Text 1530, 67 rader
Skriven 2004-08-29 08:07:46 av Gary Moore (1:396/45.0)
   Kommentar till text 1528 av Frank Scheidt (1:123/140)
Ärende: SWIFT BOATERS IGNORE BUSH
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GM> Vietnam wasn't bad enough the first time around.

FS> And John Kerry thought he'd be considered a hero, Bush a coward

Amazing, isn't it?  The Democratic Party apparently thought it was going to
ride the controversy over Bush's missing time in the National Guard right into
the White House with John Kerry at the controls of their swift boat.  Lost,
now, because of their posturing and the response from some very bitter, and
often dishonest veterans,is any worthwhile, in-depth discussion of America's
future and what the candidates might do about health care, unemployment,
education,the economy, national security, databases and privacy issues, the
continued influx of people from Mexico and other countries to the south,plans
for any continued involvement in Iraq, etc.  And that's a BIG ETCETERA. I'm not
impressed with the tactics or candidate of either of the two major parties.

FS> ... heh heh heh ... now Kerry is fighting for his political life!

He's running for the office of President.  He'll win, or he'll lose. There's
not much more you can see beyond that, Frank.

FS> And it's all because *he* wanted to drag the Vietnam War into FS> this
presidential campaign!!

I don't know who's idea it was to play up his involvement in Vietnam,but he was
there.  And he protested the war during and afterwards,like may others of his
generation did.  And for those reasons, he appeals to some.  Maybe you haven't
noticed, but this country continues to be split almost in half when it comes to
putting our sons and daughters in harm's way.  Many people didn't buy the
reasons for the U.S. being in Vietnam.  You may have even heard of a book or
two by people such as Robert McNamara, who second-guessed involvement in that
war.  The same type of controversy swirls around the U.S. involvement in Iraq. 
The problem with the continued focus on Vietnam is that it takes us into the
past and away from the more pressing issues of the present and any impending
events of the future.  The Swift Boat Vets,the Republicans and Democrats alike
who continue to focus on Vietnam,the validity of military claims, and
allegations about Purple Hearts,during this campaign for President are doing no
one a great service when the more important matters of the present and future
are being neglected.  There were 35 years to address questionable claims about
Purple Hearts, and there will be many more years after the election to resolve
any questions, but _NOW_ the citizens of this country should be hearing a
discussion of issues, debates about domestic and foreign policy,and the
candidates' plans for the future of the country.

President Bush has asked that the commercials by these groups stop. Kerry has
asked that they stop.  These groups aren't doing this country a favor by
steering the national discourse away from an exploration of THE POSSIBILITIES
and into a quagmire of smears and allegations about a war that ended - for many
of us - more than 30 years ago.

The "Swift Boat Vets" are missing that part of the picture.











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