On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 23:55:46 GMT, Ron Hardin <rhhardin@mindspring.com>
wrote:

>"One day he's saying that we were shooting civilians, cutting off their
>ears, cutting off their heads,

Was there a denial that any of this happened, in what Dole said?

> throwing away his medals or his ribbons,"
>Dole said. "The next day he's standing there, 'I want to be president
>because I'm a Vietnam veteran.

I believe that what Senator Dole meant to say was that Senator Kerry
is standing there saying that because he did hear shots fired in anger
that he understands what it is to be "in harms way" and so he has a
perspective on starting and fighting wars than those who lack that
experience do not have

>
>"Maybe he should apologize to all the other 2.5 million veterans who
>served.

Well, again, I'm not sure what Dole (or any of my fellow vets of the
time) want him to apologize for.  He (along with many others who
fought there) brought the ugly truth of what went on there home and
put at at the feet of the American people.  They, not him, are to be
villified for their refusal to believe it and to keep the knowledge in
mind for future reference.  That refusal has made the rewriting of the
history of that war, necessary groundwork for the current war,
possible.

> He wasn't the only one in Vietnam,"

So, true.  There's a wall full of names of others--many of whom would
have stood and cheered for Kerry in front of Congress and would stand
and cheer for him Kerry today.

How come the people who still support the Vietnam war get to use the
KIAs to support their side when so many of them didn't support the war
in which they died, themselves? 

>said Dole, whose World War
>II wounds left him without the use of his right arm.

Sometimes I wonder what in Dole's life experience left him with a
talent for half truth and such an apparent relish for being the
hatchet man.  I also wonder, sometimes, if he understands that this
talent and glee, and his sarcasm, are what prevented him from being
elected President. 

>
>Dole added: "And here's, you know, a good guy, a good friend. I respect
>his record. But three Purple Hearts and never bled that I know of. I
>mean, they're all superficial wounds. Three Purple Hearts and you're
>out."

As Senator Dole's political record teaches us, there is more than one
way to be out. 

Timothy

"How dare you?  How *dare* you!  At this time!
 In this place!  They did the job they *didn't*
have to do, and they died doing it, and you can't
 give them anything.  Do you understand?  They
fought for those those who'd been abandoned,
they fought for one another, and they were
betrayed.  Men like them always are.  What
good would  a statue do?  It'd just inspire
new fools to believe they're going to be
heroes.  They wouldn't want that.  Just let
them be.  *Forever.*"

   Sir Samuel Vimes
   Commander
   Ankh-Morpork Night Watch

5:58:56 AM