KERRY: 'WE WILL NOT READILY JOIN THE AMERICAN LEGION' (get this to them before he speaks Wed.)

Kerry Spot/National Review ^ | August 30, 2004 | jim geraghty

[Cableguy]

As John Kerry gets ready to speak to the American Legion on Sept. 1, during the GOP Convention, it is worth recalling some of his earlier comments on that esteemed organization:

We will not quickly join those who march on Veterans' Day waving small flags, calling to memory those thousands who died for the "greater glory of the United States." We will not accept the rhetoric. We will not readily join the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars-in fact, we will find it hard to join anything at all and when we do, we will demand relevancy such as other organizations have recently been unable to provide. We will not take solace from the creation of monuments or the naming of parks after a select few of the thousands of dead Americans and Vietnamese. We will not uphold traditions which decorously memorialize that which was base and grim. It is from these things the New Soldier is asking America to turn. We are asking America to turn from false glory, hollow victory, fabricated foreign threats, fear which threatens us as a nation, shallow pride which feeds off fear, and mostly from the promises which have proven so deceiving these past ten years.

Those comments came in the epilogue to "The New Soldier," the book put out by Vietnam Veterans against the War. The book's cover features a group of not-particularly sober-looking antiwar protesters (vets, presumably) flying the American flag upside down, with the hygene associated with the protesters in New York City right now.

When the speech was announced August 18, Kerry's communications director, Stephanie Cutter, told reporters that Kerry is a member of the American Legion.

[Samwise]

I've been posting that quote ever since I first read it. I'm glad sources outside the Shire have finally noticed it.

BTW, I just got my copy of Unfit.

[BJungNan]

So much for the opposition taking a vacation during the other candidate's convention. Surely Kerry could go windsurfing, or skiing. Bush stayed out of the limelight during Kerry's coronation, why can't Kerry?

Let him. It is a stupid move. Will keep Swift Boat story alive.

[Dante3]

BUMP

[finnigan2]

"I hope someone at the hall prints Kerrys comment up in HUMONGOUS LETTERS and hangs it up in the back of the American Legion Hall. I also pray that multitudes of these brave servicemen stand up and turn their backs to him the entire time he is speaking."

- How can we get a rumor going in the media that many in the Hall plan to do just that? It makes a nice headline and gets Kerry's ahole all a-pucker right up to the time he steps on the stage - at which point, regardless of what happens, he should be a gibbering wreck of a speaker.

[BulletBobCo]

National Commander
John A. Brieden III
National Commander
The American Legion
2003 - 2004

E-Mail:NatlCmdr@legion.org

[BulletBobCo]

John A. Brieden III of Brenham, Texas, was elected National Commander of the 2.8 million-member American Legion on August 28, 2003 in St. Louis, Mo. during the 85th National Convention of the nation’s largest veterans organization.

Brieden is a United States Army veteran where he served as an Infantry Officer from 1972 – 1977. During his time in the Army he attended Ranger School, Airborne School, Jungle Warfare School and Artic Warfare School. He was selected to serve in the 1st Battalion, 75th Infantry when the U.S. Army was first going back to the concept of Ranger Battalions.

He joined The American Legion in 1979 and for 25 years he has served in key leadership positions at the post, district, department (state) and national level. Among his national level appointments are: Chairman of the National Legislative Commission; Chairman of the National Economic Commission; Chairman of the National Foreign Relations Commission and Chairman of the National Americanism Council.

After leaving the Army, Brieden went into the insurance business where he earned the professional designation Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow. He was named the Central Texas Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors Man of the Year in 1993.

Commander Brieden has served as a member of Congressman Kevin Brady’s Military Academy Selection Committee; was appointed by the Texas Governor in 1998 to the Texas Veterans Commission and served a term as Secretary of that Commission in 2000 and 2001.

Married to the former Terry Weaver Dial, the Brieden’s have four children and five grandchildren.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

BTTT

[ppaul]

VFW Convention, Cinncinati, Ohio, August 2004

War Vets Turn Backsides to Kerry

[hispanarepublicana]

BUMP. This is when FReepers are at our best. How do we get this to them?

[ppaul]

Just e-mail this whole web-page.

