Peace Be With You
Dear Mr. Algar:
Your letter in the Walton Reporter is a textbook case of projection. You project onto me the very pathology you’re not willing to see in yourself. You consider me a “mad dog partisan”, but your letter demonstrates that you are also a partisan. Your anger is also apparent. A phrase from the Lord’s Prayer may bring peace into your life. Remember: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us.” It has helped me to become a more gentle person.
I have no objection to being called “mad dog”, because it has a certain macho ring to it. In fact, I’ve been known to foam at the mouth over our daughter-in-laws gourmet cooking. Don’t worry, I’ve had all my rabies shots.
Obviously, you’re a superpatriot. As such, you are always ready to follow our national leader without questions, especially when it involves the use of military force. By making members of our military the issue, attention and blame is shifted away from what is being perpetuated by the current leadership. Superpatriots claim a monopoly on patriotism and seek to defame dissenters for not loving their country.
I stand by everything in my letter and will start by addressing your most serious distortion of reality, which are the remarks about Senator Kerry.
A credible source of information about John Kerry’s service in Vietnam is “Tour of Duty” by Douglas Brinkley; professor of history at the University of New Orleans. John Kerry killed the enemy up close and personal, which very few in Congress have done. Over the course of a life time, few have demonstrated greater compassion for combat veterans than Kerry.
Kerry was assigned to the U.S.S. Gridley, and served in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam. Upon returning to the U.S., Kerry requested service as a Swift boat commander. Swift boats, were heavily armed aluminum patrol boats, carrying a 5 man crew. While patrolling the rivers of the Mekong Delta, they often hit mines and came under rocket, mortar and machine gun fire. Kerry was responsible for transporting Navy Seals on counterinsurgency missions deep into the Viet Cong controlled jungles.
Admiral Elmo Zumwalt calculated sailors on Swift boats had a 75% chance of being killed or wounded while on duty. This explains how Kerry was able to earn a Silver Star, Bronze Star and 3 Purple Hearts.
“Tour of Duty” describes Kerry’s gallantry in combat in detail. The third time Kerry was wounded occurred, when the boat hit a mine and an ambush ensued. Green Beret Lt. Jim Rassmann was blown overboard. Upon realizing Rassmann was missing he ordered the boat to turn around, went to the bow and although wounded, pulled Rassmann aboard.
In 2003, Lt. Rassmann a Republican told a national TV audience at an Iowa caucus rally: “John came to the front under fire and pulled me over. Kerry could have been shot and killed at anytime, I figure I owe this man my life.” Lt. Rassmann recommended Kerry for the Bronze Star.
Furthermore, historian Brinkley goes on to describe Kerry’s involvement with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. In 1970, Kerry gained a prominent roll in V.V.A.W. with a speech. Angered by the “atrocious conditions of V.A. hospitals,” Kerry said: “We are here to say that it is not patriotism to ask Americans to die for a mistake or that it is not patriotic to allow a president to talk about not being the first president to lose a war, using us as pawns in that game.” In April 1971, Kerry organized a week long antiwar demonstration in which no acts of violence were committed. In November, Kerry resigned from the V.V.A.W. because it had grown too radical. Former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey said: “People noted that I was a Medal of Honor winner. But there should have been medal winners for organizers of peaceful protests.”
In April of 1971 Senator Hatfield stated: “The moral sensitivity of the Nation has been aroused by the conviction of Lt. Wm. Calley. Several of the allegations made in testimony (at the Winter Soldiers Investigation) would place the United States in violation of the Geneva Convention. The testimony and allegations raised by the experiences of these veterans includes charges regarding the torture and murder of suspects and prisoners of war captured by Americans and South Vietnamese forces; the wanton killing of innocent, unarmed civilians; the brutalization and rape of women in the villages. I ask unanimous consent that the testimony presented by over 100 honorably discharged veterans in Detroit be placed in the Congressional Record.”
Later that month; at Senator Fulbright request Kerry testify before the Senate, as a member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Kerry testified: “These are not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day to day basis with full awareness of officers at all levels of command. It is impossible to describe to you exactly what did happen in Detroit or the emotions in the room and the feelings of the men, who were reliving their experiences in Vietnam. They relived the absolute horror of what this country, in a sense, made them do...We wish that a merciful God could wipe away our memories of that service; as easily as this administration has wiped away their memories of us.”
