The Wessler Family's Bronze Star

[ConservativeDemocrat]

The political climate of today reminds me of lessons learned in 1969. I turned 13 that year.

We had an "America, love it or leave it" sign on our fireplace. In our judgment, the antiwar protests were unpatriotic. Those demonstrating against the war should never have blamed or showed disrespect for our troops. "Support the president" was our stand. It's so similar to conservative or right-wing attitudes today.

In March 1969, the Marines knocked on our door. They had a Bronze Star and all of my brother Dan's remains they could recover. "Where would you like them sent?"

Years later, we learned the Vietnam War was all based on lies, theories and bad intelligence. More than 58,000 died (that's just the Americans), and there was nothing to be lost or gained by the conflict. That's learning the hard way that maybe America can be wrong.


Link to article (trivial Zip-code/Age/Sex registration required)

[struggle4progress]

1. kick

:cry: :kick:

[Jim__]

2. Sorry to hear about your brother.

For some reason, it reminded me of (I think) Dalton Trumbo's Johnny Got His Gun - it's been a long time since I thought about it - but I think that's the author and book. It's about a soldier who gets his face blown off in WWI. He's alive and in a hospital and he's struggling to tell his attendants what he learned about war. But, he has no way to communicate. Finally, he thinks of Morse Code and he starts tapping out his anti-war message with his head. The doctors response to his message is to start injecting him with morphine.

War is (almost) always for the greater glory of our leaders and for the slaughter of ordinary people.

(On edit - I guess it wasn't your brother - I didn't see the link to the article 'til after I posted)

Unfortunately, the author of the article doesn't seem to have learned too much. He says:

Unlike 1969 war opponents, those opposed to this war have every respect for our troops and feel their pain and that of their families.

I protested the war in 1969; and I didn't know anyone back then who didn't respect our troops, feel their pain and that of their families. Old myths die hard.