Comments on: Being a Former POW is No Excuse

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:54:57 +0000

Beautiful, just beautifulHe should be "crucified" by the media and the people for the things he is doing to the honor of veterans.

By: wolfsilveroak

wolfsilveroak — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:36:00 +0000

Tell your father, Semper Fi for me. This is one Vet who will not vote for McCain. Never planned to.

By: Cujo359

Cujo359 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:33:00 +0000

anonymous @ 11:01AMYes, that’s something about FMJ that rang true for me. Again, my experiences were vicarious, but that’s what it sounded like – sleep deprivation, being yelled at by people to do seemingly senseless things as fast as one can, having to have one’s locker just so (or else…), etc.

By: Sol Smith

Sol Smith — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:39:00 +0000

This really is something that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. I understand that he has given a lot to this country, and I really respect that. I even think that in 2000, he might have been a very good person to put in control–using hindsight. But just because he gave to this country, doesn’t mean that we need to take his shit now. He gave, he served, and for all I know, he served his congressional constituents very well, but that doesn’t give him a get out of jail free card. I think it would be wonderful if every POW got to have 7 houses in their old age. But they don’t. Maybe this country has given him enough back already.

By: lienne

lienne — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:07:00 +0000

Thank you for making this post. Reading it has made my brain a (very slightly) better place.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:01:00 +0000

My father has also described Full Metal Jacket as “the only accurate movie about Vietnam.” For him, I think it was the insanity of the boot camp experience, and what it does to your disposition, that made it so real. Thanks for posting this; I know both men and women who have been POWs, and not a single one of them invokes it as a shield for all behavior with the ferocity of John McCain.

By: Cobalt

Cobalt — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:12:00 +0000

@ Cujo: My dad actually had us watch Full Metal Jacket because he didn’t want us to join the military (he’s a Coastie). To be fair, it worked. Well, that and being in a military family kinda makes you lose your will to inflict that status on anyone else in the future. =/Anyway! This is being linked around like whoa. Take heart! And let the bludgeoning commence!

By: Cujo359

Cujo359 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:59:00 +0000

I'm curious to know why your father thought that Full Metal Jacket was the most accurate description of Vietnam.I've read a couple of memoirs of Vietnam, and have been told quite a few stories over the years. Platoon struck me as being the most like those stories. Actually, it's a bit like someone melded all the most memorable parts of those stories into a single plot. As a result, it's probably not like any one person's Vietnam.FMJ, on the other hand, struck me as another of Kubrick's surreal movies that told the deeper truth about Vietnam - which is that it was basically crazy. Kinda like How I Stopped Worrying ..., but with more location shots. I never took at as anything else.Anyway, you're right. Your father and most Vietnam vets are a stark contrast to McCain. Most don't talk about it much. Some don't want to talk about it at all, at least with people who aren't war veterans. It's reached the point where McCain talks about it way too much.

By: Blake Stacey

Blake Stacey — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:51:00 +0000

Tangentially topical: another data point on shoddy reporting.

By: Dana Hunter

Dana Hunter — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:35:00 +0000

Thank you all for the kind compliments!@Atheist Chaplain: I’m highlighting that article tonight. It is, shall we say… pointed. ;-)@Cobalt (and this goes for the rest of you, too): spread it as far and as wide as you want. Bludgeon whomever needs bludgeoning with it. And when they’re dizzy from this, I’ll have more for ye to finish them off with. The POW schtick – it stops.And if I have to roll out more Terry Pratchett quotes to help emphasize the point, well… I’ve only just begun to paraphrase Pratchett. (Glad you approve, Jakob!)