Two years ago, Kerry made certain that the widows of soldiers aren’t kicked off of our military bases within a matter of months. He has worked to get additional money for mental health care for soldiers who are coming back with post traumatic stress syndrome.
Senator Kerry believes that any soldier, who desires to serve his country by putting on the uniform and doing what the commander-in-chief asks of them is a patriot and that their sacrifice is best honored by giving them the kind of policy that is successful.
Mr. Algar, you should consider writing another letter in order to clarify, if you are a recipient of the Purple Heart. Your statement: “Kerry shall never be my brother for he has dishonored himself and those who would be his brothers,” which was followed by Shakespeare’s quote: “But we... shall be remembered; we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.” It isn’t clear if the: “with me shall be my brother” refers to yourself.
I’ll assume that you are a recipient of the Purple Heart and not trying to mislead the readers. Does your criteria also disqualify Kerry’s ardent supporter and friend, former Senator Max Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam from your band of brothers?
You have claimed: “O’Leary has dishonored them by his thesis. Shame!” Mr. Algar, I again urge you to write a letter to clarify exactly what the thesis is, which I’m expected to be ashamed of. Perhaps, anger caused you to ramble on about a demographer’s reputation and his findings that rural youth join the service at higher rates than those from metropolitan areas. Are you upset by the term “economic conscription?”
My comments don’t diminished the service of the members of the Fighting 69th Infantry or the 70 Americans from Long Island and New York City that were among the 4,000 American’s that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.
You dismiss my assertion that clergy in Delaware County encouraged their congregation not to vote for John Kerry, by stating: “I know of no clergyman who would so preach from his pulpit the above.” Do you know all the clergymen in this county?
In fact, a letter in the Delaware County Times shortly after the 2004 election stated: “I found that even the Catholic church would stoop to use the pulpit for politics and warn you that you are a sinners if you vote for a candidate who will uphold the law (pro-choice) and not force his religious believes on those that don’t have the same beliefs.” That writer stood up in church and declared “this is not right.” Others have verified the incident and at least one family started attending another church. The priest has been transferred out of the county.
Armageddon the “Left Behind” volume, which came out after 9/11 became the best selling novel of the year. At the time of the invasion of Iraq, it was very popular among our troops. Many critics of the series see a connection between its apocalyptic scenario and Bush’s apocalyptic rhetoric and Mideast policies.
You state: “As far as President Bush having lied about Hussein having weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda, only history will confirm or deny this as time passes.” I’m reminded of Simone Weil’s definition: “Official history consists in believing murderers at their word”
Those that joined the military after 9/11, were cynically duped by Bush into believing that they were going to fight the perpetrators of 9/11. It has been ascertained that al Qaeda was responsible for 9/11, and fifteen of the nineteen perpetrator were Saudi Arabian Sunni Muslims. None were Shiites from Iraq or Iran.
There were no weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein had no ties to al-Qaeda. The invasion of Iraq was an avarice, calculated, imperialistic plan to gain control of the world’s second largest oil reserve. Instead of making Americans safer, our occupation is creating more terrorist every day.
Bush commandeered our military, who are being used as economic cannon fodder by the military industrial complex to ensure outrageous profits for multinational oil corporations.
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill confirmed that ten days after Bush’s inauguration, the focus at the first National Security Council meeting was war with Iraq.
In “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?”, former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca, who voted for Bush in 2000, wrote : “Oil is behind the war in Iraq. Oil is the reason we give fundamentalists, terrorists breeding theocracy in Saudi Arabia a pass. Almost every important Bush administration official has a connection to the oil industry.”
Alan Greenspan, who served as chairman of the Federal Reserve for almost two decades wrote: “I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.”
Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold said: “My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions or bury the results.”
Bush dishonored the service of our troops, not “mad dog” O’Leary. Let me close by reminding you of a quote by Samuel Johnson: “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
Comments: "You gave Mr. Algra all the facts, about Vietnam and about John Kerry - these people are so thick - it is scary when you think of it. How they can still say what they say in light of what has happened in the last 6 years especially. Take care. Mary"
Your letter in the Walton Reporter is a textbook case of projection. You project onto me the very pathology you’re not willing to see in yourself. You consider me a “mad dog partisan”, but your letter demonstrates that you are also a partisan. Your anger is also apparent. A phrase from the Lord’s Prayer may bring peace into your life. Remember: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us.” It has helped me to become a more gentle person.
