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Abandon Ship?
Synthesizing news reports about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth allegations against Kerry, a disturbing conclusion is developing: motivated by a desire to leave Vietnam, Kerry fabricated possibly two of his Purple Heart citations.
Three Purple Heart medals were a ticket out of Vietnam. Two of Kerry’s medals are from self-inflicted superficial wounds. The allegations are not that the wounds were intentional, instead that they were minor relative to what a reasonable person would expect for the awarding of a Purple Heart and that they were not received in combat with the enemy. Further, Kerry’s first Purple Heart citation was originally denied, and then approved three months later. Without this reversal, Kerry would have spent more than 4 months in theater.
Frankly, military conscription, to which Kerry was subject, is an abhorrent form of slavery. In such an emergency situation, using fraud to flee compelled servitude is not in itself immoral; however, Kerry had other options available and chose to enlist. If Kerry did use fraud to escape Vietnam, then his subsequent glorification of his wounds is unconscionable. Further, Kerry has not opposed compelled servitude. In fact, advocating mandatory volunteerism is one of his policy initiatives in the Presidential campaign.
At first, I did not consider the Swift Vets allegations significant to the campaign. As I consider more of their evidence, serious character issues have been raised which Kerry should answer directly, and without invective.
Image Source: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth
Note: The above picture of swift boat officers was used by the Kerry Campaign in an ad; as highlighed, you can see a measure of Kerry’s support amongst his peers from Vietnam.
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Kerry and Bush did what everyone that I know did towards the end of this war. They did everything they could to get out of being in the combat zone. Early on older brothers of friends inlisted but later we all used every ploy to avoid going. When you saw and heard the stories of not being able to win due to politics and the souths corruption fighting was not an option.
Looking back the left was just too well organized and many here and abroad wanted us to lose. We just started to believe that we were the bad guys and showing "peace and love" would win us friends. Time has shown that you just can't peacefully work out things with people who have radical political views, left or right. -
HOW CAN ANYONE NOT SEE THROUGH KERRY? ARE PEOPLE STUPID OR TOO STUBBORN TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH? HEAVEN HELP OUR WONDERFUL COUNTRY IF BUSH IS NOT ELECTED!
BUSH IS A MAN OF HONOR AND GREAT CHARACTER. HE HAS AMERICA'S BEST INTERESTS AT HEART. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT BUSH IS NOT ON AN EGO TRIP LIKE KERRY. BUSH IS SECURE IN HIS OWN SKIN AND NOT AFRAID TO EXPRESS HIS STRONG MORAL CONVICTIONS.
HIS LOVELY WIFE IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE FOR OUR COUNTRY. HOW TERRIBLY SAD FOR AMERICA'S FUTURE IF KERRY AND HIS HOT-HEADED, ILL-MANNERED WIFE DARKEN THE WHITE HOUSE DOORS! -
Bush lied about his service. He was not there, did not take his flight physical and had other things to do. Felt he was above it all.
Kerry served. There is strict criteria to receive medals. Your commander generally puts you in and the medals must be approved. There is a chain of command for approval. An individual is not able to put him or herself in for a medal, period. Read the military regulations and you will see he earned it. There is no distinction for a bullet wound, scratch, broken finger when in the line of duty during war.
My friends and I were in the military during Viet Nam. Many, many stories were told from the guys who came home. My two flight nurse friends heard and saw much of what kerry had said. I was a rehabilitation therapist and saw many mained, burned, wounded veterans. Horrible stories from these guys. They had to give body counts.
If you weren't really there and weren't shot at it is time people stop being poor and unpatriotic Americans. Just remember, Bush was safe at home because of his family. -
I believe that both President Bush and Senator Kerry have lied about their war records. The difference between them in this arena, however, is that Kerry is relying upon his war record to place himself in the White House. I hope that the people of this great country of ours will see through his chicanery and realize that the Vietnam War ended 30 years ago. Since his return from Vietnam, Kerry became a war protestor, a lawyer, married a hieress worth over $600 million, and today is behind in EVERY poll. That is because the American public know that they can not trust this man. He waffles on every "position" he takes, so no one never knows where he really stands. Has anyone besides myself noticed that "lawyer" and "liar" are almost homophones? That's because of people like Kerry!!!
9/23/04 1:19 PM