Commentary by H.G. Listiak
Why is Vietnam War a Campaign Issue?
Friday 2/27/2004
Welcome to My World, where it's almost mind boggling to me that the ongoing war against terrorism is being overshadowed by a war three and four decades ago, the Vietnam conflict, the war that split the nation in half while our forces were still in harms way. As a Vietnam era vet, I may be a little too biased to correctly comment on the current situation, so part of this commentary will be quotes from a couple of syndicated writers, both minorities, and both with talents that by far surpass my abilities. The Democrats have made Vietnam military service a campaign issue. Creator's writer Thomas Sowell writes and we quote, "Benedict Arnold was a war hero, wounded in battle, before he turned against his country. Hitler was a wounded veteran of World War One. Being a war veteran is not a lifetime 'Get out of jail free' card, exempting you from responsibility for what you do thereafter." End of quote. Times writer Suzanne Fields writes, and we quote, "John Kerry gets the best of all possible worlds. He can put on one halo with the medals he pretended to throw away, the man who went off to war and came back a hero. He can put on another halo as the man who came safely home and told a Senate committee that the soldiers he left behind in Vietnam were rapists, baby killers, and artists of unimaginable atrocities. George Bush, like Dan Quayle before him, is tarred and feathered for having served in the National Guard while Bill Clinton's draft dodging is kept out of sight, out of mind, and off limits." End of quote. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for military service. Hell, I think it should be mandatory, an obligation as an American. But I do agree with these top notch journalists in this instance. War should never be used as a campaign bone of contention, especially when we have our fighting men and women in harms way. But it becomes even more absurd when the war in question occured before most of those in harms way were even born. This is election year 2004, not 64, not 68, and not 1972, as I see it ... I'm H.G. Listiak.