[AmishDude]

OK, so I'm making up the chart here, let me see if I've got it straight:

Military status	Pro-war	Anti-war
Volunteered for service, served in combat	Opinion valid	Opinion valid
Volunteered for service, served in non-combat in 'Nam	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Volunteered for service, served stateside	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Volunteered for National Guard, served stateside	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Drafted, served in 'Nam	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Drafted, served stateside	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Drafted, medical deferment	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Drafted, college deferment	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Drafted, fled to Canada	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Undrafted during Vietnam era	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid
Undrafted, not of age during Vietnam era	Opinion invalid	Opinion valid

What about my father who volunteered in '65, knowing he wasn't going to college, hoping to get a quicker tour of duty, but was rejected because of a foot long metal plate holding his shin together. I guess he's a chickenhawk, too. And my brother served 4 years in the USAF, all of them at Dover. That's probably not good enough, either.

Fill me in, because I'm not up to date.

[Bluntpoint]

I served 1980-1984. Did not see action. Is my critique of "Saving Private Ryan" valid or invalid?

[Britton J Wingfield]

What about my father who volunteered in '65, knowing he wasn't going to college, hoping to get a quicker tour of duty, but was rejected because of a foot long metal plate holding his shin together.

Nope, their opinion has been rendered null and void. Also, anyone other than a law enforcement officer is now unable to argue for vigorous policing against crime. After all, some cops will die in the process, and only someone who has risked their life fighting crime has the right to advocate putting them in harm's way.

[js1138]

What about volunteered for draft, non-combat duty in 'Nam?

Lots of flavors available.

[michaelt]

That's a very handy chart. The DNC will probably put it on their public policy cheat sheet for their candidates. ;-)

[NCLaw441]

I suspect the view illustrated by your table is an accurate liberal view. NOW would probably agree, too, except that, under "your" analysis, NO WOMEN have a valid opinion.
Way to illustrate the absurdity......