Re: John Kerry showing his support for vets...
You will note that I never said anything against either Clinton's lack of service, Cheney's deferments and lack of service, or Bush's connections to get a cushy National guard spot in the Viet Nam era. Nor did I care particularly whether Bush showed up for duty or not. Or place any sort of value judgement on Kerry's service in combat, and his subsequent protests of the war in Viet Nam.<br /><br />All of the above, by all of the participants, presumably were done in accordance with the laws of the US. I have no problem with that. With any of them.<br /><br />What I have a problem with is attacking the character, motives, patriotism or whatever of an individual that did choose to serve in combat. Coming from those that never did serve, and in fact opted out of, combat. And yes, I include myself in this group. I would never criticise any who chose to serve and fulfilled their duties honorably.<br /><br />I may criticise the leaders, the goals, or the policies that got us into conflict, depending on the circumstances, but never an honorably serving soldier.<br /><br />And no, I do not think the "left" has any sort of lock on truthfulness, or policy. there are lots of policy positions by Kerry that I do not agree with--no question about it.<br /><br />What I object to in today's conservative movement, however, is the apparent idealogical nature of it. The problem with this seems to be that the answers are known long before the questions are posed.<br /><br />I prefer a more pragmatic approach where a situation is analyzed prior to a solution being implemented.<br /><br />And I do applaud the administration's recent effort to do what Kerry and many on the left have long suggested by attempting to involve the UN, and putting a more international face to the problems we face in Iraq--they have done this quietly, of course, but it is a start. Hopefully it is not too little too late.<br /><br />However, all the rhetoric, and the personal attacks, remain precisely the same from the right, even when the evidence suggests that even they don't believe it.<br /><br />It begins to shake a person's faith in democracy, and the ability to enter into any sort of an honest debate on the serious issues that face this country. <br /><br />And many of the posts on this thread aptly illustrate my concern.
