The swiftboat dudes are at it again in Florida...and their commercial (the one where they, one by one, make points about Kerry not deserving Purple Hearts...etc) makes me wonder: If a bunch of veterans get together and bash a fellow veteran for not really deserving his commendations for whatever reason, doesn't that pretty much throw an ugly shadow over all awards presented by the military/government? How can they suggest that the Purple Heart, et al are awarded in such an under-clarified, namby-pamby method that would allow a man to justify his own awards, without calling into question the validity of the justification for all of them ever awarded?
I expected a truck-load of misinformation from both sides (it is November, after all) but this is just plain crap. I would like to think, that when a veteran dons his medals and participates in a parade, that we aren't teaching our kids that "well, yeah. He may have lots of those, but I bet some of them aren't really deserved". As for what a vet does with his medals after he leaves service, that's his business. Some feel the need to frame them and display them above their side tables, as my grandfather did. Some feel the need to chuck them around in protest (a pretty stupid thing to do if you ask me, but whatever). Still, I think the military, as an establishment on the whole, has a handle on how the things are given. And If they don't? If they just hand these things out like safety-pins? Then they should put a stop to the medals all together.
It should never be suggested that an award was given under false or exagerated circumstances. I believe that the military has a strong sense of the importance of rewarding the sacrifice to service our men and women give to protect us, and it makes me sick to think that, for political gains, these old farts are taking this process into question. I don't give a shit if they don't like the man. I don't give a shit if they think he would be a miserable president. I don't give a shit if You think he would be a miserable president. Nobody should question the decorations of a veteran.
I expected a truck-load of misinformation from both sides (it is November, after all) but this is just plain crap. I would like to think, that when a veteran dons his medals and participates in a parade, that we aren't teaching our kids that "well, yeah. He may have lots of those, but I bet some of them aren't really deserved". As for what a vet does with his medals after he leaves service, that's his business. Some feel the need to frame them and display them above their side tables, as my grandfather did. Some feel the need to chuck them around in protest (a pretty stupid thing to do if you ask me, but whatever). Still, I think the military, as an establishment on the whole, has a handle on how the things are given. And If they don't? If they just hand these things out like safety-pins? Then they should put a stop to the medals all together.
It should never be suggested that an award was given under false or exagerated circumstances. I believe that the military has a strong sense of the importance of rewarding the sacrifice to service our men and women give to protect us, and it makes me sick to think that, for political gains, these old farts are taking this process into question. I don't give a shit if they don't like the man. I don't give a shit if they think he would be a miserable president. I don't give a shit if You think he would be a miserable president. Nobody should question the decorations of a veteran.
