I have been busy with real life and only occasionally check in here to keep up with friends’ blogs.
The more I read of one of those friends’ blog (*), the more angry and sad I feel.
For those of us that lived and/or fought through the Viet Nam era, it changed the way we thought about things in many ways.
Some of us remained the same, some changed a small amount, it changed some lives, and ended many. It happens to everyone in that - or any other war.
One thing I didn’t need to learn during the war. I already knew that ALL blood is red.
The war did bring home the fact, more than ever, that: there are dedicated Americans of every color, race, religion, political persuasion, sex or sexual perception both in and out of uniform; whether white, black, red or yellow, they can all bleed American blood.
American blood… I’ve seen it, smelled it, tasted it and I hate to see it spilt.
Yeah, I’m an old guy. I still read the news, -on line. I write e-mails, and letters. –on the computer.
So it pains me to read that one vet, who spent time among some of my very own friends being broken physically and mentally by those damn Vietnamese goons, would not have learned those very lessons and either has been broken again by a political machine that wants to stay in control of this country, or wants to be president so bad, as to stoop to such low tactics as he is using against the opposition - or is very short on ethics that he has proclaimed to esteem so dearly.
He might get elected yet. - Probably lasting a year or two before dying of old age and handing the running of this nation to a vindictive Bush-in-skirts who I don’t think had the mental capacities or ethics to run her present job.
I’m basing his projected life span on a very wild personal guess because I know of two other POW friends my age, (a few years less than the nominee) who have passed on lately. I’m sure their stay at the Hanoi Hilton didn’t help lengthen their lives.
He knows what it was like inside and outside that damned place.
So maybe I should believe some of the other rumors that came out of the Hanoi Hilton, or some that were left there?
So I’m slightly surprised that in less than a month, win or lose, that man (“This one!” this time) either as the president-elect or as a senator, will return to DC, shake hands with all others, ask the world to forget the last few months and say: “It was nothing personal, just politics”.
No McCain. No.
Flying in-country, rolling in, for a few seconds ignoring the radio crackling in your ear with voices, shouts and tones for those few seconds and squeezing the release or trigger, knowing they are trying to kill you, and knowing you might be killing lives and reputations over there becomes “Nothing Personal” - fast.
Live or die…You are just trying to survive and do your job.
But attempting to ruin a political opponent’s reputation with lies, inaccuracies, allowing and encouraging hate and doubts for another race, culture, or ancestral religion in a fellow American…Now, that IS Personal.
I respected you once. I Respect You No More.
-------------------------------------
*in this case, jphiggins blog.
