Posted on 11/20/2004 2:11:56 PM PST by FairOpinion
The election is over but the bickering never stopped. Some voters are suffering from "post election stress disorder." Pundits and partisans are stepping up to next face-off: judicial appointments. Yet the country has united on one issue: Vietnam.
Ernest Lefever described the American attitude toward Vietnam: "The two diametrically opposed interpretations of Vietnam continue to vie for the American psyche. Until the issue is resolved, we will suffer from a kind of historical schizophrenia."
The parade of Vietnam Veterans across the stage at the Democrats National Convention received a standing ovation, the first of its kind from the protesting class. The Democrats saw John Kerry's Vietnam service as his most attractive quality. Some countered that Kerry's activities in the 1970's maligned two million American service members. The Swift Boat Veterans questioned if John Kerry's service was as honorable as that of his peers. But all agreed that Vietnam Veterans are national heroes, an admission long overdue by the Left.
John O'Neill shined a spotlight into the shadows and declared: We are not the war criminals John Kerry described. In his 1971 Senate testimony, Kerry had quoted hearsay from an anti-war conference, charging widespread atrocities and American war crimes. None of the testimony was ever verified. Several participants were proven to be impostors.
Forty years later, John Kerry "reporting for duty" exuded pride in his Vietnam service. He had no apology for the fellow soldiers he had described as "a generation of monsters," no explanation to the POWs for advocating a unilateral withdrawal of American forces.
America remembered how Vietnam Vets were treated. "My father had red paint poured on him when he came back from Viet Nam." Dave, now an Army Reservist, recounted. "You can't live a normal life when you're being spit on, when you have bags of feces thrown at you, or when some idiot is dumping red paint on you or calling you a baby killer."
Vietnam Veterans were personified as damaged victims and drug crazed social failures. Yet suicide rates, drug abuse rates and incarceration rates are no higher for Vietnam Vets than for non-vets, Mackubin Thomas Owens reports. In fact, 91% were "glad they had served their country." Broadcasting their proud faces, John O'Neill showed America that the crazed brother hidden in the attic is really the neighboring Grampa who shovels out the old ladies when it snows.
Like looking at a fun house mirror, America saw a reflection of itself distorted by time yet true today. The Iraq war is like Vietnam: O'Neill and his comrades, decorated veterans, pointed out the similarities.
The Media: The Swift Vets prompted a reexamination of the role of the media in undermining national will. The 1968 Tet Offensive, a US victory, was proclaimed a disaster by Walter Cronkite: "For it seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate."
Cronkite's pessimistic analysis is similar to the current media's declaration of quagmire two weeks into the Afghan War and at the first dust storm in Iraq. CBS's Harry Smith, like many of his colleagues, believes "we’re sinking deeper into the sand in Iraq." Now like then, some prominent journalists are champions of failure.
The Policy: In time, the once discredited domino theory gained new legitimacy when clusters of countries tipped to democracy, 120 in 40 years, while Indochina and the Middle East remained enclaves of brutal authoritarianism.
It became clear that the modern fascism of Wahabbism and Diobandism is spawned in repressive states, that terrorism has less to do with economic poverty than with political poverty. A free Iraq for a safer America is a statement that has credibility in the 21st century.
The Aftermath: In a 1971 debate with John O’Neill, Kerry discussed his proposed policy: “I realize that there would be certain political assassinations, and that might take place…. then I think to talk about four or five thousand people is lunacy in terms of the overall argument.” There were a hundred thousand immediate political assassinations.
A million died. A million fled. A million were imprisoned. These were the civilians American soldiers were working to protect, the Communism they were fighting to destroy.
The Hard Left, urging a quick exit from Iraq, appears to have as little regard for the Iraqis who stand with the US today. After reviewing the aftermath of withdrawal from Vietnam, others renewed their determination to prevail in Iraq.
Recently, pundits asked: "Why are we refighting the Vietnam War when there's a real war on?" America is coming to see one war, from World War One to Iraq War, an ongoing battle for the continued existence of America, in defense of the democratic political system. A wiser America has incorporated the lessons of Vietnam and is not swayed by the media bias, understanding both the Iraq policy and the consequences of its abandonment. The Vietnam Veterans deserve the same place of honor and gratitude as the doughboys and the flyboys. This is the new national consensus. We have the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth to thank for this new national unity, long over due.
