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An Open letter To Viet vet rayallyn - What Does The Future Hold?

posted January 23, 2007 - 11:50am
An Open letter To Viet vet rayallyn - What Does The Future Hold?


Awesome, and vulnerable,
An American Blackhawk helicopter

Rayallyn, a Viet-nam veteran, has written a wonderful, insightful column here at XOMBA, at "Government & Politics".
I suggest you utilize the link which I shall include.
What follows is my response to that fine column

Open letter to rayallyn, at XOMBA click to read full text of the rayallyn article

The Viet-Nam era was a difficult and painful time for America. Dissent became so all pervasive that at some points, the streets ran red with violent confrontation. The Government drew from the past, rather than seeing the wisdom of the future, and struck back in bloody retaliation. The American people during that drawn out war, reached a point where they could no longer stand it, and their frustrations took the form of violent confrontation. The effect on our soldiers, of the Viet-Nam conflict, was heartbreaking. Our young men, husbands, friends, sons, became brutalized and coarsened beyond recognition.

This current war, which we started, in a pre-emptive strike, based on lies, is less just, less in keeping with American ideals, then was the war in Viet-Nam. (even the phrase "pre-emptive strike" is deceptive. It suggests that we fired first, with awareness that an attack on us would be forth-coming. Iraq had no hand in the 9/11 attacks.) The level of brutality is higher in Iraq, torture is a daily fear. The enemy, who some rational thinkers view as the townsman, defending his family and his culture, is everywhere, ubiquitous, and will not fade.

Therefore it seems odd that violence in the streets, against our unresponsive government has yet to begin. History suggests it will.

The current President, and his Vice-president, should be impeached, removed, and imprisoned. Their loyalty is to oil, family business, and emotional needs that don't warrant the deaths of our sons, and daughters. We American citizens may indeed experience a sense of helplessness, as the troop levels are increased, in the face of growing sophistication of Iraqi forces. Our finest Blackhawk helicopters are now rendered unsafe, and have become targets for the Iraqi forces. Our Government compounds have been violated.

W need negotiations, diplomacy, mediations, insightful dialog. We need some strong, wise leadership, and if we wait two more years, it may be too late.

Author: BigBadJohnny
-A +A


Comments

Don't Dismiss the Innocent Sweetness for Her Youth!

MythMan - Wed, 2007-24-1 5:40 pm
Innocent, definitely; sweet, maybe; Young? That's what her profile may say, and what all her identification-cards (online and off-) may say; but her wisdom rings with that older than human-knowledge of God! If I had better presence-of-mind, I would've directly quoted her here and outlined examples of the geniusness to which she's referring! Jude SpeaksI Attract You Write- Yayy!

To MsMadHatter

BigBadJohnny - Wed, 2007-24-1 3:22 pm
MsMadHatter says: "By the way, I think violence should be the last resort, but I think there is a better way than just to outright declare a revolution and start killing people, which don't mistake me BBJ, I know is not what you are saying. There are probably much sneakier and clever ways, even with the use of violence, to solve this problem. That's what humans have an obligation to use their brains for..." Oh, to be young, and innocent, and sweet...

Re: Motivations of leaders

TheWonderer - Wed, 2007-24-1 2:32 pm
We do want leaders who have our best interests in mind, mythman, I agree with you. But I don't think we KNOW the motives of our leaders. We may BELIEVE we know the motives. If the majority of the country knew George Bush's motivations in 2004, why is the majority of the country disagreeing with him now? Why would they have elected somebody they knew they disagree with? http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/thewonderer

http://www.xomba.com/user/thewonderer

The Distinguished Gentleman from...

Ms Mad Hatter - Wed, 2007-24-1 2:27 pm
REPLY TO BBJ's REPLY TO MY COMMENT... I agree with almost everything you have said except... that you misunderstood my words, I don't think the situation is hopeless, the words I used was sarcasm towards the other people who refuse to even take the time out of their busy day to listen to me tell them where to find the truth and how they could make a difference. I was speaking from what must be their perspectives. I ask them to tell others about my warnings and they make some excuses about not having time most of the time, and if they agree, I know that they are just giving me lip service because I follow up later on. Oh, but you have time and energy to sit in a bar and bullshyt about the news in entertainment or sports and not enough for an issue of utmost importance?! I don't even feel like I'm doing enough right now to help, but I need the tools and that's where my need for knowledge of the truth comes in, that needs to be complete before I go telling other people what they could, SHOULD do to help, as accurately and with as much detail as possible. I'm doing what I can with what I've got right now. By the way, I think violence should be the last resort, but I think there is a better way than just to outright declare a revolution and start killing people, which don't mistake me BBJ, I know is not what you are saying. There are probably much sneakier and clever ways, even with the use of violence, to solve this problem. That's what humans have an obligation to use their brains for, to find ingenious ways to solve problems. I may have a certain perspective right now, but I believe in my ability to adapt to new information and my 'principles' won't be so much compromised if I did change my mind, they would be altered by new knowledge. So joining the bloody revolution isn't out of my realm of possibilities, except I might be more resistant to doing any actual killing. Unless innocent people are being killed right in front of me and I can help, then I would react with violence to protect the innocents. Maybe my principles aren't in as proper order as I originally thought. I think what BBJ said in his reply sounds like a great idea, but how and when? Our problem is not hopeless at all, everyone just needs to figure how it should be done and take action!

