The American people have seen first hand how many Republicans have attacked the patriotism of many veterans who wore the uniform of their country during their generations war. It came to a head when veterans questioned the way Mr. Bush has managed the war in Iraq. I mentioned before in a previous commentary how a good many of the neocons who clamored for war in Iraq either never wore the uniform of their country or joined the reserve to dodge the draft.
Now we know that T. Boone Pickens, an oil tycoon, provided $3 million to bankroll the group "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" (the group that ran the attack adds against Senator John Kerry). Mr. Pickens is a well known neocon and was willing to be used by the Bush campaign during the 2004 elections to try and discredit Kerry's election bid and service to his country. Pickens said he would pay $1 million to anyone who can disprove even a single charge against Kerry made by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.
Senator Kerry is taking Mr. Pickens up on the challenge and now Mr. Pickens is throwing up road blocks to that challenge. It is interesting to note that T. Boone Pickens was of prime age during his generations war but according to several sources, he has no military record. If that is true, he follows the pattern of so many neocons in this administration who love to see other's children go off to war while they stay home and count their money. The neocons feel inadequate so they take it out on our veterans who volunteered their service to their country, one of the highest acts of patriotism.
4 comments :
"The neocons feel inadequate so they take it out on our veterans who volunteered their service to their country, one of the highest acts of patriotism."
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In all honesty, being a member of the Vietnam generation, I feel that the people who stayed home and protested the war are as patriotic as the ones who served. (Dissension is the highest form of patriotism. ~ Thomas Jefferson) The Vietnam war was nothing but an exercise for the military establishment of that era to grab more and more of the budget pie while using the draft to force our country's young men into public service.
PS. The vast majority of Vietnam War veterans never "volunteered their service to their country". They were forced into servitude by our country's draft policy. If there had not been a draft at the time, we wouldn't have had enough men to fight the war after the first ten years.
^I would have to agree with Johnny on that one. I have not served in the military, nor do I plan to, yet I still consider myself very patriotic.
Now of course those who did and do serve their country deserve an immense amount of credit. Their bravery allows us to have patriotism. But still, patriotism should not be measured by whether or not you serve in the military.
If a person chooses to sit out his generations war that is his decision. However, The problem is the neocons who clamored for this war in Iraq and then try to brand those un patriotic who disagree with their neocon idea's. Veterans deserve better. There is a big difference between dissension any trying to discredit veterans. By the way T.Boone Pickens was of prime age during the Korean War. During the Viet Nam war many were drafted, that is true but many also enlisted. Patriotism is never measured by service in the military alone. There have been gaps between several wars when people did not or were not called to serve. Americans are Patriotic by serving their country in many ways outside the military but it is not a free pass to to question the patriotism of veterans who disagree with the way the president has handled the war in Iraq and that is what John Kerry was doing.
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