I have no objection to being called “mad dog”, because it has a certain macho ring to it. In fact, I’ve been known to foam at the mouth over our daughter-in-laws gourmet cooking. Don’t worry, I’ve had all my rabies shots.
Obviously, you’re a superpatriot. As such, you are always ready to follow our national leader without questions, especially when it involves the use of military force. By making members of our military the issue, attention and blame is shifted away from what is being perpetuated by the current leadership. Superpatriots claim a monopoly on patriotism and seek to defame dissenters for not loving their country.
I stand by everything in my letter and will start by addressing your most serious distortion of reality, which are the remarks about Senator Kerry.
A credible source of information about John Kerry’s service in Vietnam is “Tour of Duty” by Douglas Brinkley; professor of history at the University of New Orleans. John Kerry killed the enemy up close and personal, which very few in Congress have done. Over the course of a life time, few have demonstrated greater compassion for combat veterans than Kerry.
Kerry was assigned to the U.S.S. Gridley, and served in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of North Vietnam. Upon returning to the U.S., Kerry requested service as a Swift boat commander. Swift boats, were heavily armed aluminum patrol boats, carrying a 5 man crew. While patrolling the rivers of the Mekong Delta, they often hit mines and came under rocket, mortar and machine gun fire. Kerry was responsible for transporting Navy Seals on counterinsurgency missions deep into the Viet Cong controlled jungles.
Admiral Elmo Zumwalt calculated sailors on Swift boats had a 75% chance of being killed or wounded while on duty. This explains how Kerry was able to earn a Silver Star, Bronze Star and 3 Purple Hearts.
“Tour of Duty” describes Kerry’s gallantry in combat in detail. The third time Kerry was wounded occurred, when the boat hit a mine and an ambush ensued. Green Beret Lt. Jim Rassmann was blown overboard. Upon realizing Rassmann was missing he ordered the boat to turn around, went to the bow and although wounded, pulled Rassmann aboard.
In 2003, Lt. Rassmann a Republican told a national TV audience at an Iowa caucus rally: “John came to the front under fire and pulled me over. Kerry could have been shot and killed at anytime, I figure I owe this man my life.” Lt. Rassmann recommended Kerry for the Bronze Star.
Furthermore, historian Brinkley goes on to describe Kerry’s involvement with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. In 1970, Kerry gained a prominent roll in V.V.A.W. with a speech. Angered by the “atrocious conditions of V.A. hospitals,” Kerry said: “We are here to say that it is not patriotism to ask Americans to die for a mistake or that it is not patriotic to allow a president to talk about not being the first president to lose a war, using us as pawns in that game.” In April 1971, Kerry organized a week long antiwar demonstration in which no acts of violence were committed. In November, Kerry resigned from the V.V.A.W. because it had grown too radical. Former Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey said: “People noted that I was a Medal of Honor winner. But there should have been medal winners for organizers of peaceful protests.”
In April of 1971 Senator Hatfield stated: “The moral sensitivity of the Nation has been aroused by the conviction of Lt. Wm. Calley. Several of the allegations made in testimony (at the Winter Soldiers Investigation) would place the United States in violation of the Geneva Convention. The testimony and allegations raised by the experiences of these veterans includes charges regarding the torture and murder of suspects and prisoners of war captured by Americans and South Vietnamese forces; the wanton killing of innocent, unarmed civilians; the brutalization and rape of women in the villages. I ask unanimous consent that the testimony presented by over 100 honorably discharged veterans in Detroit be placed in the Congressional Record.”
Later that month; at Senator Fulbright request Kerry testify before the Senate, as a member of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Kerry testified: “These are not isolated incidents but crimes committed on a day to day basis with full awareness of officers at all levels of command. It is impossible to describe to you exactly what did happen in Detroit or the emotions in the room and the feelings of the men, who were reliving their experiences in Vietnam. They relived the absolute horror of what this country, in a sense, made them do...We wish that a merciful God could wipe away our memories of that service; as easily as this administration has wiped away their memories of us.”
Two years ago, Kerry made certain that the widows of soldiers aren’t kicked off of our military bases within a matter of months. He has worked to get additional money for mental health care for soldiers who are coming back with post traumatic stress syndrome.
