# Wasn't the Vietnam War over thirty years ago? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 11, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673 "2004-02-11T16:47:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/61 "2004-02-13T01:23:34Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > What the fuck else on that page did you _think_ he was linking to, you idiot? The only thing on it is his service record. And your bullshit statements, as quoted in the same post where **Chefguy** provided the link to Kerry’s website, would be: > > Which is a pretty clear implication that you think Kerry is, if not lying, at the very least exagerating his war record. So, yeah, seems to me that linking to Kerry’s own website where he gives exact dates of when he was in country and how he won each of his medals is a pretty solid rebuttal of that argument. > > Of course, there’s also your general disingenousness of ignoring three of Kerry’s medals to harp incessently about how two (out of three) Purple Hearts he won weren’t for “real” wounds. Which is generally, you know, disgusting and all, but you seem to have gotten a free pass on that in this thread. Wonder how long a democrat posting crap like that about a republican candidate would last before someone showed up to question his patriotism. Well, considering I’m a Democrat posting this “crap” about a Democrat, we’ll have to see how that skews your hypothysis, won’t we. I have the utmost respect for every service-man and woman who went to Viet Nam, as evidenced by other posts I’ve made on this board. My entire point in this thread has been that Kerry’s war record isn’t that destinguished when you look deeper than the surface, that’s it. If you think my pointing that out is “posting crap”, you’re in for a rude shock when the Pubbie war machine gets rolling. I think it would be a mistake to try and paint Kerry as Sgt. York, that’s all. His involvement with the anti-war movement and Jane Fonda in particular ( Pre-Hanoi or not, a lot of people aren’t going to make that destinction ) will not play well with a lot of veterans, and if a signifigant number of them start actively oposing Kerry it could cause a huge credibility gap if he’s positioned himself as the war hero candidate. Think it over instead of just jerking your knee in support. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/62 "2004-02-13T01:48:16Z")
again - you call a service record that includes 3 Purple Hearts, one that was sustained while saving a wounded Green Beret, several other medals etc “not (distinguished) when you look beneath the surface”? yea, he was rotated out of Nam after the **third** time he got wounded - do you have any evidence to suggest that it was ‘early’ in any sense of the word? and as for his ‘association’ with Jane Fonda - so far the evidence is that once thirty years ago, they both spoke at the same place. Apparently they also met up a few years back when she was married to Ted. According to that criteria, Toby Keith’s prolly the father of Natalie Maines’ baby! ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/63 "2004-02-13T01:56:28Z")
> [@wring](#): > > and as for his ‘association’ with Jane Fonda - so far the evidence is that once thirty years ago, they both spoke at the same place. Apparently they also met up a few years back when she was married to Ted. According to that criteria, Toby Keith’s prolly the father of Natalie Maines’ baby! I swear to God I think a lot of people don’t even read what I post before responding based upon whatever they want to see, to wit: > [@Weirddave](#): > > Jane Fonda in particular ( Pre-Hanoi or not, a lot of people aren’t going to make that destinction ) I know it’s a bullshit charge, but, (once again)I just don’t think a lot of people are going to make that destinction. Why not try reading for context and meaning? It’s fun! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/64 "2004-02-13T02:10:55Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > I swear to God I think a lot of people don’t even read what I post before responding based upon whatever they want to see, to wit: > > I know it’s a bullshit charge, but, (once again)I just don’t think a lot of people are going to make that destinction. Why not try reading for context and meaning? It’s fun! sweetums - please I responded to what you wrote. His “involvement” consists of a single event thirty years ago where he sat 3 rows back and a photo was taken, and a recent brief meeting. Now, if people like you, for example, keep saying things like ‘his involvement with Hanoi Jane’, do you think it will **help** folks notice the difference, or help continue to blur that distinction? Sorta like that b/s ‘quotation’ from the first page ya know? ---
**Author:** ![LilShieste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@LilShieste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilShieste)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/65 "2004-02-13T02:11:09Z")
**Weirddave** said: > [@](#): > > My entire point in this thread has been that Kerry’s war record isn’t that destinguished when you look deeper than the surface, that’s it. I don’t understand what is meant by “that distinguished”… that distinguished compared to what (or who)? I mean, when I think of a “war hero,” I don’t immediately paint a picture in my head of a Rambo-esque soldier mowing down thousands of enemy troops, and rescuing innocent women and children by the dozens. Personally, Kerry’s record is congruent with my idea of a “war hero.” I guess a lot of this depends on perception, though. And I do agree with you, **Weirddave** , that the “Pubbie war machine” will probably take this even farther somehow. Freakin’ politics. LilShieste ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/66 "2004-02-13T02:14:52Z")
**Weirddave** , I apologize for assuming you’re a Republican. I stand by my comments as regard you being an idiot, though. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/67 "2004-02-13T02:55:51Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > **Weirddave** , I apologize for assuming you’re a Republican. > > I stand by my comments as regard you being an idiot, though. Considering the source, I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/68 "2004-02-13T04:07:43Z")
I bet that Green Beret has no problems with Kerry’s service in Vietnam. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/69 "2004-02-13T21:02:18Z")
Notice that the new breed of Usual Suspects are focusing entirely on Kerry’s three (3) Purple Hearts, and not on his Silver Star and Bronze Star for valor in combat? Those are harder to dismiss, so it’s easier to just ignore 'em, ain’t it? ---
**Author:** ![New\_Iskander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@New\_Iskander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Iskander)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/70 "2004-02-13T21:59:13Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > …a wound is a wound. I have no combat experience, but I think that’s right. Same slug of metal that scraped one’s earlobe might have hit one between the eyes. I think a man that doesn’t run away under fire is already a hero. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/71 "2004-02-14T20:33:42Z")
> [@](#): > > originally posted by **asterion** > > _We don’t care about Vietnam. Many of us were born afterwards, by as much as a decade. At some point, you people should realize this. The youth of America have other worries than whether or not someone saw combat in a war they weren’t even alive for._ My sentiments exactly. Talk to me about jobs. Talk to me about health care. Tell me what you’re going to do about the war we’re involved in _right now_, not the one that happened decades ago. Do I think Bush is somewhat of a hypocrite in light of his war record? Sure, but it’s hardly on the top of my list of reasons not to re-elect the man. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673/72 "2004-02-14T23:21:29Z")
> [@burundi](#): > > My sentiments exactly. Talk to me about jobs. Talk to me about health care. Tell me what you’re going to do about the war we’re involved in _right now_, not the one that happened decades ago. Do I think Bush is somewhat of a hypocrite in light of his war record? Sure, but it’s hardly on the top of my list of reasons not to re-elect the man. As long as you have a list of reasons that’s all one could ask… True, Dubya’s war record may not top your list of reasons (it doesn’t top mine either; keeping him from appointing any Supreme Court justices is) but it is a factor for a lot of people. There is a certain percentage of the electorate who won’t vote for a Commander in Chief without military experience. The more light that can be thrown onto Dubya’s military record or lack of same, coupled with a spotlight on the weaseling that he and his aides have done to try to dismiss the issue, and if that leads those people away from voting for Dubya and I’m all about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wasnt-the-vietnam-war-over-thirty-years-ago/228673.md?page=3)