[hispanarepublicana]

It's being held at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

[hispanarepublicana]

	Print This Page

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspALABAMABYRON W WHITE,  COMMANDER

BRAXTON BRIDGERS,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 1069
MONTGOMERY, AL 36101-1069
PHONE: 334-262-6638
FAX: 334-262-9694
EMAIL:  allegion@bellsouth.net
WEB:  http://www.americanlegionalabama.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspALASKADEAN C HILL,  COMMANDER

W E GENE FRANKS,  ADJUTANT
1550 CHARTER CIR
ANCHORAGE, AK 99508
PHONE: 907-278-8598
FAX: 907-278-0041
EMAIL:  legion@anch.net
WEB:  http://home.gci.net/~amerlegdptak

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspARIZONAS PAUL GRIFFIN,  COMMANDER

JOHN ALDECOA,  ADJUTANT
4701 N 19TH AVE STE 200
PHOENIX, AZ 85015-3799
PHONE: 602-264-7706
FAX: 602-264-0029
EMAIL:  azlegion@mcleodusa.net
WEB:  http://www.azlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspARKANSASCHARLES A WENTWORTH,  COMMANDER

WILLIAM C WINCHELL,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 3280
LITTLE ROCK, AR 72203-3280
PHONE: 501-375-1104
FAX: 501-375-4236
EMAIL:  alegion@swbell.net
WEB:  http://www.arlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspCALIFORNIAFRED J WALTON,  COMMANDER

WILLIAM T MAYER,  ADJUTANT
VETERANS WAR MEMORIAL BLDG
401 VAN NESS AVE STE 117
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102-4587
PHONE: 415-431-2400
FAX: 415-255-1571
EMAIL:  joan@calegion.org
WEB:  http://www.calegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspCOLORADOKENNETH S CLASEN JR,  COMMANDER

CHARLES P SMITH,  ADJUTANT
7465 E 1ST AVE STE D
DENVER, CO 80230
PHONE: 303-366-5201
FAX: 303-366-7618
EMAIL:  adjutant@coloradolegion.org
WEB:  http://www.coloradolegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspCONNECTICUTJEAN C LAFONTAINE,  COMMANDER

CHARLES BERRY,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 208
ROCKY HILL, CT 06067-0208
PHONE: 860-721-5942
FAX: 860-721-5936
EMAIL:  ctlegion@rcn.com
WEB:  http://www.ct.legion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspDELAWARECORBIT GOFF,  COMMANDER

EDWARD S PHILLIPS JR,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 925
SEAFORD, DE 19973-0925
PHONE: 302-628-5221
FAX: 302-628-5223
EMAIL:  adjutant@delegion.org
WEB:  http://www.delegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspDIST OF COLURBAN TILDEN PETERS,  COMMANDER

WALTER W NORRIS,  ADJUTANT
3408 WISCONSIN AVE NW STE 218
WASHINGTON, DC 20016-3047
PHONE: 202-362-9151
FAX: 202-362-9152
EMAIL:  legiondc@starpower.net

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspFLORIDATHOMAS C SEITZINGER JR,  COMMANDER

JOHN D NEWSTREET,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 547936
ORLANDO, FL 32854-7936
PHONE: 407-295-2631
FAX: 407-299-0901
EMAIL:  mail@fllegion.newsouth.net
WEB:  http://www.floridalegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspFRANCEJOHN H MILLER,  COMMANDER

ANN MARIE SMITH,  ADJUTANT
PSC 72 BOX 15
APO, AE 09709
PHONE: 011-31-10-265-7938
FAX: 011-31-10-459-2458
EMAIL:  dfradj@yahoo.com
WEB:  http://www.alfrance.freeservers.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspGEORGIALEONARD C HAYES,  COMMANDER

CHARLES R KNOX,  ADJUTANT
3035 MT ZION RD
STOCKBRIDGE, GA 30281-4101
PHONE: 678-289-8883
FAX: 678-289-8885
EMAIL:  amerlegga@bellsouth.net
WEB:  http://www.galegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspHAWAIIHARRY B PASCO,  COMMANDER

BERNARD K Y LEE,  ADJUTANT
612 MCCULLY ST
HONOLULU, HI 96826-3935
PHONE: 808-946-6383
FAX: 808-947-3957
EMAIL:  aldepthi@hawaii.rr.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspIDAHOLLOYD G PIERCE,  COMMANDER

