Posted on 07/23/2004 6:47:14 PM PDT by USMCVIETVET
ALL INVITED: SIMMONS COLLEGE, BOSTON
Vietnam vets plan conference to counter Kerry Event to be held during Democrat convention to dispel war 'myths'
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: July 23, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
A military-history organization is sponsoring a conference in Boston during the Democratic National Convention it hopes will dispel some of the "myths" anti-war activists, including candidate John Kerry, have spread about the Vietnam War.
"Examining the Myths of the Vietnam War" will be held at Simmons College in Boston from Monday to Thursday, corresponding with the Democrats' convention there. Sponsored by the RADIX Foundation, it is being billed as "a veteran-funded, nonprofit, multicultural and non-political event."
SPONSORED LINKS The New York Times - as Low as $2.90 Get world-class reporting and coverage you can't find anywhere else of local, national and world news for as little as $2.90 a week with The New York Times. Get started now. www.nytimes.com/sb-subscription
Free Trial Issue: Stocks & Commodities Magazine Stay informed with market news, information, resources, and expert advice from one of the top traders' magazines. Receive your first year's subscription for the low introductory rate of $49.95. www.traders.com
"By conducting this conference," says the promotional material, "we would … like to afford the 15,000 media personnel at the nominating convention an opportunity to hear factual, first-hand accounts of Vietnam as well as some things that many of us have held back for many decades."
Organizers hope to combat those they say have "mis-portrayed" the history of the Vietnam War.
"As Senator John Kerry is about to be nominated for president, in great part based on his Vietnam service," the conference website says, "it is important for the American people to understand what 'Vietnam' was really about and to dispel some of the common misconceptions about why we went to war, what we did, what went wrong, and why it mattered.
Many Vietnam veterans have passionately rebutted Kerry's 1971 testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in which he made horrific claims about alleged atrocities committed by American service members in Southeast Asia.
There are 17 sessions that will take place during the conference. Some sessions will address, according to organizers:
The role of Hollywood in creating and reinforcing misinformation about the Vietnam War and the Vietnam veteran.
The role of the anti-war movement in doing the same.
Who are the Vietnam veterans and what did they really do?
What is the culpability of the media for the events that they ostensibly reported.
How is and how should the Vietnam War be taught at all levels?
What are the legacies of the war, the protest movement and the outcome on our military, our society our past and present allies and out enemies? Monday evening's session will feature military personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan to talk about how the Vietnam War affected their decisions to enter the armed forces, their missions and their enemies.
Wednesday evening the conference features Vietnamese, Montagnard, Cambodian, Hmong and Lao people to share their views on the region past and present.
I talked on the telephone last week with a former Vietnamese Sea Commando (Nasty Boat 20-mm gunner) and SEAL (LDNN) named Kiet who wanted to attend the Boston conference put on by Steve Sherman, but Kiet had a scheduling conflic. He said the 75th Rangers wanted him to speak at their event. My point is, Kiet and a lot of the other Vietnamese I have had contact with don't like Kerry and don't want him elected President. The older generation of Vietnamese expats understands the link between John Kerry and the antiwar politics that washed South Vietnam down the drain, the younger generation I am not so sure about, unless they really paid attention to their parents. Second generation Viet kids also get dumbed down by the teachers' unions just like all the other kids.
God Bless these Vets I hope they are successful in revealing the truth. Please do not give up God will truly guide you for the good of our nation.
Meanwhile, I've heard from many, many Vietnamese, young and older, who are enthusiastic about America and our help during the war, and absolutely horrified at the prospect of a Kerry presidency. Get out the vote for Bush.
Veterans will not forget, nor forgive, treachery by Kerry.
I hope the majority of Veterans will stand against Kerry, but certainly not the 'Veterans for Peace' groups and certainly not the still functioning 'Vietnam Veterans Against War' who have a website HERE
"Veterans For Peace" and "Vietnam Veterans Against The War" as they exist today are realtively tiny, and extremely radical, affiliated with other extreme Leftist groups. They are, as usual with such dedicated extremists, occasionally capable of loud noises.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.