It was 40 years ago that the battle for Hue City raged. During Vietnam the American public watched the events of the day every night on the evening news. Reporters then actually reported on and witnessed the action. Today we have embedded reporters who send little home. If we covered the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq like the war in Vietnam was covered this carnage would end quickly.
Though this action took place forty years ago it is still very much alive in the hearts and minds of many survivors of the Tet Offensive of 1968. Though the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong suffered tremendous losses they scored a political victory around the world. The American public became so disillusioned with what they saw that it was only a matter of time before we would be withdrawn. The North Vietnamese lost the battle but won the war in 1968.
Perhaps this is why the media is so limited in what they show us today. The military and government officials learned their lesson in 1968, too. Never again would they allow the public to witness the brutality of war that they had sent so many young Americans into. Out of sight, out of mind. It is sad really.
Dr Sam Bierstock wrote this song after meeting an old veteran working as a parking lot attendant. It is a moving tribute that helps remind each of the sacrifices of the generations that came before us. Sacrifices that kept us free and gave us the opportunities and freedoms we enjoy today.
The following story has been circulating around may veterans oriented websites and I’d like to publish it here. The message is universal and much appreciated.
The elderly parking lot attendant wasn’t in a good mood! Neither was Sam Bierstock. It was around 1 a.m., and Bierstock, a Delray Beach, Fla. , eye doctor, business consultant, corporate speaker and musician, was bone tired after appearing at an event. He pulled up in his car, and the parking attendant began to speak. “I took two bullets for this country and look what I’m doing,” he said bitterly.
At first, Bierstock didn’t know what to say to the World War II veteran. But he rolled down his window and told the man, “Really, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you.” Then the old soldier began to cry. “That really got to me,” Bierstock says.
Cut to today. Bierstock, 58, and John Melnick, 54, of Pompano Beach – a member of Bierstock’s band, Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Band – have written a song inspired by that old soldier in the airport parking lot. The mournful “Before You Go” does more than salute those who fought in WWII. It encourages people to go out of their way to thank the aging warriors before they die. “If we had lost that particular war, our whole way of life would have been shot,” says Bierstock, who plays harmonica.
“The WW II soldiers are now dying at the rate of about 2,000 every day. I thought we needed to thank them.” The song is striking a chord. Within four days of Bierstock placing it on the Web, the song and accompanying photo essay have bounced around nine countries, producing tears and heartfelt thanks from veterans, their sons and daughters and grandchildren.
“It made me cry,” wrote one veteran’s son. Another sent an e-mail saying that only after his father consumed several glasses of wine would he discuss ” the unspeakable horrors” he and other soldiers had witnessed in places such as Anzio, Iwo Jima, Bataan and Omaha Beach. “I can never thank them enough,” the son wrote. “Thank you for thinking about them.”
Bierstock and Melnick thought about shipping it off to a professional singer, maybe a Lee Greenwood type, but because time was running out for so many veterans, they decided it was best to release it quickly, for free, on the Web. They’ve sent the song to Sen. John McCain and others in Washington. Already they have been invited to perform it in Houston for a Veterans Day tribute – this after just a few days on the Web. They hope every veteran in America gets a chance to hear it. GOD BLESS every EVERY veteran… and THANK you to those of you veterans who may receive this!
There is a bond among veterans that crosses generations and genders. They share common experiences that the average civilian will never understand. Within their hearts the gunfire of distant battle fields still resonate and they mourn the loss of friends and brothers in arms from decades past.
Today there is a healthy support of Americans veterans by a new generation of people who appreciate the sacrifice of those fighting today to preserve our freedom and way of life. Today’s young veterans carry the battle to Iraq and Afghanistan in their endeavour to secure our safety from global terrorism and Islamic extremist who would like to destroy us. Unfortunately not all Americans support our veterans, present and past.
Each year brothers from the Fire and Iron Motorcycle Club, New York Fire Riders Motorcycle Club and the American Legion Riders of Post 104 visit the Domiciliary at Bay Pines Veterans Hospital. They go there to pass out thanks and tee shirts to the veterans living there. Veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam make up the bulk of those residing in the domiciliary. Veterans who are often forgotten while the rest of the country concentrates on the present men and women serving.
This April the brothers of these motorcycle clubs and Legion Riders decided to go a step beyond just visiting and talking to our veterans living at Bay Pines. They wanted to show their appreciation by having a cookout and treating those confined by age and infirmity to the fellowship and gratitude of the community. These clubs and veteran’s groups charged nothing for the cookout. The food was great but it turned out to be a pretty dry event. My friend and fellow American Legion Riders Brother Butch explains:
Today we held a BBQ for all of the veterans at Bay Pines Veterans Hospital. We had 120 lbs of Pulled Pork, 80 lbs of BBQ Chicken, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Watermelon, Deviled Eggs and many other dishes. We served around 250 veterans and their families.