RICKEY L HELSLEY,  ADJUTANT
901 WARREN ST
BOISE, ID 83706-1964
PHONE: 208-342-7061
FAX: 208-342-1964
EMAIL:  idlegion@mindspring.com
WEB:  http://www.idaholegion.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspILLINOISARNOLD A AMBOS,  COMMANDER

TERRY L WOODBURN,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 2910
BLOOMINGTON, IL 61702
PHONE: 309-663-0361
FAX: 309-663-5783
EMAIL:  hdqs@illegion.org
WEB:  http://www.illegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspINDIANABILL FIRKINS,  COMMANDER

STEPHEN W SHORT,  ADJUTANT
777 N MERIDIAN ST
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46204
PHONE: 317-630-1300
FAX: 317-237-9891
EMAIL:  members@indlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.indlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspIOWAGILBERT D MOELLER,  COMMANDER

JOHN A DERNER,  ADJUTANT
720 LYON ST
DES MOINES, IA 50309
PHONE: 515-282-5068
PHONE: 800-365-8387
FAX: 515-282-7583
EMAIL:  info@ialegion.org
WEB:  http://www.ialegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspKANSASLEONARD HILL JR,  COMMANDER

CHARLES M YUNKER,  ADJUTANT
1314 SW TOPEKA BLVD
TOPEKA, KS 66612
PHONE: 785-232-9315
FAX: 785-232-1399
EMAIL:  yunker@ksamlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.ksamlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspKENTUCKYFRED STALEY JR,  COMMANDER

KENNETH W HART,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 2123
LOUISVILLE, KY 40201
PHONE: 502-587-1414
FAX: 502-587-6356
EMAIL:  kylegion@bellsouth.net
WEB:  http://www.kylegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspLOUISIANAELDON J GUIDRY,  COMMANDER

CLINTON R WOMACK,  ADJUTANT
1885 WOODDALE BLVD STE 1110
BATON ROUGE, LA 70806
PHONE: 225-923-1945
FAX: 225-923-3980
EMAIL:  americanlegion@networktel.net
WEB:  http://www.lalegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMAINEWILLIAM G BICKFORD,  COMMANDER

RONALD A SAILOR,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 900
WATERVILLE, ME 04903-0900
PHONE: 207-873-3229
FAX: 207-872-0501
EMAIL:  legionme@me.acadia.net
WEB:  http://www.mainelegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMARYLANDELBERT D WHITE,  COMMANDER

THOMAS LEE DAVIS,  ADJUTANT
WAR MEMORIAL BLDG RM E
101 N GAY ST
BALTIMORE, MD 21202
PHONE: 410-752-1405
FAX: 410-752-3822
EMAIL:  hdqtrs@mdlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.mdlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMASSACHUSETTSMILTON K LASHUS,  COMMANDER

DOMINICK GENETTI,  ADJUTANT
STATE HOUSE STE 546-2
BOSTON, MA 02133-1044
PHONE: 617-727-2966
FAX: 617-727-2969
EMAIL:  masslegion@verizon.net
WEB:  http://www.MassLegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMEXICOJERRY A KING,  COMMANDER

ROYCE J WHEELER,  ADJUTANT
APDO 31-404
45070 GUADALAJARA JAL
MEXICO
PHONE: 011-52-33-3122-1989
FAX: 011-52-33-3122-1989
EMAIL:  campani@prodigy.net.mx
WEB:  http://www.amlegion-mexico.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMICHIGANTHOMAS G HOLZGEN,  COMMANDER

PATRICK W LAFFERTY,  ADJUTANT
212 N VERLINDEN AVE
LANSING, MI 48915
PHONE: 517-371-4720
FAX: 517-371-2401
EMAIL:  info@michiganlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.michiganlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMINNESOTAMARLAND A RONNING,  COMMANDER

LYLE R FOLTZ,  ADJUTANT
20 W 12TH ST RM 300-A
ST PAUL, MN 55155-2000
PHONE: 651-291-1800
PHONE: 866-259-9163
FAX: 651-291-1057
EMAIL:  department@mnlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.mnlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMISSISSIPPILYNN A RODGERS,  COMMANDER

JOHNNY F BRACY,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 688
JACKSON, MS 39205
PHONE: 601-352-4986
FAX: 601-352-7181
EMAIL:  legion27@aol.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMISSOURIDAVID E SHAFER,  COMMANDER

