While he’s being quite bellicose and seems to be playing into some fairly negative stereotypes I’m not sure why you’re accusing him of lying.
Because it’s an urban legend:
I imagine it might have happened a small number of times that someone was stupid enough to spit on someone who just got back from killing Vietnamese, but the chances of his uncle being one of the few exceptions to the exaggerated urban legend is vanishingly small, especially since he is speaking more in slogans and stereotypes (can’t get more specific about who exactly, he is defending us from by being in Iraq for example).
Just like in the article explaining the myth, his uncle “put up with it” instead of the expected reaction from someone coming home from a warzone, punching their lights out. (the latter would probably be my reaction and I’ve never even been in a gunbattle.)
I am a Canadian soldier, and I believe in what we are trying to do in Afghanistan. I joined about five years ago and am proud to wear the uniform. I think it carries a responsibility, and I do my best to live up to it.
I am also somewhat humbled when someone says, “Thank you”. I am honored to do my job.
Sounds corny, I know, but it’s true. Does that mean I think I am elevated above anyone else? No. I think we should all try to make things better, this is how I choose to try to do that…apparently some of you chose instead to make nasty comments on a message board.
A reasonable view, of course. Except that you really have no idea what any of us have done. Some have made comments you disagree with, sure. But “instead” of acting to make the world a better place? That claim seems…presumptuous. It’s not an either-or proposition.
I have absolutely no idea what anyone in this thread has done to make things better. Have you?
Okay, so what have you done to make things better? I ask that quite sincerely, as a person who fervently believes in your right to question and protest the status quo. Generations have fought to afford you that right.
I personally haven’t done that much. I’m lucky, and I freely acknowledge that. But I also give credit to my family members and many random strangers who have worn the various uniforms, and risked life and limb to keep me physically and politically safe.
I don’t know about Paul, I can only answer for myself. I feel I’ve made things better by not joining the army, not going to Iraq, and not killing people. The world would be a bit worse if I had done those things.
Every Vietnam vet I meet I say “welcome home,” on a premise it’s possible no-one has said that. I believe the last I read at snopes that pissing on nam vets was an urban legend, but not spitting. I’ve heard some recount personal experience about spitting when they came home, and so I’m inclined to believe they were spat upon. So far out of 150-200 I’ve said this to, 4 have confessed it was the first time someone had said that. Welcome Home. try it.
I’m a led-zeppelin listenin flower totin’ long haired hippy wanting to legalize cannabis, and I have to admit I’d likely be a Vietnam protestor if you put me in a time machine. But the idea of mistreating draftees who did the best they could in a horribly bad premise just makes me weep.
I’d have gone and done my “duty” like most draftees, and I surely wouldn’t be a different man than I am otherwise to the point I’d spit upon myself if I had a strange misfortune in the time machine and found myself in both situations at once.
I knew that part of what I said was going to cause a ripples, but I left it in because I think people should think about it. You say you have done good by not joining the military and therefore not gone to Iraq, but I guess what I would ask you is that if you disagree so much, have you done anything about it? I mean, other than calling out a medic and other soldiers on a message board?
You say you can only respect someone that wears the uniform and agrees with everything they are ordered to do, I will reply and say I can only respect a protestor that actually stands by their belief and has tried to create change.
I ask you if you have?
I don’t know what I have done to make things better, and in truth, I think most military people today, if they are honest with themselves, would have to say the same.
But in the grand scheme of things, I don’t know that I can give a better answer than Peter Morris. I have opposed war and refused to participate in it. I’ve tried to do the best I can for those around me. Every single person who refuses to fight in a war makes the world a slightly better place.
I’m not sure that I understand the question. I mean yes, I believe I’ve done the right thing by not joining the British military and not fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, but I don’t expect anyone to give me credit for that, or thank me - it’s not that sort of decision.
And I’m not a “protestor”. What gave you the idea that I am? What are you actually asking me?
He served then. He got spit on at a bus station in Indianapolis. Best part is, he was a airplane mechanic, not even on the land, and this ignorant wacko still did it.
Who in Iraq was threatening us? Uh, I already answered that, or can’t you read? Nobody. Iraq is a TOTALLY unjustified war. I didn’t get to pick which place I went, dude.
What I am asking is have you (or Peter) done anything to change what you both see as wrong? You are absolutely both entitled to disagree with you government’s decisions with regard to the use of the military (and your tax dollars) but what I am asking is what have you done about it? Deciding not to join is one thing, but have you tried to implement a change? I am asking because of the earlier comment about not respecting a soldier who wears the uniform but only as a job or to pay for college - isn’t that a parallel to someone that is morally outraged at the actions of their government, but does nothing but armchair quarterback?
Get into politics and try to fix it. The soldiers join to serve their countries and the basic part if a soldier’s job is to follow orders. If you disagree with the end result, get different orders issued.
Also, in my country, as in others, our military also provides domestic help in times of natural disasters. Floods, Forest Fires, Ice storms/blizzards are a few examples in recent history. Most often, it’s those communities I find myself being “thanked” or my coffee paid for at the local Timmies.
I’m not stopping you.
I admire them insofar as they take on challenging careers, as do underwater welders and doctors and professional athletes, all careers I may not personally have the stamina or intelligence or talent to have myself. But that’s where it ends.
What’s a Timmies? Slang or no?
I guess there are haters out there for any profession. I personally hate lazy people, and especially lazy fat people, but mostly because I battle every day to not be that. Seeing them makes me jealous, lol.
You know the best part about being a soldier? I fight for all of you, even the ones who would rather just curl up and take it. It really makes no difference to me if you appreciate that or not. I’m still gonna do it. 
Tim Hortons? The poster is Canadian.
OK, so you get to join the military and follow orders, and that means you’ve made your contribution. But in order to make mine, I have to get into politics, engage in complex debates, raise whatever cash is needed and so on. And until I do so, I can’t express my opinion on those who sign up to kill - with no idea who they might be asked to kill and why, and with no say in the matter?
No, it’s much more useful for me to simply refuse to participate. I’ll make my contribution in other ways, thank you very much.
I can appreciate the sentiment so far. If you reinlist, knowing you might be sent somewhere that you will question the morality of your mere presence as a soldier, well I have less of an opinion. you may not have thought that once, and that’s ok by me, I’ve done similar…but, you’re not fighting for “me” if you reenlist under those conditions. Yeah, it’ll be different if China has invaded nearly all the way to Colorado and everybody is reenlisting. There wouldn’t be doubt there; but further expansion of American Imperialism being Kosher with you, after you’ve expressed a defense of “I didn’t know where I’d be sent,” would make you swine to me. And of course being drafted is another matter too, but that’s another OP.
The whole idea that it was an urban legend was largely dreamed up by Jerry Lembcke and his book has been pretty thoroughly debunked since his methodology was very slipshod and misleading.
Amongst other things, what the article you linked to ignores was that Lembcke was an activist masquerading as a scholar.
It fails to mention that he was a member of the VVAW, a radical organization which went well beyond most anti-war organizations and openly compared the US servicemen in Vietnam to members of the Wehrmacht.
Essentially using Lembcke’s book as a source would be like using a book written by the President of the NRA regarding the historical use of guns as self-defense in the US.
Also, when you refer to his uncle as “someone who just got back from killing Vietnamese” you seem to be displaying a certain amount of hostility or am I misreading you?
Not particularly. I am anti-military and unapologetic about it, and part of that is calling what they do what it is: killing people.