Urban legend?

[jlujan69]

http://www.slate.com/id/2158608/

While the article basically calls it this, several Vietnam vets I forwarded this to, disputed it, though they didn't claim it was necessarily a common event. So, does this belong in the category of urban legend?

 

[JoshuaW]

The article claims it is a myth that returning Vietnam veterans were spat upon in airports.

I believe the article is true. As a student of draft age during Vietnam, I was in the middle of the anti-war movement. While we had contempt for Johnson, Nixon and the other proponents of the war, we had only respect and concern for the troops. We never would disrespect them.

It is the same today, who would speak against the brave soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan? They have been placed in danger by contemptible fools who do not respect their service and sacrifice.

 

[MachZer0]

The article claims it is a myth that returning Vietnam veterans were spat upon in airports.

I believe the article is true. As a student of draft age during Vietnam, I was in the middle of the anti-war movement. While we had contempt for Johnson, Nixon and the other proponents of the war, we had only respect and concern for the troops. We never would disrespect them.

It is the same today, who would speak against the brave soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan? They have been placed in danger by contemptible fools who do not respect their service and sacrifice.

You need only look to John Kerry's testimony regarding Viet Nam vets and Jane Fonda's radio broadcasts to men serving in Viet Nam to determine how much respect the anti-war crowd had for the servicemen during the war.

 

[ElvisFan42]

I don't think it's urban legend, it's just been made to be more widespread than reality.

 

[ElvisFan42]

You need only look to John Kerry's testimony regarding Viet Nam vets and Jane Fonda's radio broadcasts to men serving in Viet Nam to determine how much respect the anti-war crowd had for the servicemen during the war.

My point proven. Kerry's statements taken out of context and Fonda's statements somehow represent the anti-war crowd.

 

[MachZer0]

My point proven. Kerry's statements taken out of context

Hardly

and Fonda's statements somehow represent the anti-war crowd.

They led the anti-war movement so they do indeed represent the anti-war crowd

 

[JoshuaW]

You need only look to John Kerry's testimony regarding Viet Nam vets and Jane Fonda's radio broadcasts to men serving in Viet Nam to determine how much respect the anti-war crowd had for the servicemen during the war.

Please list a quote of John Kerry's that you feel demonstrates a lack of respect for Vietnam soldiers.

 

[xMinionX]

Interesting.

I think it would be unfair to call it a common occurrence, but I suspect it did happen from time to time. The fact that terms like 'baby killer' even exist is a testament to the ill feelings the more radical anti-war protestors expressed, and I don't think it's a big leap from terms such as that to spitting.

But was it a constant thing? I doubt it. Like the author said, we'd have more than rumors to go on.

 

[Bun-Bun]

You need only look to John Kerry's testimony regarding Viet Nam vets and Jane Fonda's radio broadcasts to men serving in Viet Nam to determine how much respect the anti-war crowd had for the servicemen during the war.

God bless Jane Fonda.

 

[MachZer0]

Please list a quote of John Kerry's that you feel demonstrates a lack of respect for Vietnam soldiers.

The Winter Soldier Testimony

I would like to talk, representing all those veterans, and say that several months ago in Detroit, we had an investigation at which over 150 honorably discharged and many very highly decorated veterans testified to war crimes committed in Southeast Asia, not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command....
They told the stories at times they had personally raped, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals and turned up the power, cut off limbs, blown up bodies, randomly shot at civilians, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan, shot cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks, and generally ravaged the countryside of South Vietnam in addition to the normal ravage of war, and the normal and very particular ravaging which is done by the applied bombing power of this country.

 

[Billnew]

Would it be fair to say the anti-war crowd of today loves the troops and would respect a wounded soldier
from Iraq?

Jason Sparling, a soldier that lost his foot in Iraq,
went to an Anti-war rally, and he was spit on for voicing his opinion of the Iraq war. (only link was a video, and I can't do videos on my computer.)
So I don't doubt that some Vietnam Vet's were spit on for their service in Vietnam.
Widespread? Maybe not.
Did it happen? Probably.

 

[ElvisFan42]

Hardly

They led the anti-war movement so they do indeed represent the anti-war crowd

They were the leaders? Who put them in a position of leadership? Could you please cite who put them in charge of the anti-war movement?

