Just what the heck is going on ?

Question

I am terribly confused. When I got back from 2 combat tours in Vietnam in 1969 and discharged, no one would hire Viet-Nam vets. We were called crazies, baby killers, etc. You were worse than an ex con.

Then a few years later, Jimmy Carter offered amnesty to the draft dodgers and deserters to "heal the country". Next, we get Clinton, a draft dodger and war protester. Then George W. another one who managed to get into the National Guard as Guardsman were not sent into combat at that time. Now we have a guy running for president on the platform that he was a POW . I certainly don't understand any of this at all. Maybe the reason things are so screwed up is the lack of consistency ? What's going on ?

Answer 1

Fascinating comment. Weird isn't it?  

Answer 2

I got out in '71. Got spit at in the air ports when I returned from overseas. I'll support a fellow veteran over a dope smoking liberal any day.  

Answer 3

Because most people understand that fighting for your country is much more useful than fighting against it. Think back to when you were discharged WHO wouldn't hire vets? those that didn't have the BALLS to fight for our country to begin with! Pacifists will be the first to cry out for our military when we are attacked again under a far left president. A president that will talk with countries that will laugh at him as they walk all the way to the little red button! Jimmy Carter is still trying to use his pacifist ways to embarrass our country! Our soldiers are a h**l of a lot more important than a few trees in Alaska! I bet I can get over 10 thumbs down! LOL

Answer 4

Oh I don't know.  It was 40 years ago and we've moved on maybe?  You're welcome to join us in 2008.

If you'd like to go back to the 70's or the 1870's, vote for McCain.

Answer 5

I think the country is moving forward and accepting that we were wrong to treat soldiers poorly.  

Answer 6

Dude, I think you are my new Yoda.

I was born in '69 - the illigitimate Ivy League college spawn of my crazy hippy parents.  My dad is a Type I juvenile onset diabetic (runs in the family) and he got kicked out of the Army shortly after graduation (he went all the way through ROTC and whatnot) when his pancreas completely failed, so this further contributed to my whacky nomadic upbringing.  During my early years, we fed and sheltered lots of my parents friends who were just returning from 'Nam, so I had lots of interesting "uncles" helping to raise me and my sibs.  

Most of my coworkers here in DC are retired military and also Vietnam (and Korea) vets.  I have spent years listening to all of my old guys talk politics and "back in the day" over coffee and/or beer.  All of these guys are all over the political fence, from die-hard conservative to tree-hugging enviro-pirate, and they are all best buddies.  And when they talk about the current political situation, they all sort of shake their heads and say "what the f*ck?".

I think the main reason for the shift in attitude is that the old guys running the country (Senate, House, etc.) are now YOUR generation, and some of them ARE Vietnam veterans.  Now if only we can get an administration in office that actually gives a d**n about veterans issues.....

One of my coworkers, a retired marine who served in Vietnam, just wandered through my office.  I showed him you post.  He rolled his eyes, snorted, and wandered back out.  

Answer 7

as the wife of a vet, i can understand your point. point being vietnam was a brutal war, men were sent straight out of boot camp and sent into an area they had no idea how to prepare for. sick as that sounds now, it happened. i was in a military hospital with my dad one day right after the end of the vietnam war, i saw those guys come home with no arms, no legs and at that age of 17 i got a real dose of reality. it just broke my heart. and now here we are all these years later , and i had to watch my husband leave for Iraq. that was not easy. and i hear the same c**p on here people putting down Bush and the soldiers and nut cases our there like Cindy Sheehan protesting the war. and saying our guys are wasting there time. my lord the woman is nutts. instead of being proud of her sons sacrafice she belittles it. that is sick as heck. i have two relatives still in Iraq and i am proud of those guys. you can blame this liberal ideal c**p for the past mistakes , either send the guys in let them do their job or pull them the heck out. whether Iraq was a mistake from the get go, is irrelevent not we got a job to do there, and it needs to be finished. i sure rather have a strong leader like Mccain than a man who has no idea what hes doing. or had any experiance  doing it. the very idea of an Obama as president should scare the heck out of everyone. talk about dangerous for our nation. geesh !!!!!!!!! and by the way thank you for serving your country. God bless you man!

Answer 8

just have to go with the media flow.

Answer 9

An election. Welcome to democracy at it's best.