LYNN M DORRELL,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 179
JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65102
PHONE: 573-893-2353
FAX: 573-893-2980
EMAIL:  info@missourilegion.org
WEB:  http://www.missourilegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspMONTANASYLVIA A M BEALS,  COMMANDER

GARY A WHITE,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 6075
HELENA, MT 59604
PHONE: 406-324-3990
FAX: 406-324-3991
EMAIL:  amlegmt@in-tch.com
WEB:  http://www.mtlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNEBRASKAROLLAND OTTE,  COMMANDER

ROBERT B CRAIG,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 5205
LINCOLN, NE 68505
PHONE: 402-464-6338
FAX: 402-464-6330
EMAIL:  nebraska@legion.org
WEB:  http://www.ne.legion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNEVADAGLADYS C MARTIN,  COMMANDER

LIONEL J MOTTA,  ADJUTANT
737 VETERANS MEMORIAL DR
LAS VEGAS, NV 89101
PHONE: 702-382-2353
FAX: 702-598-4941
EMAIL:  taldon737@aol.com
WEB:  http://www.taldon.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNEW HAMPSHIREWILLIAM HOOLEY,  COMMANDER

JOHN ZACHODNY JR,  ADJUTANT
STATE HOUSE ANNEX
25 CAPITOL ST RM 431
CONCORD, NH 03301-6312
PHONE: 603-271-2211
FAX: 603-271-5352
EMAIL:  adjutantnh@amlegion.state.nh.us
WEB:  http://www.nhlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNEW JERSEYJAMES VIALARD,  COMMANDER

RAYMOND L ZAWACKI,  ADJUTANT
135 W HANOVER ST
TRENTON, NJ 08618
PHONE: 609-695-5418
FAX: 609-394-1532
EMAIL:  7742043@msn.com
WEB:  http://www.njamericanlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNEW MEXICORAYMOND E LINKOUS,  COMMANDER

TONY R NAVARRETE,  ADJUTANT
1215 MOUNTAIN RD NE
ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87102-2716
PHONE: 505-247-0400
FAX: 505-247-0478
EMAIL:  legionnm@osogrande.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNEW YORKPAUL A CORTRIGHT,  COMMANDER

RICHARD M PEDRO,  ADJUTANT
112 STATE ST STE 400
ALBANY, NY 12207-2015
PHONE: 518-463-2215
FAX: 518-427-8443
EMAIL:  info@nylegion.org
WEB:  http://www.ny.legion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNORTH CAROLINAMICHAEL A REOTT,  COMMANDER

W FRANK STANCIL,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 26657
RALEIGH, NC 27611-6657
PHONE: 919-832-7506
FAX: 919-832-6428
EMAIL:  nclegion@nc.rr.com
WEB:  http://nclegion.org/index.html

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspNORTH DAKOTAWILLIS J PRITCHARD,  COMMANDER

OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT
PO BOX 2666
FARGO, ND 58108-2666
PHONE: 701-293-3120
FAX: 701-293-9951
EMAIL:  adjutant@ndlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.ndlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspOHIOHENRY S LONG,  COMMANDER

ROGER HIGHT,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 8007
DELAWARE, OH 43015-8007
PHONE: 740-362-7478
FAX: 740-362-1429
EMAIL:  ohlegion@iwaynet.net
WEB:  http://www.ohioamericanlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspOKLAHOMACHARLES GREGG,  COMMANDER

DAVID KELLERMAN,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 53037
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73152
PHONE: 405-525-3511
FAX: 405-521-0178
EMAIL:  oklalegion@sbcglobal.net
WEB:  http://www.oklegion.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspOREGONCHARLES E SCHMIDT,  COMMANDER

BARRY J SNYDER,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 1730
WILSONVILLE, OR 97070-1730
PHONE: 503-685-5006
FAX: 503-685-5008
EMAIL:  orlegion@aol.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspPENNSYLVANIAJOHN J GASPER,  COMMANDER

KIT D WATSON,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 2324
HARRISBURG, PA 17105
PHONE: 717-730-9100
FAX: 717-975-2836
EMAIL:  hq@pa-legion.com
WEB:  http://www.pa-legion.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspPHILIPPINESWILLIAM J KELLY,  COMMANDER

MARIANO L ESLAO,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 556
1099 METRO MANILA
PHILIPPINES
PHONE: 011-63-2-524-9223
FAX: 011-63-2-524-4262
EMAIL:  a_legion@mail.philonline.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspPUERTO RICOCARLOS ORRIA-MEDINA,  COMMANDER

