. There's even Coast Guard on that wall.
Ray
"If I catch you lying about "the combat zone" or any other supposed experience that you're making up..."
Well I'm certainly not lying or making anything up, even though you don't seem to be able to get a grasp on that, and I'll talk in an honest and sincere manner about anything I choose, anytime I choose. You may have not noticed it, but this is America and there's something called constitutionally gauranteed free of speech.
Ray
So are you voting for Kerry or what? I kind of wonder what you're even doing on this board? Are you one of those Bush haters I hear about on the news? Have you just come here to expose people to your hatred, or do you have some other purpose? Just curious.
Ray
You will also notice I did not write that? However, people were allowed to defend themselves in Veitnam, when attacked, even if it was just from loud mouthed lying bigots.
In my opinion, your statement about "squids" is prejudiced, hateful, and a lie. If you want to start pointing fingers and setting yourself up as an authority to hold others accountable, maybe you should take a good hard look at your own behavior first.
Your abusive ad hominem attacks really are quite feckless and without bearing on the most important issue I've presented, the treachery of John Kerry who would lied about the behavior of other good veterans and those still in the military, thereby increasing the danger to them, and supporting enemies who were actively engaged in hostile activities against America. Do you think that was fair to your fellow Marines? Where is your righteous indignation for such a man who has not just written an article, but is running for President of the United States. Judging by your evasion of the questions I've asked, it appears that you are just trying to disrupt this site, and possibly are not even a Republican, or a Bush supporter. This continuing dialougue certainly is illuminating.
Again, I would encourage you to seek the help of some professional who is qualified to address the hostilities you seem so intent at leveling at me. I suspect this may not be the only time such expressions have surfaced so it would be good for everyone you interact with if you present these issues to someone who is more insightful in understanding the deep burning resentments you express with such open rage.
What did you say your name was?
Sincerely, Ray
Defend yourself? I never fired one shot at the enemy in all the time I was in Vietnam, and never said I did, but may have saved one Marines life who was drowning in his blood (about a half a cup full in his mouth, when I called a corpsman and said, "Hey this guy needs something." The guy wasn't moving, but he wouldn't stop staring at me. The corpsman was the one who turned his head and caught the blood in one of those little half moon trays. There were puncture wounds under his chin and on one cheek. It was so busy nobody was even noticing this guy. You see I was in sick bay and there were all these shot up Marines laying around being worked on, others waiting to be worked on, others waiting to be worked on lying up on the hanger deck, and still others coming in on the flight deck. What was I doing? I was an E2 sweeping the floor. There were so many gauze boxes and bandages lying on the floor one Dr. had tripped or fell or something. On more than one occasion I remember being sound asleep at 2 A.M. in the morning and hearing somebody come on the 1MC, "Medivac inbound 10 minutes." Don't you think if I was lying I could come up with something better than all that???
By the way we were getting about 6 dead Marines a day coming back to our ship that they would lay out on the hanger deck just inside the fan tail (morgue) and cover up with cargo nets. We had refrigerated lockers that held the bodies until they were shipped back home. A division took care of making sure they stayed cold. When LBJ stopped bombing the Ho Chi Minh trail in acquiesence to war protestors in America we got double that number of dead and wounded back every day, and that's why I really, really, really don't like war protestors (big time) to this day.
Decorated? Yes, Veitnam service ribbon/medal with five bronze stars on the ribbon for the military activities of the group I was in against the enemy. I am told that equates to one silver star. Now before anybody goes off and starts saying things, these are not "The Bronze Star" or "The Silver Star" just little stars that go on the ribbon (big deal I never even put them on after I got the 3rd one). Vietnam campaign ribbon/medal I believe it was called awarded by the government of S. Vitenam (now fallen). It was the one that said 1960 --. It had no end date as the war was ongoing. National Defense ribbon/medal. You may recall it being referred to as the gedunk ribbon, because all you had to be to get one was in the military during veitnam, even if your served stateside.
2/3 or the time I was in Vietnam I worked 80 hour weeks (counting on watch duty) and the other 1/3 of the time I worked 96 hour weeks (counting on watch duty). I had numerous solid weeks I did not see the sun. So when you treat me like I was on some picnic... Well I won't say it.
Combat? According to the VA I'm a combat veteran. I was in what the military called the combat zone, and received combat pay. I saw combat on several occasions, with my eyes as opposed to engaging in combat. One time I was certainly close enough to take a stray round or an aimed one for that matter, while the fire fight was going on. Stupidly, I watched for about 5 seconds or so then took cover. Sure Marines were in the thick of it a lot more than some Navy, but no more than some Navy too, and I sure as heck didn't stay home and burn my draft card so if you don't like the extent of my service... Not going to say it again.
Now if you don't like the wording I've used take it up with your elected representative, or the military, because they are the ones who stated that in those terms.
As I have said I went on board the New Jersey, Battleship, BB 63 after I got back from the first tour, and found a swap to go back, but was denied. I was back in Nam in 6 months again anyway on the same Helicopter carrier.
Lastly, I sure as heck didn't turn coat like some traitor and join the anti-war protestors after I got back home and the American military was still in Vietnam in the combat zone (in all varying degrees of danger).
When people ask I tell them honestly what I did. Like you, not everyone gets it, but I sure as heck am not going to apologize to you or anyone for my service to this country.
Now if you want to hurl insulting names and ad hominem attacks, then that really reflects far more on you than me. After a four year hitch in the Navy it's nothing I haven't heared before, but something I'd just as soon not hear.
I hope clear's up some of what you've asked.
One last story, I remember Phu Bi getting mortered on the first cruise 67/68. I think it was 68. It was around the time of the Tet offensive. Do you like that wording better? We did flank (wide open) to get there, because I was told birds were in the air with no place to land. I had to get a steam driven turbogenerator on line much faster than was recommend for safety purposes so the flight deck could be cleared. I was halfway there when an officer came down to me, but didn't give me any order to anything. He just implored me to do it faster. That was kind of odd so I really pushed it. The turbine was still out of balance from inadequate warm up when we put the electrical load on it. In the morning I went to the hanger deck and it was so full of birds I couldn't even get to the flight deck so I went out on a cat walk and looked up and saw the blades of helo's hanging over the flight deck. I don't even know how you could land that many helo's on our ship.
So frankly Marine if you don't like my service... Well I'm not going to say it. I owe it to the guys who didn't make it to have a good life, and I wish you a good life too no matter who you vote for, or how danged bitterly you treat me.
Sincerely, Ray
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