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Boston: The Vietnam Re-education Camp

17 comments on Boston: The Vietnam Re-education Camp

Boston: The Vietnam Re-education Camp

: As a (graying, middle-aged) child of the ’60s, I’m amazed that Vietnam became a key campaign bragging point in Kerry’s acceptance speech.

Vietnam had become such a dirty word to both sides. To the antiwar side, it represented a wrong; to the prowar side, it represented failure; to both, it came to mean shame. And today, in Iraq, Vietnam came to mean quagmire to the antiwar side. The word was as loaded as a bomber headed for Hanoi Harbor.

Yet here was John Kerry — ten-hut! reporting for duty! — masterfully playing every side to his favor: He fought in Vietnam, so he can run an army. He fought against Vietnam, so he can keep us out of a quagmire.

Vietnam, the word, had been rehabilitated before our eyes. There was not a moment’s hesitation, not a decibel’s hush surrounding the word in Boston. Vietnam suddenly became a happy word, something to brag about: Mom, apple pie, and Tet.

I never thought I’d live to see this day. Vietnam, the word, truly divided this nation — nothing like red-state-blue-state hype we endure from talk-show twits these days. Vietnam brought war to the streets around that Democratic convention. Vietnam divided families (almost mine). Vietnam ousted a President.

Clearly, Kerry is counting on Vietnam ousting another President. He hopes the doves (’60s word) will see him as the guy to avoid fighting another Vietnam. He hopes the hawks will see him as the guy to avoid losing another Vietnam.

And so, he surrounds himself with vets and pictures of war and pictures of protest and he salutes and we are all re-educated like ARVN officers let out of camp in Hanoi. Vietnam is now a happy word, an honorable word, a word that means success by avoiding failure. Vietnam is frigging nostalgia. Vietnam is a word meant to unite, not divide.

Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh.

17 responses to “Boston: The Vietnam Re-education Camp”

  1. Farhang Avatar
    Farhang

    John Kerry is a fox, but we don’t get any other choice. Sorry for us :-(

  2. Robert Pointer Avatar
    Robert Pointer

    Which only goes to show that context means everything.
    Vietnam’s impact has been molded to fit the context and the objectives of those conjuring it.
    In this case, Iraq and Kerry’s objectives have given a new context to that conflict that really hasn’t been exploited before.
    rob.

  3. Sissy Willis Avatar
    Sissy Willis

    Faux militarism doesn’t fool real military folk. Take the Marine who says “I’m 100 percent against” him, after bus boy John Kerry interrupted the man’s lunch with buddies at a Wendy’s yesterday:
    “Mom, apple pie and Tet”

  4. vnjagvet Avatar
    vnjagvet

    And let there be no mistake, exploitation is exactly what it is. Cynical, opportunistic exploitation. A pattern established in the 60’s and carried forward in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and now the 00’s. It is breathtaking in its audacity.
    Up to now, he doesn’t have many real accomplishments but those of a successful candidate. He has never led anything in nearly 35 years, and his legislative activity has been primarily directed towards cutting back on intelligence and defense in favor of domestic programs.
    I hope the blogosphere can do something to highlight the sheer vacuity of this transparent ploy. His faux militaristic performance in front of a cheering live audience that was overwhelmingly anti-war is the best evidence that the whole thing was a charade.
    In times like this, we need substantive fearless leadership with continuous wilingness to take decisive,unpredictable effective action against the militant Islamists waging a war they declared with 10 years of attacks culminating in September 11.
    Everything else is BS.

  5. freddie poo Avatar
    freddie poo

    It was all so simple: Kerry served and was a hero; Bush hid! It is all so simple: the GOP keeps saying Kerry unable to stand up to terrorism etc and the Viet Nam thing shows Kerry as tough guy with standup qualities. If you got it, flaunt it. don’t hide it by wearing a “manly” jacket as though you are air force guy.

  6. Chris Josephson Avatar
    Chris Josephson

    “I never thought I’d live to see this day. Vietnam, the word, truly divided this nation — nothing like red-state-blue-state hype we endure from talk-show twits these days. Vietnam brought war to the streets around that Democratic convention. Vietnam divided families (almost mine). Vietnam ousted a President.”
    Indeed we are living in very strange times. I never thought I’d see this day either. I half expected to see Jane Fonda speak at the convention and talk about how wonderful it is to have such a war hero run for president.
    It’s bizarre that Kerry has created a picture of being a war hero and an able leader when he only spent 4 months in Vietnam. (I KNOW about the purple hearts.) He also has HOME MOVIES of himself being the hero.
    I have nothing personal against Kerry. I don’t hate him. He’s been one of my state’s senators for around 20 years. I do have a problem with handing Kerry the White House in the next election.
    Kerry, even to people (like me) from his home state, is invisible. What does he stand for? What are his core values? Say what you want about Kennedy, at least we KNOW his values and what he’s done. Kerry doesn’t register at all.
    Kerry has to bring us back to his Vietnam war days, because he can’t run on his record as US Senator. There isn’t much he’s done as senator for the past 20 years that stands out.

