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| Purple Heart Bandages.... |
| 2004-08-31 |
| You can't make this up.... I dont think this was intended to mock Kerry's service -- just his insistance on reciving a purple heart for a minor superficial wound. A GOP delegate handed out bandages with purple hearts on them Monday night at the Republican National Convention in a swipe at Democratic nominee John Kerry's war record, but national GOP officials have asked him to stop. The bandages were handed out by Morton Blackwell, a longtime GOP activist from Virginia, with the message: "It was just a self-inflicted scratch, but you see I got a Purple Heart for it." "It is inexcusable for a delegate to mock anyone who has ever put on a soldier's uniform," |
| Posted by:CrazyFool |
| #13 Hmm, 'jen,' that "served by his side" is a little problematic, I fear. How many of those 254 actually saw him while they were both in the field? The ones who actually did serve by his side seem to take his side in this brouhaha. Take a look at what William Rood, the ChiTrib editor who was one of the two other skippers serving with Kerry when he got the Silver Star, has to say about that particular issue. Then look at what the widow of the other skipper, Donald Droz, recalls that her husband (KIA six months after the Silver Star was given) told her while he was on leave in Pearl. They both thought highly of Kerry. Then look at Kerry's actual dates of service. It isn't just a 4-month stint, as you say. He enlisted in Feb. 1966, reported for OCS in Aug. 1966, reported to the USS Gridley the next summer and was deployed to the Gulf of Tonkin and other coastal areas of Vietnam in Feb. 1968. While there he requested a transfer to the Swift Boats, and got his command in November of 1968. Add up all the days that Bush had duty in the National Guard (I'll even give you those days when he was supposed to be attached to the Air Guard in Alabama), and Kerry still put on the uniform more often tha Bush did. One more thing, please go to www.purpleheart.org and look up the requirements for granting a purple heart, like I suggested. You'll find that every one of Kerry's wounds qualified, even if we assume that one of them was the result of some misfire of his own weapon (self-inflicted wounds DO qualify when in the heat of battle) For my own part, I'll go look up Kerry's testimony before Congress to see if he did indeed portray ALL of our soldiers as war criminals. If he did, he was wrong and I'll be glad to concede that point. There are plenty of reasons to oppose Kerry on Nov. 2. His service to our country in Vietnam isn't one of them. |
| Posted by: newsking 2004-09-05 12:37:00 AM |
| #12 Uh, news"king", according to 254 of Kerry's "band of brothers" who served by his side in Vietnam, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Kerry did not get injured from enemy fire in combat but rather suffered scratches from the misuse of his own weapon then wrote himself up for the Purple Hearts. Not exactly "bleeding for one's country." The Swift Veterans aren't connected with the GOP Bush campaign, they just stake their own reputations and good name on the fact that Kerry lied about his 4 months of service in Vietnam, that he got his medals fraudulently (including the Silver Star with a "V" which is NEVER given) and they strongly object to his portrayal of all of our soldiers as "war criminals" when he presented SWORN testimony to Congress in 1971. BTW, President Bush's 6 years' of service to the National Guard beats out Kerry's 4-month stint in Vietnam by a long shot. Both Bush and Kerry served their country. And there's plenty of evidence that Kerry held secret meetings with the North Vietnamese in Paris while he was still a commissioned officer of the U.S. Navy. |
| Posted by: GreatestJeneration 2004-09-04 2:46:05 AM |
| #11 Take a look at the requirements for receiving a purples heart. You can find them at www.purpleheart.org. It refers to the laws regarding this award and explains, in quite simple terms, just what sorts of wounds qualify for the honor, and every one of Kerry's injuries qualifies. So don't tell me that you're not insulting everyone who ever won a purple heart by wearing these GOP Band-Aids. John Kerry bled for our country, which is more than you can say for Bush, Cheney or any number of other members of the current administration. I like the old saw about how there are three varieties of falsehoods: lies, damned lies and statistics. That needs to be amended. There are lies, damned lies, statistics and, the worst of all, Republican lies. |
| Posted by: newsking 2004-09-04 2:18:57 AM |
| #10 TU, kind of eliminates the premise of Hogan's Heros. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-09-01 3:28:10 AM |
| #9 "It is inexcusable for a delegate to mock anyone who has ever put on a soldier’s uniform," said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe ...unless, of course, he was a Republican in the National Guard. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-08-31 8:16:28 PM |
| #8 'Member how sKerry's people were talking about the 'shrapnel he carries in his leg'? Anyone RBer have any idea what they refer too? Is it non-metallic (i.e. a rice kernel)? |
| Posted by: Brett_the_Quarkian 2004-08-31 4:26:18 PM |
| #7 I guess a little faux pas at the convention is to be expected. Does everybody know that at the 2000 Democratic Natyional Convention in NYC a group of delegates honored our country by spitting on Old Glory and the color guard from the New York State police? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-08-31 4:09:02 PM |
| #6 It's the classic slow death of a thousand little cuts. With a Band-Aid and a dab of Neosporin for each one. |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-08-31 1:53:42 PM |
| #5 It's the classic slow death of a thousand little cuts. |
| Posted by: Steve 2004-08-31 1:38:28 PM |
| #4 Still bears rice stuck in his behind from firing a grenade launcher at a rice patty too close to the shore. |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-08-31 1:36:45 PM |
| #3 June: "Bring it on!" August: "Ouch! Ouch! Stop that!" |
| Posted by: Matt 2004-08-31 1:31:23 PM |
| #2 Let’s see here. Kerry mocks the Medal by asking for one (or three) that should not be awarded. Delegates Mock Kerry for his Band Aid quality wounds with Purple Heart Band Aids. So who is mocking whom? The DNC needs a thicker skin if they are going to make it over the next two months. As a Vet I am insulted by all the mock patriotism and caring for veterans on the part of the DNC. Reminds me of a liberal co-worker telling me how I should act during lent because I am Catholic. The band aids are mocking of Kerry and NOBODY else, to suggest otherwise is disingenuous. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2004-08-31 1:27:52 PM |
| #1 Ya let's see McAuliffe what did you do in the war? |
| Posted by: Bill Nelson 2004-08-31 1:10:31 PM |