SAM JOHNSON - U.S. Congressman (R-Tex)
The Congressman and His Plane
Sam as first lieutenant, 1957, solo pilot for Thunderbirds. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Posted on 05/27/2004 8:51:28 AM PDT by jmstein7
North Vietnamese jailers at the Hanoi Hilton invoked Sen. John Kerry's 1971 anti-war testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to taunt and demoralize U.S. POWs, Vietnam war hero Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Tx, revealed on Wednesday.
Johnson, who spent six years at the infamous prison camp, also called former Vice President Al Gore's remarks to the radical left-wing group Moveon.org yesterday "traitorous."
Asked if he'd heard about Kerry's speech while he was at the Hanoi Hilton, Johnson told WABC Radio's Mark Levin, "Yes, we did."
"[Hanoi Hilton jailers] played stuff on the loudspeaker darn near 24-hours-a-day - propaganda, of course - telling us about the 'uprisings' in the United States," he said.
A fighter pilot in both Korea and Vietnam, Johnson was shot down on his 87th combat mission in 1966. He spent three-and-a-half of his six POW years in solitary confinement, during which he was repeatedly tortured and had no contact whatsoever with any other American.
A fellow POW Navy captain recalls that Johnson's first words upon being released from solitary were, "Lieutenant Colonel Sam Johnson reporting for duty, sir."
Johnson told Levin that his North Vietnamese jailers found the anti-war activities of actress Jane Fonda, who teamed up with Kerry's Vietnam Veterans Against the War in 1970 and 71, to be particularly useful.
"They played her speech to the guys on the front line, where she talked through a loudspeaker and told them to lay down their arms and quit fighting," he recalled. "And John Kerry was part of that anti-war movement."
"He was a Jane Fonda type, if you will," added Johnson, who referred to Kerry on the House floor last month as "Hanoi John." "That's what most of the POWs refer to him as," he explained.
"[Kerry] let the veterans down. When you're in a war you don't go out there badmouthing your fellow soldiers," he noted, referring to Kerry's 1971 speech. "You know, that's a disservice to the veterans."
"Anybody who comes back and works against the best interests of the United States, in my view, doesn't deserve to be president of the United States," the former fighter ace said.
Johnson also weighed in on former Vice President Al Gore's speech to Moveon.org yesterday, where Gore called on top Bush defense and national security officials to resign.
After Levin played a clip from the Gore speech, the Texas Republican was livid, saying that the comments were "as close to being traitorous as I can think of."
"You know what, we're in a war. I think people ought to stop and think about that," Johnson added. "I think that our [soldiers] are doing such a grand job [in Iraq] that they just need to be commended and not slaughtered by traitorous remarks that I just heard."
"Al Gore is no friend of America the way he was talking in those clips you played," he told Levin. "It's just unbelievable to me that anyone would make comments like that about our nation and the war that we're involved in today."
Rep. Johnson's war decorations include two Silver stars, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, one Bronze Star with Valor, two Purple Hearts, four Air Medals and three Outstanding Unit Awards.
He also served as director of the Air Force Fighter Weapons School seen in the movie "Top Gun."
These Newsmax articles are like the Vegas commercials. "What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas" - "What is written in Newsmax stays in Newsmax". The other media outlets don't even know it exists.
Section 1.
The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
Section 2.
The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;--to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public ministers and Consuls;--to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction;--to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;--to Controversies between two or more States;--between a State and Citizens of another State;--between Citizens of different States;--between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.
Section 3.
Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.
The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.
The Congressman and His Plane
Sam as first lieutenant, 1957, solo pilot for Thunderbirds. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Treasonous...I like that word better.
Speaking of which...I need some legal help. At what point does "free speech", and the "right" to it, become "treason", and why is it not prosecuted anymore?
I met Sam Johnson while I was a kid in Panama (Albrook AFB) when he visited the base as an Air Force Thunderbird in 1958. In the late 1990's I realized that we had pictures of him and his team members. Because of these connections I got to talk to him at length. Sam Johnson is one of the handful of congressman who respect the constitution.
Since the politicians have no respect for our soldiers in harms way, perhaps we should do something about it.
I'll take, "News stories you'll never hear on the World News Tonight," for $1,000, Alex.
I understand and share your outrage, unfortunately war was never declared in Viet Nam. Hence, legally, Kerry & Fonda could have never been convicted of treason.
That doesn't excuse the treasonous speech by Kerry, Fonda et al.
It's just too bad that is has taken over 30 years for the media and the public to expose Kerry for the lying treasonous traitor he was.
Semper Fi,
Kelly
Kerry & Fonda ???
I was talking about Gore's speech.
Sam Johnson is a true war hero. He didn't bring any cameras or cameramen along with him to record his band-aid purple hearts. I'll take one Sam Johnson over 100 phony "Boston Stranglers" any day.
Me too, now all we need is Gore & Kerry to get together.
Oh they all ready are.
If that's not proof of treason, I don't know what is.
Boy you can say that again. He's lost it. What a bullet we dodged in 2000. Thank God for the electoral college and the Supreme Court.
The great thing about Gore, though, is his ridiculous growly-voiced, southern hellfire-and-brimsone preacher routine. It's laughable! Is there any record of Gore speaking like this before 2000? I doubt it. I think Gore perfected it in the black churches of his 2000 presidential campaign. Apparently he thought their whoops and tell-it-preacherman!'s were authentic and so he's made it a permanent part of his act. Which is good for us because most people tend not to take people who speak like that very seriously. And this is why I don't even think he's much good for throwing bombs these days. Mostly he's just good for preaching to the choir.
ping
Only if you believe war must be declared for the nation to have enemies. Clearly that is not the case. Al Qaeda is clearly our enemy, and just as clearly AlGore's speech gives them comfort and some aid as well.
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