Friday, June 4, 2010
What are Those Medals for Anyway.
To my disappointment I continue to see our legislatures 'misstating' their military records and accomplishments. I mention the latest being Senate candidate Mike Kirk from Illinois. You can read the slew of 'misstated' facts of him or Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut, Wes Cooley from Oregon, Joe McCarthy, or President Ronald Reagan. I don't even want to mention the fight between John Kerry and President Bush about their military careers...since there appears to be undetermined misrepresentations by both individuals. I admire people who served - even a private in the mess deserves a measure of appreciation for their service to our country as well as the general who leads us into battle. People who 'misstate' or 'misrepresent' their military service for personal gain are NOT the people I would chose to represent me. As the infamous Jack Webb on Dragnet stated, "Just the facts, mam." That's all I ask for.
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I think the word used in the Richard Blumenthal was 'misspoke' which means: express oneself insufficiently clearly or accurately. This is a grand way of saying 'bullshit'. As far as it being a 'lie', well, we all know our elected officials never do that. Right? Many combat Veterans will not speak about the war or battles they fought. Personally, I was cheated out of my two Purple Hearts, my Bronze Star and my CIB. So, medals don't make the man. Man makes the medals. As far as liars are concerned, there's no such thing in a poker game. LT Bobby Ross
ReplyDeleteMy pet hate is the use of one’s veteran status for or against him, depending on whether he is or is not a Republican, or a Jingoist. A swift boat is the same kind of weapon as my gunship, light and well armed, designed to get in close and trade fire. The job is looking for trouble, seriously in harm’s way. Yet Lt. Kerry’s honorable service was attacked by the rightniks, not on the basis of being untrue, but because, like Jane Fonda, he stood up and declared as a nation and sometimes as individuals, we were abusing Vietnam and abusing Vietnamese. I bear witness to having seen what he said was true, and to have been party to it. Though Lt. Bush wore the wings of the Eagle, he was a duck. Having spent a million of the taxpayer’s bucks learning to fly a jet fighter, when other men were dying using that rare and critical skill, he used it only to fly from one Texas Guard Officers Club to the next, like a personal super sports car. Yet the same folks praise him as an “Era-Vet Hero.” Cpt. Ronald Reagan spent his war years starring in propaganda films in Burbank, and the rest of his entire life in exactly the same role. John Murtha did not take a shortcut to be a Marine General. There is no shortcut. Yet the same folks who cheer Reagan swear Murtha must have been a closet homo or something all along, because no real Marine would say his President (even if the most rear-echelon REMF of them all) was wrong about his Cheneyed-up war. For these folks, who want to tell me every coin they toss has two right sides, it isn’t about whether or not you served the country then, but whether or not you serve The Party now.
ReplyDeleteI want to know what you think about the political value of military service, when it comes to elections. Does a military hero remain a hero only as long as he remains in the Republican Party? If a military hero smokes pot or joins an anti-war group, is he still a hero, or a coward who must have lied about his service?
ReplyDeleteAre you asking me or James? A military 'HERO' is a hero unless he tarnishes his reputation. I guess for me it comes down to crimes against humanity which negate the 'hero' status. If a police officer rescues a person in a hostage situation and then goes home and beats his wife...is he a hero? Is this what you are asking? To me, he is a loser who has done a heroic action, but I would NOT place him on a pedestal as an iconic figure because I look at the person as a whole. Party is irrelevant. Does joining an Anti-war group negate a heroic action - no. Does smoking pot - no. Does either bother me - no. The individual in my view has not committed an action, which would negate the title. Would I feel the same way about a rapist, child molester, spouse beater? No, because they have committed crimes against humanity.
ReplyDeleteI think the humility that can be learned in the military, and the ability to work as a team to accomplish a goal is a desirable trait for an individual choosing political service. In the same token, I DON'T want a person representing me who will compromise the wishes of their people to service a political party, regardless of the party.