Why the Viet Nam Anti-War Movement's Work Is Not Yet Done

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/why-viet-nam-anti-war-movements-work-not-yet-done



***SNIP

Because I have an eye out for these things, I notice news coverage that touches on the Viet Nam war. For example, earlier this year, Jimmy Lee Dykes, made news because he killed a school bus driver, then kidnapped a five-year old boy on the bus and held him hostage in his survivalist bunker. He was identified as ”a decorated Viet Nam war veteran.”

It is not unusual to see Viet Nam vets associated with these kinds of stories. Even more common are stories about vets of any and all wars struggling with issues of unemployment, homelessness and difficulties with navigating the Veterans Administration bureaucracy.

Last month there were numerous stories about a Viet Nam war anniversary. Which one? Forty years ago, on March 29, 1973 the last US troops left Viet Nam. Many US media outlets featured interviews with some of those veterans.

Missing from the news coverage of the 40th anniversary of the troop return was the basis for them leaving Viet Nam in the first place. The date certain for their homecoming was set by the Paris Peace Accords which were officially signed on January 27, 1973.

[G_j]

1. K&R!

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Outstanding. Must read. They ( TPTB) are trying to convince us that "up" is "down".

And...alas... succeeding.

We can't let it happen.

[4Q2u2]

3. Dykes was not a decorated Vietnam Vet.

He was in the Navy from 65-69 and work in Aviation. Which meant he spent zero days in country, was on an AirCraft Carrier a 1,000 miles away from actual combat. His big awards were Vietnam Service, which you get by being in the general area. A good Conduct which everybody get for not getting bad evaluations or convictions in a 4 year period. Dykes hardest days was when he had to wait in a long line for chow. He is an ass that just happended to serve in the military. The War and the Military did not change him into a crazed killer. He not only never heard a shot fired in anger, he was so far away from it, he probably did not even hear the echo from those shots.


In proper Military parlance, stating the word Decorated denotes a certain level of Distinction with Gallantry and Valor in the face of Combat.

Calling him a decorated Vet is either lazy or ignorant reporting, or worse. Knowing clouding the issue to keep up that BS Hollywood theme of the Crazed Vet come home to kill everybody. All you are doing is playing into the hands of posers and frauds.

[BlueToTheBone]

4. thanks for the post

This is why I love DU, people actually check out what is behind the headlines so we can know more about what is real.