  7. Andy Avatar
    Andy

    Vietnam and anti-War movement are ancient history. Most of population was not even born when Vietnam ended.
    Running on credentials as anti-war protest hero will not win the votes of those who now fill the volunteer ranks, nor their friends.
    The silence on his days as war protestor vs noise on his brief days in Vietnam is striking. His years as Senator also bring forth silence.
    It’s almost as if he forgot why he took the films of his re-enactments and self interviews.
    For some, Vietnam was a photo-op and chance to prove he was a bona-fide hero like the original JFK.
    My biggest frustration is that for 30 years, he let the world think he had thrown away HIS MEDALS.
    Yeah, yeah, they weren’t his medals. Yeah, I know that the Pentagon will send copies suitable for framing. Yeah, I know you can buy em on ebay. But still. He lied by misdirection and silence.

  8. John Avatar
    John

    Vietnam represents nothing if not the tragic consequences which can result from the overt politicization of ongoing military operations.
    Our military learned a terrible lesson from the Vietnam experience: To never again commit our troops to battle without the mandate and means to achieve victory.
    The similarities between Iraq and Vietnam are mostly in the minds of the anti-warites, except of course for their contemptable effort to politicize both conflicts without regard to the long term consequences for all concerned.
    It is ironic to hear the same people who doomed our allies in Southeast Asia to wholesale slaughter talk about cleaning up our image overseas.
    It is even more ironic to hear them talk about their fervent support of our troops on the ground when they have tried without success to orchestrate a wartime leadership purge in the DOD.
    President Bush not only understands the concept of Trust, he lives by it.

  9. syn Avatar
    syn

    How did Kerry manage to earn three purple hearts after serving four months? I thought that being awarded the purple heart meant that one was wounded during battle? How is it possible that Kerry managed to earn three purple hearts, and also recover from his wounds, in four months?
    This does not make any sense?
    From my understanding, if a soldier earns three purple hearts the soldier is awarded honorable discharge.

  10. thedragonflies Avatar
    thedragonflies

    Viet Nam is such a losing issue for Kerry. The post-Viet Nam era ended on 9/11/01. The post-Viet Nam era was noted as a failure or a wrong, as you suggest.
    It also was an era where Viet Nam was an “illegalandimmoralwar”, and the U.S. was a dark force of evil to be distrusted and opposed by people of conscience. Both of these notions still infest the Dems. But they are both narcistic indulgences of the Boomers.
    Today’s war in Iraq is both legal (authorized and funded by Congress) and moral (self defense).
    And America today is noble, good, worth defending, and pursuing virtuous goals (democracy and self empowerment) in Iraq and the Middle East.
    To try to fit Viet Nam onto Iraq and the terrorists is a bad choice by Kerry, I believe.

  11. doug Avatar
    doug

    Its all he’s got. Clinton declared down up and everyone cheered. It’s “Arming America” looking for another Bancroft Prize. I voted for Mcgovern, Carter twice, and Mondale. I’m a Democrat. I don’t know what these people are, but I’m an American. I don’t vote for fake yuppie dowah.

  12. Trump Avatar
    Trump

    and by playing both sides, he loses.

  13. Trump Avatar
    Trump

    It was all so simple: Kerry served and was a hero; Bush hid! It is all so simple: the GOP keeps saying Kerry unable to stand up to terrorism etc and the Viet Nam thing shows Kerry as tough guy with standup qualities. If you got it, flaunt it. don’t hide it by wearing a “manly” jacket as though you are air force guy
    Even for a liberal, this is stupid

  14. Cog Avatar
    Cog

    Can we start a write in campaign for John McCain or none of the above now?
    That or Tony Blair.

  15. A.R.Yngve Avatar
    A.R.Yngve

    There are all sorts of war veterans. Some are proud. Some are bitter. Some are crippled. Some have come to terms with the past. A few end up disturbed.
    But very few of them brag about their experiences like Kerry does. Then again, most veterans are not politicians.
    I suppose future politicians will get ever more desperate to flaunt military credentials (if they have any). And with the ubiquitous camcorders and phone-cameras, whole careers may be launched from the right footage…
    Then again, most combat soldiers are more focused on keeping themselves and their comrades alive, than on looking good on camera. Which is what really counts.
    Does a shiny medal impress me? Only if it matches the person who’s wearing it.
    -A.R.Yngve
    http://yngve.bravehost.com

  16. Jacksback Avatar
    Jacksback

    John Kerry – He was born, served for 3 months in Viet Nam where he collected a bunch of medals, and now he is running for President.
    3 terms in the Senate? Not important. The things he said and did when he came back from Nam? Let’s move on.
    And the Dems keep on pretending this is a serious candidate. Get real.

  17. paul_lukasiak Avatar
    paul_lukasiak

    test
    paul… i gave you a time-out. if you don’t behave like a civil adult, it will be permanent. this is my online home and no one says i need to invite my mugger inside.