SANTIAGO ROSARIO,  ADJUTANT
CAPARRA HEIGHTS STA
PO BOX 11424
SAN JUAN, PR 00922
PHONE: 787-792-4899
FAX: 787-792-5947

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspRHODE ISLANDREV CARLTON R SMITH,  COMMANDER

ANTHONY DEQUATTRO,  ADJUTANT
380 WESTMINSTER ST RM 204B
PROVIDENCE, RI 02903-3244
PHONE: 401-421-7390
FAX: 401-223-3793
EMAIL:  tdequattro@aol.com
WEB:  http://www.ri.legion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspSOUTH CAROLINANORMA J WALKER,  COMMANDER

JIMMY E HAWK,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 11355
COLUMBIA, SC 29211
PHONE: 803-799-1992
FAX: 803-771-9831
EMAIL:  dept@aldsc.org
WEB:  http://www.scarolina.legion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspSOUTH DAKOTAEUGENE SCHUMACHER,  COMMANDER

RONALD D BOYD,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 67
WATERTOWN, SD 57201
PHONE: 605-886-3604
FAX: 605-886-2870
EMAIL:  sdlegion@dailypost.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspTENNESSEEDAVID M DU BOIS,  COMMANDER

ARMAND M HAMMER,  ADJUTANT
215 8TH AVE N
NASHVILLE, TN 37203-3501
PHONE: 615-254-0568
FAX: 615-255-1551
EMAIL:  tnamerle@bellsouth.net

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspTEXASDELLANO T SIMMONS,  COMMANDER

MICHAEL T PALMQUIST,  ADJUTANT
3401 ED BLUESTEIN BLVD
AUSTIN, TX 78721
PHONE: 512-472-4138
FAX: 512-472-0603
EMAIL:  txlegion@txlegion.org
WEB:  http://www.txlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspUTAHROBERT H JONES,  COMMANDER

RANDY J KNIGHT,  ADJUTANT
455 E 400 S SUITE 50
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84111
PHONE: 801-539-1013
FAX: 801-521-9191
EMAIL:  utahlegion@aol.com
WEB:  http://www.utlegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspVERMONTRALPH A BROWN,  COMMANDER

ROBERT PERHAM,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 396
MONTPELIER, VT 05601-0396
PHONE: 802-223-7131
FAX: 802-223-0318
EMAIL:  alvt@adelphia.net

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspVIRGINIAMICHAEL E HARRIS,  COMMANDER

DALE D CHAPMAN,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 11025
RICHMOND, VA 23230
PHONE: 804-353-6606
FAX: 804-358-1940
EMAIL:  eeccleston@valegion.org
WEB:  http://www.valegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspWASHINGTONWILLIAM R BOB WALLACE,  COMMANDER

DALE F DAVIS,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 3917
LACEY, WA 98509-3917
PHONE: 360-491-4373
FAX: 360-491-7442
EMAIL:  americanlegion@qwest.net
WEB:  http://www.walegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspWEST VIRGINIAJOSEPH W GRAHAME,  COMMANDER

MILES S EPLING,  ADJUTANT
PO BOX 3191
CHARLESTON, WV 25332-3191
PHONE: 304-343-7591
FAX: 304-343-7592
EMAIL:  wvlegion@aol.com

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspWISCONSINALAN M RICHARDS,  COMMANDER

WILLIAM R WEST,  ADJUTANT
2930 AMERICAN LEGION DR
PO BOX 388
PORTAGE, WI 53901-0388
PHONE: 608-745-1090
FAX: 608-745-0179
EMAIL:  info@wilegion.org
WEB:  http://www.wilegion.org

---

DEPARTMENT OF&nbspWYOMINGWILLIAM R WRIGHT III,  COMMANDER

JULIE A RUST,  ADJUTANT
1320 HUGUR AVE
CHEYENNE, WY 82001
PHONE: 307-634-3035
FAX: 307-635-7093
EMAIL:  wylegiondept@mcleodusa.net

[hispanarepublicana]

I'm at work and can't email from here. Could someone please send this to the email addresses I posted above? These are the Department Commanders & Adjutants.

[Onelifetogive]

"Kerry Fled and Good Men Bled!"

