Many thanks to Tim Bray for pointing out this blog written by someone who actually served in VietNam and is brave enough now to talk about his own realities. This quote makes the point:
"It's hard to disregard the difficult and evil things we do, so I'm not surprised that so many vets think John Kerry betrayed them by speaking against the war in 1971. But many of them are alive today because of the pressure he exerted on the US Government, at the age of 27, to quit Vietnam, well respected by the kinds of Senators we can barely imagine today."
I'd like to say that the election is partisan. We're waaaay past that. With the announcement by the Sinclair Corporation that it will force its sixty-two affiliates to broadcast commercial free propaganda a week before the election in prime time, it's clear to see that here is a word for the right-wing Republican extremists: Evil..
2 comments:
Hi Len,
It's preaching to the converted, I think, but you might find David Brin's comments of interest (here)
Thanks Anonymous. Brin reflects what I and many whom I respect well. We are essentially conservative, and in today's politics, that is pretty much the middle of the river, not the left bank. We are more concerned about the future of our children than our careers, but willing to shell out a little more if it means health care for the children of neighbors and friends who can't afford it. We are outraged by the extremes of rhetoric and practice, but remember all too well when John Patterson and George Wallace defeated the 'lib'rals' in Alabama and lead us into an era of racist violence.
We're very familiar with the tricks of labeling and distraction, believe what is between two people is personal and mostly off limits. We know that there are far harder problems to solve that require more attention but also that issues such as domestic partnerships cannot be dismissed given the complexities of interstate law and commerce. We'd like nothing better than to quit arguing about this election and go back to arguing about things closer to our hearts such as the Iron Bowl, but we know that American democrary, our way of life, and the future of our children and the children around the world is hanging on this election.
Compassion. Tolerance. Self-restraint. These are universal values and perhaps if we are to argue values, we can find some agreement there. But if we are to argue records and accomplishments, it is all too clear the Bush presidency, for all of its rhetoric about values, has little to show for itself in accomplishments. If they had to fill in the performance evaluations we do for our raise, they'd be marginal performers due for mentoring and counseling with a clear warning that failure to improve would be grounds for dismissal.
Or just walk them to the door with their boxes as too many in my industry have had to do during this administration. It's past time for a change, and I would rather do this at the ballot box than consider the alternatives which even if justified, experience has shown, are unacceptable.
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