Posted on 09/19/2004 6:35:21 PM PDT by North Coast Conservative
Last week was the KerryLied Rally in Washington, D.C. that many Vietnam veterans had been waiting months for. It was a good rally, Free Republic was well represented, especially with Tax Relief constantly sitrepping Huber, who was keeping the world updated through Free Republic. The weather was great, and everybody went home feeling good about coming together to repudiate the lies, treachery, deceit and traitorous behavior of John Forbes Kerry in 1970, 1971, and 1972. For some of us it was only the start.
Mentor, Ohio is a bedroom suburb of Cleveland, snuggled up under Lake Erie 25 miles to the east. The “It’s Better in Mentor” festival is an annual excuse for eating cotton candy, elephant ears, and kettle corn while picking up pens and emery boards with politicians’ names on them. I had been asked to work the county Republican party tent just like every other year, but this year I had to decline. It was time to tell a whole generation of Americans, usually anyone under 35 years of age, about what John F Kerry did when he came home from his short stint as was hero in South Vietnam.
Thanks to Tony Snesko of Operation Street Corner, Swiftboat Vets for the Truth, and Kerry Lied I obtained a lot of the materials that Tony has been using every weekend at The Vietnam Memorial. We obtained a spot at the festival, printed up and assembled story boards about the Democratic nominee and his history with the Viet Cong, Jane Fonda, and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and started teaching history.
I would like to report that we were warmly received by everyone at the festival, but that would be as truthful as the Winter Soldier hearings in Detroit, or the future Senator Kerry’s testimony in front of the Senate Subcommittee about the atrocities and war criminals of the US armed forces. However, I would say that of the people that stopped by to chat or read the boards that it was 70%-30% in favor of hanging the Democratic nominee from the nearest tree for treason. (Figuratively only of course).
I was very impressed with the number of young families that stopped and took the time to read all of the panels, and then accepted a handout which listed the weapons systems in use today by the US armed forces that Senator Kerry has voted against. Veterans, identified by branch of service caps, thanked me for putting up the tent, and welcomed me home. One vet just shook my hand, gave me his unit designation, and left quietly.
This 16 year old young man showed up last night and stood for a half hour beside the tent before some local Pubbies started talking to him. When asked why he supported the Democratic slate he couldn’t verbalize exactly why, so Ryan from B/C’04 spent about 45 minutes with him, explaining the major differences between Pubblies and DemoncRATS as far as approach to government goes. The young man learned that he has a lot more in common with the Republican Party that he thought, but still took the yard sign home to his parents. One small step………
We racked up 23 hours of tent time this weekend, and I knew that it was a big success when a Kerry supporter who spent a little too much time in the beer tent this afternoon called me a “f****ng idiot”, but didn’t want to stop and discuss the finer points of Winter Soldier. The more civilized retorts I got to the Kerry Lied banner was: “Bush Lies Too!!” Some wanted to discuss Air National Guard time, and how it wasn’t really serving. I related to them how my Dad and I got together for three great days in September of 1968 when he was “In Country” with the 136th FIS/107th TFW, New York Air National Guard at Tuy Hoa, in the 2nd Corps.
I got sunburned, shook a lot of hands, and met many wonderful people some of whom never new this particular part of Sen. Kerry’s life . I think the defeat of John Kerry will excise many of the demons for my fellow Vietnam Veterans that have been hanging around since the early 70s.
I know it will for me.
God Bless the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth, and KerryLied.com
you make me proud, you are made up of REAL red bloodied Americans who love God, our country, and fought for our Freedom....my late father was one of you
I once mentored a fatherless boy, but a whole state? WOW!
Welcome home, Joe.
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