Senator Kerry believes that any soldier, who desires to serve his country by putting on the uniform and doing what the commander-in-chief asks of them is a patriot and that their sacrifice is best honored by giving them the kind of policy that is successful.
Mr. Algar, you should consider writing another letter in order to clarify, if you are a recipient of the Purple Heart. Your statement: “Kerry shall never be my brother for he has dishonored himself and those who would be his brothers,” which was followed by Shakespeare’s quote: “But we... shall be remembered; we few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother.” It isn’t clear if the: “with me shall be my brother” refers to yourself.
I’ll assume that you are a recipient of the Purple Heart and not trying to mislead the readers. Does your criteria also disqualify Kerry’s ardent supporter and friend, former Senator Max Cleland, who lost both legs and an arm in Vietnam from your band of brothers?
You have claimed: “O’Leary has dishonored them by his thesis. Shame!” Mr. Algar, I again urge you to write a letter to clarify exactly what the thesis is, which I’m expected to be ashamed of. Perhaps, anger caused you to ramble on about a demographer’s reputation and his findings that rural youth join the service at higher rates than those from metropolitan areas. Are you upset by the term “economic conscription?”
My comments don’t diminished the service of the members of the Fighting 69th Infantry or the 70 Americans from Long Island and New York City that were among the 4,000 American’s that have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.
You dismiss my assertion that clergy in Delaware County encouraged their congregation not to vote for John Kerry, by stating: “I know of no clergyman who would so preach from his pulpit the above.” Do you know all the clergymen in this county?
In fact, a letter in the Delaware County Times shortly after the 2004 election stated: “I found that even the Catholic church would stoop to use the pulpit for politics and warn you that you are a sinners if you vote for a candidate who will uphold the law (pro-choice) and not force his religious believes on those that don’t have the same beliefs.” That writer stood up in church and declared “this is not right.” Others have verified the incident and at least one family started attending another church. The priest has been transferred out of the county.
Armageddon the “Left Behind” volume, which came out after 9/11 became the best selling novel of the year. At the time of the invasion of Iraq, it was very popular among our troops. Many critics of the series see a connection between its apocalyptic scenario and Bush’s apocalyptic rhetoric and Mideast policies.
You state: “As far as President Bush having lied about Hussein having weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda, only history will confirm or deny this as time passes.” I’m reminded of Simone Weil’s definition: “Official history consists in believing murderers at their word”
Those that joined the military after 9/11, were cynically duped by Bush into believing that they were going to fight the perpetrators of 9/11. It has been ascertained that al Qaeda was responsible for 9/11, and fifteen of the nineteen perpetrator were Saudi Arabian Sunni Muslims. None were Shiites from Iraq or Iran.
There were no weapons of mass destruction and Saddam Hussein had no ties to al-Qaeda. The invasion of Iraq was an avarice, calculated, imperialistic plan to gain control of the world’s second largest oil reserve. Instead of making Americans safer, our occupation is creating more terrorist every day.
Bush commandeered our military, who are being used as economic cannon fodder by the military industrial complex to ensure outrageous profits for multinational oil corporations.
Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill confirmed that ten days after Bush’s inauguration, the focus at the first National Security Council meeting was war with Iraq.
In “Where Have All the Leaders Gone?”, former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca, who voted for Bush in 2000, wrote : “Oil is behind the war in Iraq. Oil is the reason we give fundamentalists, terrorists breeding theocracy in Saudi Arabia a pass. Almost every important Bush administration official has a connection to the oil industry.”
Alan Greenspan, who served as chairman of the Federal Reserve for almost two decades wrote: “I am saddened that it is politically inconvenient to acknowledge what everyone knows: the Iraq war is largely about oil.”
Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Gregory Newbold said: “My sincere view is that the commitment of our forces to this fight was done with a casualness and swagger that are the special province of those who have never had to execute these missions or bury the results.”
Bush dishonored the service of our troops, not “mad dog” O’Leary. Let me close by reminding you of a quote by Samuel Johnson: “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.”
Comments: "You gave Mr. Algra all the facts, about Vietnam and about John Kerry - these people are so thick - it is scary when you think of it. How they can still say what they say in light of what has happened in the last 6 years especially. Take care. Mary"
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