We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:01:06 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification This is well-intentioned, heartfelt, and, of course, a little late - but better late than never, as I said when I forwarded this to my favorite Vietnam Veteran. His response was not what I expected, though in retrospect, it doesn't surprise me. Truly the forgotten soldiers of a forgotten war. Here's what he said: "Its never for most of those who served in an even bloodier and more uncomfortable although shorter war in Korea, who got about the same reception when they came home." For the record, Colonel - you're one of my heroes, and always have been. Now to... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:42:07 -0600 Being self centered wasn't her crime. I think we are all a bit selfish. Being influenced was. Her reasons for being against the war were the politically correct ones being parroted in the media. Not a major deal...not like Jane Fonda or John Kerry. Around here, she is still referred to as Hanoi Jane. John Kerry got his comeuppance. While I grew up in a military family and have a different perspective than she did, she articulated very well the mindset of a selfish generation who thought war was evil because it interrupted their lives. And it cost her the relationship she had with her brother. It takes courage to admit mistakes and why they were made and to try and be better. I don't think absolution is what she is after, but reconciliation and to never let it happen again. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70175 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70175 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:40:24 -0600 kat-missouri, I hope no one thought anyone's show of emotion was anything like a slapping. I for one thought it very thoughtful on her part and I appreciate what she said. I can only speak for myself, but, I think other's will agree, when Vietnam is brought up it gets the juices going and what she said wasn't deserving of a "thank you very much". Some see today as somewhat of a deja vu all over again and want to hope since those up to their same old crap don't get away with it. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70163 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70163 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:53:48 -0600 Well, it seems this lady reached across the pages and the time and got her hand slapped off. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70162 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70162 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:49:45 -0600 don't admit they blew it, few of them are worried about making it up to the Vietnam vets, and none of them have anything close to the pain the betrayed carry. The general population does not feel the guilt Julie feels. The general population is incapable of shame, no longer remembers honor, hasn't learned their lesson, and doesn't really care about fixing it. And they are going to betray the current generation of defenders. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70158 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70158 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:33:16 -0600 It was democrat driven. Then they were committed to getting in the way of containing communism whenever and wherever we could. We had been out of the country for two years when they were finally able to put their two year threat to cut funding into effect. They succeeded in 75. During that two years the communists went over to Laos and Cambodia and reconstituted along the Ho Chi Minh thruway. The way you fix it is to not let the democrats do it again. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70155 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70155 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:21:46 -0600 John, as I read this letter from Ms Weaver, I see many things. The issues she raises is very important to the Viet Nam Vets, as well as today's vets. She has the courage to face her failures. What about the rest of us? I am a service connected disabled vet from that era. This woman's letter was a personal letter, not a political one. THE FAILURE IN VIET NAM WAS CAUSED BY BOTH PARTIES! The real problem was their REFUSAL to work TOGETHER! Grumpy http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70154 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70154 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:29:53 -0600 I had a nice email exchange with Ms. Weaver, when I asked for permission to post the letter. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70151 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70151 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:05:19 -0600 This particular letter was written by a woman from Shelbyville, Indiana, to a member of American Legion Victory Post # 70 in Shelbyville. I know those folks. It was first published (to my knowledge) last fall in Indiana's American Legion "Hoosier Legionnaire" by our Assistant Department Adjutant. I figured it would find its way onto the internet at some point. Requests for replies were made in that article, but none have, to date, been published. I've tried several times to compose a reply to give to Ms Weaver in person, but come up short each time. Her last line is the one that stops me every time I try..... "we don't know how to fix it" she says There is no fix, Ms Weaver, no easy solution to absolve those of you who blew it of your 'sins" Personally.....I like it that way. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70149 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70149 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:23:40 -0600 I saw The Wall for the first time last March. It was about six months after I had read this hnn.us/articles/31400.html Over the years I had suspicions something had gone wrong but wasn't able to put it all together. When I saw The Wall I thought I would get all weepy, but I didn't. As I went along the sidewalk and as it goes below street level and The Wall gets bigger and bigger I found myself getting angrier and angrier. When we left Vietnam we left them with a reasonable facsimile of a democracy and reasonably trained military. The democrat controlled Congress cut beans and bullets money and also fixed it so that we couldn't use our Air Force to give them air cover to knock out the tanks that the north used when they launched their chinese communist financed blitzkreig. They flushed down the toilet the efforts of 58,000 dead GIs. They stabbed them in the back. Basically South Vietnam ran out of ammunition and the democrats wouldn't spring for a few bucks to buy some more. Today they're trying to do the same thing by trying to stab those serving in Iraq in the back right to their faces. One would get the impression that they were in bed with the communists back then and it looks as though they're in bed with the islamofacists today. At least that's the impression I get. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70145 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2008/02/an_open_letter_to_anyone_who_served_in_vietnam.html#comment-70145 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:53:27 -0600