History DOES Tend to Repeat Itself

Ms Mad Hatter - Wed, 2007-24-1 2:14 pm
REPLY TO COMMENT DIRECTLY ABOVE... I think the point is that we can look at the actions of governments in the past as a way to find the truth to defy the powerful in their attempts to keep us in a state of ignorance. Humans have trouble learning a good and 'righteous' lesson unless someone exposes the lies, even then, if those in power can suppress it, then nothing changes. We should have an obligation to spread the 'words of truth' to everyone possible. Knowledge IS power! We must recognize the problem to end the cycle of greed and deceit. WHO is the problem (i mean that in plural), where, how do we deal with it? Facts in the past do tend to reveal themselves over time. We should definitely consider historical events that could indicate of the direction of the current problem. That's what I think. Just ask some of the soldiers AND civilians that were around during Vietnam or the Gulf War to get some of the insight we need.

Point #3 Shows U.S. Weakness

MythMan - Wed, 2007-24-1 1:03 pm
I can't comment on the Vietnam war-time; I wasn't then, it hasn't arisen in my mind as something that has anything-to-do-with this, and thus I don't care to research it further. But we don't know the motivations of the leaders we chose? If their motivation isn't OUR safety and/or profit, then it must be their own (unless we- 'the Electoral College' elected some suicidal maniacs into power ...) We want leaders who have OUR best interests in mind; not 'their best interests with the intent of letting their profits trickle-down into our profits!' Jude SpeaksI Attract You Write- Yayy!

You're right on target about

TheWonderer - Wed, 2007-24-1 12:37 pm
You're right on target about not taking things for granted; too many people push big issues like this off to concentrate instead on American Idol or other less-than-critical crap. The simple act of debating this issue helps give it the attention it needs and deserves. http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/thewonderer

http://www.xomba.com/user/thewonderer

I am uneasy when I see

TheWonderer - Wed, 2007-24-1 12:25 pm
I am uneasy when I see comparisons drawn between this war in Iraq and Vietnam. At the risk of sounding like I think one war is "better" than the other, I do feel compelled to make some points and ask questions, Johnny. Vietnam did tear this society arpart, by comparison, far more than Iraq at present. 1. Iraq may turn out to be the wrong war at the wrong time but if it's premptive, wasn't Vietnam?. It was essentially a civil war between a communist north and a non-communist south, when we switched from an advisor to participant role after a trumped-up Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. History will eventually clarify (I hope) what the government knew or didn't know about WMDs and other matters at the run-up to Iraq. 2. I presume the level of brutality you refer to is the American level of brutality. If that's correct, what is the basis for that statement? Allowing that torture takes place, is it more brutal than the napalming of towns and villages, indiscriminately incinerating anybody in range? 3. Even if you violently disagree with this administration's conduct of the war, how do you know it is based on "loyalty to oil, family business and emotional needs" that don't warrant the deaths of our sons and daughters. I question more each day the justification for the deaths of our sons and daughters, but that is based on the outcomes that are reported each day to us. I don't know George Bush's or Dick Cheney's emotional needs. 4. It doesn't diminish the sacrifices of the 3,000 plus service people who have died in Iraq to state that those numbers are nowhere near the 55,000 who died in Vietnam. Each death is a tragedy, but one war has produced 3,000 of those tragedies so far compared to 55,000 in the other. Answering these concerns one way or another does not make one war less justified and therefore, the other more justified. Every war creates horror. I think this war needs to be judged for its relevance in the larger war on terror. Comparing it to Vietnam allows a few valid points, but can also create false comparisons. If it compares favorably to Vietnam, why would that make it the right war for this time? If it compares unfavorably in some respect, does that make it wrong? It should be judged as either helping or hurting our national interest in the war on terrorism. Care should be made before drawing analogies with Vietnam. http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/thewonderer

http://www.xomba.com/user/thewonderer

The Young Lady from

BigBadJohnny - Wed, 2007-24-1 11:37 am
The Young Lady from Washington seems to feel the whole thing is hopeless. Little people won't make a difference, big people don't wish to be involved. If we allow the governent to ignore the laws, and the will of the people (which people obviously must make clear), the little people may loose the potential to BECOME big people. We shouldn't take the free country, The United States of America, for granted. history recounts a long long time of people enslaved by cruel, corrupt, or uncaring governments. Suffering by the masses, unparelleled wealth and power for a tiny few. We all oppose violence but as every school-boy knows, sometimes a man has to fight for his rights. If we don't communicate, and demonstrate today, tomorrow we may have to take arms against an unbeatable foe. All this can be avoided. We need a REAL dedication to ethics in government, in the spirit of the founding fathers, and we need some wise unfettered leadership, with skills at diplomacy, and communicating with whatever people we have to negotiate with.

Clarification About My Question

Ms Mad Hatter - Wed, 2007-24-1 11:31 am
When I asked the question in the subject line, that wasn't meant for you BBJ, since you stated your thoughts already, that was meant for anyone who has an objection. The ones who support violence and its perpetuation as a tool for their goals.

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