Freeper Says she's sorry to Vietnam Vets. Many who believed Kerry and VVAW lies, now are crying.

Free Republic | 8/27/2004 | Freeper

[uncbob]

How many of us were in that place oh so many years ago?

Not me

It was the long haired hippy pukes and commie sympathizers that woke me up in 65-68 and got me interested in politics.
Until then I was a knee jerk non informed democrat who had voted for JFK and LBJ and bought into the liberal BS about Goldwater

I disassociated myself from my college alma mater ( in a long letter ) when they let the SDS take over the campus and forced it to boot the ROTC off campus etc .
I quit watching the MSM during that period and haven't since then

It was a shocking revelation to me that so much pro commie anti American people lived in this country let alone in postions of power in the media and academia

Changed my whole life around politically

[rhombus]

As a fellow Baby Boomer (born in 1956) I realize that so many of us have very similar stories including many 2nd, 3rd and 4th thoughts about Vietnam. We were the first generation to grow up ENTIRELY on television. Mickey Mouse Club, Honeymooners., Gilligan's Island, Gunsmoke... television was always with us. Main stream media domination of Vietnam news could not help but impact us all - long before anyone was studying media bias. As a male, I grew up watching daily body counts with a draft card growing ever closer in my future. Years passed, casualties mounted. Horrible images morphed from grainy black and white to moving color images of hell. And then, there were other images: protest was somehow marketed. We heard a lot about Gandhi and civil disobedience. We were all asked to read Thoreau in school and learned how he opposed the Mexican war while living on someone else's land. It became "romantic" and even "patriotic" to oppose the war... at least we saw lots of people who felt that way on our televisions and those were fun, exciting people from the new "counterculture". They played guitars, they were famous, they must know something... why else would they be on TV? And then as those last helicopters pulled out of Vietnam, the counterculture patted itself on the back and declared victory - even the WWII two-fingered Victory sign was now a victorious "peace sign". Yes, we ignored those Vets coming home - we turned to Disco and danced, danced, danced away the contradictions of those years. Over the years I have learned that too many people use Vietnam and vets for their own reasons. I also learned that the power of the media can not be underestimated and their selection of "facts" can not be trusted. I am grateful to ALL vets from ALL wars, police actions, nation-building exercises or whatever we will call these actions in the future. Without you we would not be free.

[stockpirate]

So you made the transition a little sooner than others, how lucky for you. Some I would think grew up in homes that were very liberal at the time.

Some for whatever reason believed the MSM.

[McGavin999]

This is why I am so grateful to the SwiftBoat Vets. It's time for this nation to step forward and say "We're so sorry". I used to have a friend who was into the protests. I asked her if she realized what happened as a result of those protests, if she understood the number of people who died because we pulled out, if she knew of the lives that were ruined by good men and women who came home to hatred or indifference. She did't care. That's why I say I HAD a friend.

[SouthernFreebird]

I know this is meant for the vets, but as a daughter of a vet this means alot to me and perhaps other children of Vietnam Vets.
I ended up crying after reading this. I feel hopeful that maybe finally our vets will get the honor, respect and gratitude they so deserve.

[Reactionary]

"It will take time, but I think we are watching the hand of God healing our nation of our self inflected wounds."

They've never stopped to think of the people they've hurt. They've never stopped to consider what it must have been like to have been a soldier in Vietnam, so young, working so hard, only to have your youth and your idealism stolen from you.

And now? Now we are finally seeing the truth. Now we know that what they said was a lie. Now we are welcoming not only our veterans, but all decent people, home.

[joesbucks]

I was born the same year as you. And although I didn't have an abusive alcoholic father, my parents were strict. I never fought the concept of the Viet Nam war. I never gave into the drug culture. Matter of fact, I never even smoked weed.

That being said, I now know that what started as a concept to contain communism ended as a political exercice. Endless lives were lost for a political experience and exercise. I don't fault those who fought honestly, and I never did, and most of those in command leadership.

That being said, we know that some of the things Kerry testified to took place. How much and how often will never be known. Same for the war we are currently engaged. Had those photos never been released, we would have happily gone on our way believing that "Amrerican values" were being used at every level and in every case. We would have gone on believing that the troop levels were adequate for the resistance that was experienced.

