Posted on 08/29/2004 4:44:09 AM PDT by stockpirate
With LBJ's landslide election in 1964 the Mainstream Media were in the commanding heights. Anyone who joined the military in 1965 would have taken for granted that veterans who served the wonderful Kennedy/Johnson Administration had a guarantee of WWII-style PR support.Who betrayed the Vietnam vets? Big Journalism.
Yes, Jane Fonda, and yes, John Kerry - but without the support of Big Journalism those were just a couple of pretty faces. It took the collusion of Big Journalism to produce the PR catastrophe which afflicted the veterans of Vietnam.
Great Post "stockpirate". Pass on my thanks to "Freeper". It and the many "replies" brought tears to this old guy.
You were liberal when you were young, but then you grew up! You matured. God Bless you, and Your family, and God Bless your Son who is Serving his country!
Being from the same generation, I remember what hard times those were. "BIG HUG"!
The “nobility” of our Viet Nam war was borne out by the results of our withdrawal. I believe Mr. Kerry testified in 1971 that about 3,000 Vietnamese were at risk if Communists prevailed.
Well, the Cambodian communists limed their land with the bones of millions slaughtered. The Vietnamese re-education camps held hundreds of thousands and the exodus of “boat people” who took to shark and pirate infested waters in leaky rafts numbered in the hundreds of thousands. The numbers that died in this mass exodus will never be known with certainty, but they were staggering.
To provide a comparison: when the Nazis took over the Netherlands very few of the people fled.
It’s amazing to me that, objectively, the Communists in Asia were worse than the Nazis in Europe.
You've written a beautiful piece. Thanks.
And there was great rejoicing when the Prodigal Patriot returned home. :=)
That was a great post. I was asked last night by a friend (in his early 20s and in the AF) why I felt so strongly about Kerry and Vietnam. I explained to him what it was like living through Vietnam; my dad retired from the AF in 1971 - he spent one tour in SEAsia, my brother is an AF vet and spent two tours in SEAsia. In addition, I lost two very close friends over there - one in 1968, shortly after we graduated from HS; one in 1969. Dickie's funeral was the first (and certainly not the last) military funeral I went to and I will remember it forever. I will also remember working in the Pentagon and having to push my way through demonstrators in the early 80s as they had something else to demonstrate against. The heroes of Vietnam are the "greatest generation" for the people my age (ok, as much as I hate to admit it - early 50s) and I will be appreciative of them forever. It's great that there are people like the poster who are now realizing just what these guys sacrificed for us. And like you, by the time I finished reading it, I too was in tears. OK, I'm off my soapbox and headed to the airport to fly to NYC for the week!
I was in my 20s - married, raising a young family, going to school.
I NEVER believed the anti-war crap - BUT I wasn't proactive enough in favor of our guys - I am sorry for that. Although I was always respectful of our guys in uniform - lived near a major military post - so saw them all the time - I never bad mouthed them behind their backs and I was disgusted by the whole hippie scene.
My thinking was "oh, nobody believes this stuff" - forgetting that a bunch of young people would. Also didn't know that this cancer was about to take over the elementary and high schools to indoctrinate my children etc. (It took on one but not the other).
Where can I see the footage of Kerry and klan tossing their medals?
That was quite a journey to finally see the light. I'm glad that FReeper has joined us.
Borrowing a line from the British band, The Who,it's safe to say....
"We Won't Be Fooled Again".
.
JOHN KERRY = Enemy of Vietnam Vets
http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?=1320
Signed:."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer / Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965
(Photos then)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1.htm
(Photos now)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm
http://www.lzxray.com/Ronnie3.jpg
.
I thank God that you had eyes to see. Your wounds healed nicely.
Stockpirate,
Better late than never. It's about time. You've got a lot to make up for, so get busy. Re-electing the President is one way to start. Do your duty NOW.
I know we live in an Oprah society. People love repentance and apologies. I know many will offer the consoling hug. However, saying you're sorry isn't enough...although it's a good start.
I wasn't in Vietnam (I became eligible for the draft at the end of the war, and my number never got called). But I'm on the front today: New York City. You are on the front, too--wherever you are.
We are in a war now, and there's plenty every citizen can and must do to help us win it. We MUST win it because our way of life, our survival, the future of Western values and civilization depend on it.
John Kerry is unfit for command and a threat to the Republic. You can help defeat him.
Welcome to the fight.
-OhMike
Media bias bump.
Stockpirate,
In reading my note above, I realize I didn't mean to direct my comments to you, but to whoever wrote the letter apologizing to the vets.
I am extremely grateful to ALL the veterans who have served. -OhMike
Pass through the dark, face into the light and enjoy the blessings of freedom you have so rightly earned.
Very well written!! Thanks for having the courage and grace to offer an apology.........
All I can say is it's about time...
I too grew up in the time of Woodstock, mind-destroying drugs and free-sex-with-anyone-at-any-time-or-place...My dad too, was a combat veteran...I watched the news broadcasts as well as everyone else...
However, I stuck with the opposite position of your friend that wrote this piece...Can't really say why...Just seemed right...Still does...
I beleived in 1971 that I would never forgive these people. Letters like these make me think that I'm wrong, but I still can't. It's not right, it's a sin but I just can't. I try.
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