Posted on 09/16/2004 1:44:14 PM PDT by Blacktide
In 1971, John Kerry appeared before Congress and testified that among other things, his fellow soldiers had committed war crimes. Before this The Vietnam Veterans Against the War sponsored a public forum called Winter Soldiers, in order to meet and discuss these supposed atrocities in front of members of the Press. Almost all of those claiming to have witness or committed these atrocities were later discovered to be lying, most of whom were never soldiers, and never served in Vietnam. Further, and most important, John Kerry went to France to meet with representatives of the North Vietnamese to denounce the war, and the atrocities being committed against the Vietnamese. Now, as a citizen he has a right to his beliefs. Jane Fonda did some of the same things, but she wasn't an officer sworn to uphold the constitution of the United States, merely a private citizen. You see there is actually a distinction, and a serious one at that.
On 7/9/1868 the 14th Amendment to the Constitution was officially ratified. It is widely known as the Due Process clause, also known for adjusting the Constitution to end the inequitable counting of former slaves for determining representation in the House of Representatives. What is much lesser known is that it was also designed to punish those in authority who had rebelled against the United States. To Quote Section 3...
"No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may be a vote of two-thirds of each House remove such disability."
Now by any stretch of the imagination John Kerry, by going to Paris to meet with and help the North Vietnamese, gave aid and comfort to the enemy. At the time he did so, he was a sworn officer of the United States Military. You might say, that it only applies to an officer in a time of war, and that the Vietnam War was not a declared war, and thus doesn’t count. However remember that this amendment was passed after the Civil war, thus the test does not require a declared war. Now as far as I’m aware, congress has never repealed this section of the constitution via 2/3rds vote. Thus John Kerry, legally, and constitutionally is ineligible to serve either as a Senator, or even, it could be argued as President.
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