Since I never served in the military, I will probably never understand the "code" that these people experience. But even that "code" often extends too far. Just as within police forces, many horrible wrongs are never brought to the light of day because of the "code". Many political wrongs are never brought to the light of day because of the "code". Even during the Clinton administration, the "code" kept many of his misdeeds from being seen until legal actions were taken.

My feeling is even if Kerry's testimony was spot on in '71, the Swift Boat folks would have come forward to slay him, because of the "code". Frankly, I don't know if how close to being accurate or far from being the truth it was.

A tip of my hat goes out to those Viet vets who truly served honorably. Same for the men and women now engaged in trying to contain a horrible situation in Iraq. And to all who have served, thank you.

But don't let the "code" be the be all, do all.

[grace522]

Thanks!! You have friends here.

[stockpirate]

You make an interesting point about draft cards. A friend of mine says that a Taxocrat comes into where she works and tells her that if Bush gets reelected Bush will start the draft back up

Even though it is the Taxocrats that want to reopen the draft.

[Jmouse007]

Thank you for your kind words, Vietnam Vets are grateful... I can not speak for other Vietnam Vets, but I can speak for myself, your forgiven.

[knarf]

Sounds like homecoming week here.

Born '48, enlisted as a 'John Wayne' type at 17 in '65, discovered and listened to many political people of all races during those years, discovered drugs, fried my mind, discharged in late '67 (early out from Korea), continued frying my mind, tried the SDS route ... way too radical, stayed a 'love hippy' type, (until) I got saved in '81, married in '83, three kids and an entirely stable and patriotic mindset and world view later ... here I am.

Never condemned vets because I was one and I knew a lot from listening to guys that had been in country, I wanted to have a 'correct' position politically.

God Bless you, FREEPER.

[uncbob]

That being said, we know that some of the things Kerry testified to took place.

And it was proved that many of those he quoted were out and out LIARS and were never even in the military

In addition in scope and magnitude anything American military may have done PALES INTO INSIGNIFANCE to the out and out daily atrocities commited by the commies as a MATTER OF POLICY and never reported on TV by the MSM

You get in a war like that things happen

The biggest problem is that we had TWO political hacks LBJ and NIXON conducting a NO WIN WAR and we had the Pentagon go along with it because of their careers

[stockpirate]

How sad that you believe that Kerry's lies were right on in 71. It is very sad to me when people cannot adjust themselves to the truth. And it is clear to me that you may just be a kool aid drinker.

How in the world could you believe that what Kerry said was rue? He was in their boat, tent, patrol, unit, squad, LZ, so how in the Hell could he be "right on."

You didn't read this very well because you state that you were born the same year as I, so you failed to notice that it is addressed to ME, not BY ME.

The events after the Vietnam war show that our policy was correct and it wasn't just a political exercise, that statement is plain horsesh**.

And your 'feeling" are not what is important here, it is the truth that matters.

[Solamente]

I'm a '55er too, and with you 1000%. I am planning an open letter to VietNam Vets to apologize and admit my stupidity at the time.

[Chieftain]

Tell the letter writer that her apology is appreciated.

If she wants to turn the poison of her youth into the medicine of her maturity and really make her words meaningful, she needs to share her experience with other LEFTIES that she knows. Many of them are ready to turn the corner and change their lives, they just need to hear it from 'one of their own'.

[RogueIsland]

Thank you for that post. That took courage, although not nearly as much as turning your life around. I think you are a fine example of one reason Jesus wanted us to show compassion even for those we vehemently disagree with -- not just for ourselves, but because maybe, just maybe, through that compassion that person will see another, better way. As your story shows, an unfocused pathology of violence and anger only alienates others to your views -- something the Left this week in NYC will likely fail to appreciate.

[Casloy]

I am sorry for the indifference I showed you when you returned.

That statement really brought tears. This is the first time I think anyone has stated what for me was the true pain coming home. Speaking only for myself, I was never insulted or spit on when I returned, but what ate away at me was the total indifference, and the presumption I must be damaged from the experience. I never thought about being thanked, but a "Welcome Home" would have been very healing.

Thank you for the wonderful words and the sentiment behind it. God bless you.

[RogueIsland]

Oops. Somehow the implications of the first line escaped me. My above comment is, of course, addressed to the person who sent you the letter, stockpirate.

[Ditter]

A very moving piece. Thanks for posting.

[BlindGuardian]

Well written.