[Vision2020] Dispensing with the nonsense and moving on
Joan Opyr
auntiestablishment@hotmail.com
Wed, 28 Apr 2004 11:11:33 -0700
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Dear Visionaries:
The VVAW/John Kerry assassination story shares locker space in the parano=
id stratosphere with the "murder" of Vince Foster, Helen Chenoweth's blac=
k helicopters, and our imminent takeover by the United Nations. (First, =
prove to me that Kofi Annan can find Idaho on a map; then we'll talk abou=
t whether or not he wants to be our king.) It's not so, and it's nutso. =
Tom is right: we waste our time discussing such nonsense and, even worse=
, we expand the number of hits on Google for people who type in "John Ker=
ry" plus "right-wing delusions."
The war in Vietnam still matters because it still divides this country an=
d because its veterans are still caught in the cultural crossfire. We ca=
n argue all we like about Kerry's opposition to the war upon his return. =
Some of you think he betrayed his fellow soldiers; others, including Ker=
ry himself, believe he was doing what he could to bring the war to an end=
and to bring them home. This part of the national conversation is fair,=
and it needs to be ongoing. I'm sure it will surprise no one when I say=
that I don't believe in sweeping our most profound disagreements under t=
he rug. Let's get them right out there on the table and deal with them. =
=20
What I don't like, and what I think is morally reprehensible, is calling =
into question Kerry's service in the field and whether or not he really e=
arned his stars and his three Purple Hearts. The fact that this criticis=
m originates with those who had "other priorities" than military service =
during the war in question, and that it's repeated ad nauseum in the ditt=
ohead echo chamber, is a slap in the face to all who have served in comba=
t, no matter what political choices they made upon their return. I sugge=
st we get this point clear in our heads: soldiers are not the wars they f=
ight. A bad war does not make a bad soldier, nor a good war a good man. =
We are the choices we make, and those we make under stress or under fire=
or under harsh and appalling conditions are often the most telling.
It's easy to be brave with the lights on, but who are you when you're sit=
ting in the dark? When you're afraid? When your life and the lives of o=
thers are at stake? We've got the answer to that with John Kerry, and it=
's a good answer. He has proven his bravery and his courage under fire. =
So let's move on to what we think he might do if he were faced with the =
stress of making decisions in the Oval Office. =20
Joan Opyr/Auntie EstablishmentGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer d=
ownload : http://explorer.msn.com
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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV>Dear Visionari=
es:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The VVAW/John Kerry assassination story =
shares locker space in the paranoid stratosphere with the "murder" o=
f Vince Foster, Helen Chenoweth's black helicopters, and o=
ur imminent takeover by the United Nations. (First, prove to m=
e that Kofi Annan can find Idaho on a map; then we'll talk about whether =
or not he wants to be our king.) It's not so, and it's nutso. =
Tom is right: we waste our time discussing such nonsense and, even worse=
, we expand the number of hits on Google for people who type in "John Ker=
ry" plus "right-wing delusions."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The wa=
r in Vietnam still matters because it still divides this country and=
because its veterans are still caught in the cultural crossfire.&nb=
sp; We can argue all we like about Kerry's opposition to the war&nbs=
p;upon his return. Some of you think he betrayed his fellow soldier=
s; others, including Kerry himself, believe he was doing what he could to=
bring the war to an end and to bring them home. This part of =
the national conversation is fair, and it needs to be ongoing.&=
nbsp; I'm sure it will surprise no one when I say that I don't believe in=
sweeping our most profound disagreements under the rug. Let's=
get them right out there on the table and deal with them. </DIV> <=
DIV> </DIV> <DIV>What I don't like, and what I think is morally repr=
ehensible, is calling into question Kerry's service in the field and whet=
her or not he really earned his stars and his three Purple Hear=
ts. The fact that this criticism originates with those who had=
"other priorities" than military service during the war in question, and=
that it's repeated ad nauseum in the dittohead echo chamber, i=
s a slap in the face to all who have served in combat, no matter wha=
t political choices they made upon their return. I suggest we =
get this point clear in our heads: soldiers are not the wars they fi=
ght. A bad war does not make a bad soldier, nor a good war a g=
ood man. We are the choices we make, and those we ma=
ke under stress or under fire or under harsh and appalling condition=
s are often the most telling.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's easy=
to be brave with the lights on, but who are you when you're sitting in t=
he dark? When you're afraid? When your life and the=
lives of others are at stake? We've got the answer to that wi=
th John Kerry, and it's a good answer. He has proven his bravery an=
d his courage under fire. So let's move on to what we think he migh=
t do if he were faced with the stress of making decisions in the Oval Off=
ice. <BR><BR>Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML><=
br clear=3Dall><hr>Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : <=
a href=3D'http://explorer.msn.com'>http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></p>
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