2004-09-01

Bush, O’Neill, Swifties and Purple Heart Band-aids

By: Jack Dalton

More than a few of us that served in Vietnam some 35 years ago (I was there from 9/65—5/67, Marble Mountain) openly opposed that war when we came “home” (and I use that term loosely—it’s difficult to call someplace home that keeps turning it’s back on those it sent to war, as what has taken place with Vietnam veterans, and is once again). There were a lot of reasons we stood in opposition to what we had participated in.

That was a period of time many of us would rather forget, and leave forgotten, than to be forced, in a manner of speaking, to relive all that, again—what we saw, what we heard, what we did while we were in the Nam, what we stood by and just watched, and then, if that wasn’t enough, what we went thru when we came back. We caught hell from all sides when we came back.

Thanks to Bush and the chickenhawk Mayberry Machiavelli’s he has surrounded himself with, once again Vietnam veterans are being smeared and our service being called into doubt—you call one into doubt and you call us all into doubt, my loyalty is to my fellow Vietnam veterans. At least to those that understand loyalty and do not allow themselves to be used for anyone’s political purposes.

O’Neill, Thurlow, Swift Boat Veterans for (un)”Truth” have broken the faith and have show themselves to be men of no honor with the distortions and lies they have perpetrated. The Bush silence speaks volumes. The “Purple Heart” band-aids Morton Blackwell is passing out at the RNC also speaks volumes. He now mocks those that served in uniform, something he never did—how dare he!

They want to elect George W. Bush—the man that went AWOL (some call it desertion during a time of war, as do I)—by smearing Vietnam veterans and demeaning the commendaditions, awards and medals we received. To simply call this an outrage is an over simplification and a gross understatement.

John Kerry did not betray this country or any of us that went to Vietnam—unlike Bush, that didn’t go anywhere but AWOL and who now betrays the nation, Vietnam veterans and his oath of office by standing mute on the actions of O’Neill, Thurlow, Swift Boat Vets and now Blackwell, just to name a few.

Thirty years ago there was a big wedge that divided us veterans—Vietnam. Some strongly supported the war, others like myself, strongly opposed the war.

Some saw little to no combat while there, others saw more than anyone ever should. As always, war can and does bring out the worst in people. It does things to you; how you think, how you feel, how you look at the world and people around you—and a lot of that is anything but good.

Too many rules made up as you go. To easy to de-humanize other people and then to look upon them as sub-human. It’s a lot easier to pull the trigger that way. That happened a lot in Vietnam. Many atrocities, war crimes if you will, were committed—as is happening in Iraq currently.

After 3 ½ decades some of the divisions between veterans dissipated—all was at least less angry in the valley. At least until George W. Bush entered the picture 4 years ago. Now in the push to get him elected, all stops have been pulled. And in the quest for the veterans vote, it’s back to pitting veteran against veteran.

By these people—BushCo, Blackwell, O’Neill, Thurlow, Swift Boat vets for un-Truth, et al—calling into question John Kerry’s service in Vietnam and his anti-war stance after coming home, they have called into question all that served in Vietnam.

John Kerry betrayed nothing by his words or actions including his testimony in Congress in 1971, period, end of story! He did not betray his fellow veterans by articulating things that were actually taking place there. There were a lot of people that just flat out went nuts over there and a lot of senseless things happened as a result.

The Swift Boat people, O’Neill, Thurlow, Blackwell and the rest of that crew can denounce Kerry all they want with their distortions and lies, but they do not change the truthfulness of John Kerry’s statements, nor any of the rest of us that have made similar statements concerning Vietnam and some of what happened over there.

If anyone has betrayed the nation and Vietnam veterans, it is George W. Bush and those surrounding him that have adopted the “alls fair in love and war” mantra, and that seems to include lies and distortions on a grand scale.

While people like O’Neill, Thurlow, Blackwell, Swift Boat for (?) and a few others choose to allow themselves to be used to further the political ambitions of Bush & Co. it is they that have betrayed the nation. It is they that have betrayed their fellow veterans by their words and actions.

The same person they are supporting is the man responsible for this current obscene, wrong and totally un-acceptable invasion/occupation of Iraq-- which also was based on lies, misinformation and disinformation just as was Vietnam. In taking the position they have, they have taken a stand for wrong over right and no “Purple Heart” band-aids will ever cover this betrayal.

What has happened to truth, justice and the “American” way? It seems it no longer is the nations call sign—now it’s win, win, win, and by any and all means necessary. Even that has been elevated to new heights since the Bush cabal took over the nation’s government. God help us all if Bush and his chickenhawk buddies stay in power.