Based on what I heard about his inability to follow orders....He saved many more lives by leaving that he could ever have saved by staying.

[blackie]

Sounds reasonable to me. :):)

Be Ever Vigilant!

[ppaul]

Epilogue

And so a New Soldier has returned to America, to a nation torn apart by the killing we were asked to do.
But, unlike veterans of other wars and some of this one, the New Soldier does not accept the old myths.

We will not quickly join those who march on Veterans' Day waving small flags, calling to memory those
thousands who died for the greater glory of the United States. We will not accept the rhetoric. We will
not readily join the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars-in fact, we will find it hard to join
anything at all and when we do, we will demand relevancy such as other organizations have recently been
unable to provide. We will not take solace from the creation of monuments or the naming of parks after a
select few of the thousands of dead Americans and Vietnamese. We will not uphold traditions which
decorously memorialize that which was base and grim.

It is from these things the New Soldier is asking America to turn. We are asking America to turn from false
glory, hollow victory, fabricated foreign threats, fear which threatens us as a nation, shallow pride which
feeds off fear, and mostly from the promises which have proven so deceiving these past ten years.

For many of us there is little to remember but the promises and, most poignantly, the loss of the symbols of
those promises -- of John and Robert Kennedy, of Martin Luther King, Jr., of Medgar Evers, of Fred
Hampton and Malcolm X, of Allison Krause, Sandy Scheuer, Jeffrey Miller, and William Schroeder from
Kent State and Philip Gibbs and James Green from Jackson State; the loss, too, of friends, of Richard
Pershing, Peter Johnson, Johnny White, Don Droz, and the other 53,000 Americans who have lost their
lives in this degrading and immoral war. The promises of peace candidates who were not peacemakers; of
civil rights laws which were not enforced; of educational and medical aid which was downgraded in
priority below bombs and guns; of equal opportunity while Mexican-Americans and blacks were drafted in
numbers disproportionate to their representation in this country and then made up casualties in even greater
disproportion.

I think that, more than anything, the New Soldier is trying to point out how there are two Americas -- the
one the speeches are about and the one we really are. Rhetoric has blinded us so much that we are unable to
see the realities which exist in this country.

We were sent to Vietnam to kill Communism. But we found instead that we were killing women and
children.....

[Dante3]

bttt

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! :^)

[ppaul]

I think that, more than anything, the New Soldier is trying to point out how there are two Americas -- the one the speeches are about and the one we really are.

Kerry & Edwards are still talking about "Two Americas."
And they are right.
There is the America of decent, God-fearing people who work hard, and love this country and what it stands for.
Then there are the "progressive" haters of America who live off the fat of our great land by stealing the bread from workingmen's tables - the Kerry crowd.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Feel free to copy and paste and post on other forums

Kerry Flip Flops on Joining American Legion and VFW

http://www.nationalreview.com/kerry/kerryspot.asp

KERRY IN 1971: 'WE WILL NOT READILY JOIN THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS'

As John Kerry gets ready to speak to the American Legion on Sept. 1, during the GOP Convention, it is worth recalling some of his earlier comments on that esteemed organization:

"We will not quickly join those who march on Veterans' Day waving small flags, calling to memory those thousands who died for the "greater glory of the United States." We will not accept the rhetoric. We will not readily join the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars-in fact, we will find it hard to join anything at all and when we do, we will demand relevancy such as other organizations have recently been unable to provide. We will not take solace from the creation of monuments or the naming of parks after a select few of the thousands of dead Americans and Vietnamese. We will not uphold traditions which decorously memorialize that which was base and grim.

It is from these things the New Soldier is asking America to turn. We are asking America to turn from false glory, hollow victory, fabricated foreign threats, fear which threatens us as a nation, shallow pride which feeds off fear, and mostly from the promises which have proven so deceiving these past ten years."


Those comments came in the epilogue to "The New Soldier," the book put out by Vietnam Veterans against the War. The book's cover features a group of not-particularly sober-looking antiwar protesters (vets, presumably) flying the American flag upside down, with the hygene associated with the protesters in New York City right now.

When the speech was announced August 18, Kerry's communications director, Stephanie Cutter, told reporters that Kerry is a member of the American Legion.


Read the New Soldier, the free online version

http://ejsmithweb.com/fr/newsoldier/

Contact the American Legion

http://www.legion.org/?content=contact_us&con=NatlCmdr