Jane Novak is a New Jersey based political analyst and commentator in the US and Middle East. She maintains the blog armiesofliberation.com
Works Cited:
Vietnams Ghosts by Ernest Lefever http://www.eppc.org/publications/pubID.95/pub_detail.asp
Patriotism and the lack thereof: Ragin Dave http://www.4rwws.blogspot.com/2004_09_05_4rwws_archive.html#109449619572899214
Walter Cronkite broadcast: http://www.richmond.edu/~ebolt/history398/Cronkite_1968.html
Media Research Center: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20041110.asp#2
Harry Smith quote: http://www.mrc.org/notablequotables/2004/nq20041011.asp
Mackubin Thomas Owens "But Was It True" National Review Feb 23, 2004 pg 34-39
Kerry Quote: http://www2.swiftvets.com/index.php?topic=KerryONeill
.
Whereas...
...WALTER CRONKITE has called for our Southern States to secede from our United States Union and to form a country all their very own...
and whereas...
...JOHN KERRY came back from Vietnam to call us American Soldiers fighting for Freedom there...
...rapists and terrorists who cut off heads and ears
http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1320
and whereas...
MEL GIBSON came back from filming our real Vietnam War story titled .."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. very deeply inspired to finally make his long planned ultimate story of LOVE and Sacrifice titled...
..."The PASSION of the Christ"..
...don't you have to wonder...
...just who's been on our side...
...and who hasn't been...
...all along..????
Signed:.."ALOHA RONNIE" Guyer
Veteran-"WE WERE SOLDIERS" Battle of IA DRANG-1965, Landing Zone Falcon
(Movie Websites)
http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com
http://www.thepassionofthechrist.com
(Battle of IA DRANG-1965 Photos)
http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collecti
I think all of us should write to the President and try to get him to recognize and thank the swifties for thier efforts and sacrifices.
In a lot of states you can do it right on-line... right now. In NY and NC (where we currently live) the fee is $20. I have a "Cobra 64" plate on my 1964 289 FIA Shelby Cobra.
That's an understatement in our house. They saved the Republic from someone who should have been tried, convicted, and shot for treason. And... I would have had no problem in being selected for the squad. Now where's my .308? ....
"Celebrate November 2, 2004 -- May it always be known as Vietnam Veterans Victory Day!"
Well put!
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MEL's -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-
http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=39081
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I have a Ohio Vietnam plate. You will like yours if you get it.
Vindication is good, but we must continue to oppose the forces of surrender, the weaklings who want to sell us out to the forces of evil.
Lets keep fighting.
I agree. But I think all of this rhetoric is a bunch of cr@p. Four years ago, there were a dozen or so lefty Hollywood celebs. swearing they'd exit the USA. Well, they are still breathing American oxygen... Right? Who has left the USA due to W's election in 2002? I'm waithing for the 100k jerks to emigrate to Canada. And good riddance to the disloyal bastards who hate this Republic.
"I think all of us should write to the President and try to get him to recognize and thank the swifties for thier efforts and sacrifices."
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NO! I can't stress that enough. That would imply his consent, and President Bush had absolutely nothing to do with them and what they did. Many of the Swift Boat Veterans were not Republican. That is NOT why they went after Kerry!
I'll third that sentiment. It'd be neat if the Swifties knew about FR; and understand our apprefciation for them. I've sent many e-mails thanking them for saving the Republic from Traitor Kerry.
"I think all of us should write to the President and try to get him to recognize and thank the swifties for thier efforts and sacrifices."
===
NO! I can't stress that enough. That would imply his consent, and President Bush had absolutely nothing to do with them and what they did. Many of the Swift Boat Veterans were not Republican. That is NOT why they went after Kerry!
PING
No I think he should recognize them as being truthful patriots. Not for thier support.
He can't. They're a 527 organization. He can't recognize them in any way.
Agree. The Swifties did a fantastic job.
But, there are still shills on the MSM saying that the "lies and distortions" of the Swifties have been shown. That's a lie as far as I know. NOTHING has been disproved.
Kerry needs to be shown for the traitorous scum that he is - and has continued to be since his days in uniform. I want all the information out there and let him suffer the consequences of the despicable actions he caused.
Yes you can, and do it well. That one nasty liberal attitude is what made many of us conservatives. I wouldn't trade my experience in Viet Nam or when I came 'home' for anything. It is what made me the man, husband and father I am today.
Thanks Libs, you created a conservative monster.
#17..Love it!..
"Post Election Stress Trauma"
Has everyone had a chance to notice the acronym at work here?
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