Replies

Hi all, I too am new after looking on for 3 years, I've decided to jump in. I was impressed to write an open letter to all Viet Nam Vets on Friday, however I waited too long because someone else has so beutifully expressed what is in my heart. I've decided to post it anyway as a confimation that many of us want to express our heartfelt thanks to our Viet Nam Vets and their famlies. Here it is...
An open letter to all viet nam vets

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about all the news we all are hearing about the Swiftboat vets and this is what I have come to a conclusion about. For myself, it has brought an awareness that I didn’t have before. I was in high school during the Viet Nam days, I was into boys and fast cars, totally oblivious to what our Government was doing, what the war was about. I knew that protests were going on at campuses, but really didn’t know why or even care to know at that time. Now 30 some years later, there is a man that wants to be our President, he introduced himself by saluting and saying “I am John Kerry and I’m reporting for duty”at the Democratic convention. Since then we have heard about a time period that we thought had been forgotten, until we began to hear the voices of the viet nam vets in one accord saying this man is unfit to be commander and Chief. As their stories began to unfold it became clear why they were speaking out. We have heard the saying that sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. Well that is proving to be untrue. The words that that were voiced by a fellow viet nam vet over 30 years ago hurt deeply and men and woman have lived with that hurt for all these years. I had no idea how these vets were treated when they came home due to the words that people believed. In the last two weeks, I have been hearing e-mails that have been written by different viet nam vets with the courage to speak out and it makes me want to say to these men and woman that went to war to serve our Country so that we could be free today, I am so sorry for the way that you were treated when you came home. You did not deserve to be treated by your fellow Americans that way. You went to Viet Nam to put your lives on the line for all of us in America and I want to say thank you from the depths of my heart. I now understand why you do not want this man to be your Commander and Chief, I don’t either. Keep speaking out, some of us are hearing you!! We will know the truth and the truth will set us free!