There is a difference between prominence and leadership.

Even if they were the leaders, you may find this hard to believe but not everyone follows thier leadership blindly.

 

[JoshuaW]

The Winter Soldier Testimony

Kerry testified about war crimes committed in Vietnam. How did that testimony disrespect the majority of troops in Vietnam?

Do you disagree that war crimes should be investigated, or do you believe John Kerry should have kept quiet about what he knew?

Do you also disagree with the prosecution of war crimes in Iraq? Does the revealing of these incidents somehow disrespect soldiers in Iraq?

 

[MachZer0]

Kerry testified about war crimes committed in Vietnam. How did that testimony disrespect the majority of troops in Vietnam?

Do you disagree that war crimes should be investigated, or do you believe John Kerry should have kept quiet about what he knew?

Do you also disagree with the prosecution of war crimes in Iraq? Does the revealing of these incidents somehow disrespect soldiers in Iraq?

Let me remind you of exactly what Kerry said, even though I emphasized it earlier

crimes committed on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of officers at all levels of command....

And he didn't know about it, he was merely testifying to rumors as if they were fact.

 

[Billnew]

Kerry testified about war crimes committed in Vietnam. How did that testimony disrespect the majority of troops in Vietnam?

Do you disagree that war crimes should be investigated, or do you believe John Kerry should have kept quiet about what he knew?

Do you also disagree with the prosecution of war crimes in Iraq? Does the revealing of these incidents somehow disrespect soldiers in Iraq?

Mr Kerry's testimony was pure hearsay. He spoke of generalizations and described situations that were told to him.
He accused the military of being butchers, and murders on wide scale, from talking with anonomous people, that may have been soldiers or not.
His whole testimony is disrespectful to the military. Can you point out admisable facts from the testamony?
He names no one to interview, he offers no hard evidence. While atrosities did happen, I believe they were unit specific and limited to general areas, and were
the result of attitudes built up from a war that wasn't thought out. The people speaking to Kerry did the atrocites and didn't want Kerry to think they were alone, so they made it appear as if everyone did it.

 

[ElvisFan42]

Let me remind you of exactly what Kerry said, even though I emphasized it earlier

And he didn't know about it, he was merely testifying to rumors as if they were fact.

You call it rumors, most people call it eye witness testimony. Are you saying that what he said isn't true, that these crimes were not committed on a day to day basis and it was not known through out the ranks? People I know, who were there, agree with the statement. I guess I'm just spreading rumors.

 

[Local]

http://www.slate.com/id/2158608/

While the article basically calls it this, several Vietnam vets I forwarded this to, disputed it, though they didn't claim it was necessarily a common event. So, does this belong in the category of urban legend?

This is reminding me of an Irak veteran, shown on Hannity & Combs, who lost a leg, and was spat by the antiwar demonstrators. It never fails to domonize the other side

 

[JoshuaW]

Mr Kerry's testimony was pure hearsay. He spoke of generalizations and described situations that were told to him.
He accused the military of being butchers, and murders on wide scale, from talking with anonomous people, that may have been soldiers or not.
His whole testimony is disrespectful to the military. Can you point out admisable facts from the testamony?
He names no one to interview, he offers no hard evidence. While atrosities did happen, I believe they were unit specific and limited to general areas, and were
the result of attitudes built up from a war that wasn't thought out. The people speaking to Kerry did the atrocites and didn't want Kerry to think they were alone, so they made it appear as if everyone did it.

It was only hearsay in the literal sense, in that he received interviews conducted by others. Do you deny that atrocities were committed during the Vietnam War or just wish to condemn Kerry for bringing them to the attention of Congress?

 

[xMinionX]

Thread needs its alignment checked.

 

[MachZer0]

You call it rumors, most people call it eye witness testimony. Are you saying that what he said isn't true, that these crimes were not committed on a day to day basis and it was not known through out the ranks? People I know, who were there, agree with the statement. I guess I'm just spreading rumors.

Those of us who were there, eyewitnesses, know that it is not true, so yes, you would be repeating hearsy, spreading rumors if you will.