This BBQ was planned and paid for by a retired member of the N.Y. Fire Dept and a member of the New York, Fire Riders “Vinnie” and his wife “Carol Ann” an Air Force veteran herself. They planned this event and paid for most of it out of their own pocket. The American Legion Riders of American Legion Post 104, Fire & Iron M/C & members of the U.S. Military Veterans M/C and the American Legion Auxiliary of Post 104 helped with the cooking and serving and Post 104 donated their kitchen facilities to the event. It was a beautiful day and everything went smoothly with plenty of volunteers showing up to help with the cooking and serving, and passing out T-shirts, Thanking all of the veterans for their service.
Sam’s Club gave us the meat at their cost. A special thanks to Nick Ellis for his countless hours cooking and the use of his truck and mobile cooker, and to Bob Albert for always being there, also to Littleman’s Printing for doing the T-shirts on such short notice.
But my purpose for this article is to inform everyone of how we were treated by
Coke and Pepsi. When they were approached to donate sodas for the event, they
showed us just how much they appreciate the sacrifices that our veterans have
made that allowed them to be two of the largest and most profitable companies in
the world.
After Coca Cola was approached, they didn’t respond initially, but finally told
Vinnie that ” They weren’t interested” and “there wasn’t any money in the
budget for this”.
Now figure this out. We were only talking about 300 – 400 sodas. They sell 12
packs of Coke at 4 for $12.00. That equals $0.25 per can retail. 400 sodas at
retail would have been $100.00. Their cost wholesale would have been minimal,
but that was too much to invest in our veterans. I hope this will make you think
next time you order a drink.
Now moving on to Pepsi. They were even worse than Coca Cola. Despite
numerous attempts to contact their charitable events coordinator. They refused to
even respond to Vinnie’s request for a meeting, despite 3 phone calls to their
office, they never even bothered to respond.
It is unfortunate that these two companies couldn’t find it in their hearts to help out. Da Frog commends these motorcycle clubs and the American Legion Riders for their sponsorship and efforts to make our brothers from past conflicts lives a little brighter.
I also want to say shame on Pepsi and Coke. Those who participated in this past event are not soon to forget their attitude. We’ll find something else to mix our rum with. Patriotism goes beyond a few yellow plastic ribbons made in China displayed on windows and bumpers.
As any veteran who has served in a combat zone can tell you, there are long hours of boredom, punctuated by adrenaline pumping moments of action. This young Marine serving in Iraq is simply trying to drum up a little action to an otherwise long, boring day. You just got to love our Marines!
Some endorsements do more harm than good. Recently all of the candidates have been receiving backing from questionable sources. John McCain is endorsed by televangelist nut case, John Hagee, the Obama is endorsed by his own racist pastor Reverend Wright. Now Obama has been endorsed by Jane Fonda. Will Obama refute this endorsement also? It will be interesting to see his response.
Fonda was eating out last night and exited the restaurant, ignoring as celebrities often do the assembled press contingent.
But a video camera was rolling as she approached the street and someone, perhaps just trying to get her to turn around for a picture, shouted out at her back, “Who are you going to vote for?”
There was a moment of silence. Then, the actress did turn around toward the cameras, paused and with a smile said simply, “Obama!” Then she got into a car and drove away. (Source: LA Times.)
If Obama accepts Jane’s backing without saying anything if very well could cost him the vote of every Vietnam era voter in the next election. Who will throw their support behind him next, Fred Phelps? Another question is how much are American voters influenced by celebrity endorsements of political candidates. Many by now have figured it out and give them little to no credence.
Less examined is whether some celebrity endorsements may actually cost a candidate votes. This could be one of those less desirable votes for part of the country, especially if Obama was hoping to attract some crossover Republicans if he’s the Democratic candidate come fall.
Obama, who was recently named the most liberal member of the Senate by the nonpartisan National Journal, has sought to portray himself as the earliest anti-Iraq war opponent and tagged his sole remaining opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, with voting to authorize the use of force in Iraq.
The problem for those of a certain generation that endured the Vietnam War and the sometimes violent domestic conflict that accompanied it at home is that during Fonda’s controversial wartime visit to North Vietnam, she was photographed at a Communist anti-aircraft gun battery. (Source: LA Times.)
A lot of the stories about Jane Fonda are myth, loosely based on truth and distorted by time and retelling. But much of it is also true. Each of us has to judge for ourselves and come to our own conclusions. Yet one thing remains true, Vietnam Veterans are not Fonda Jane. The video below illustrates some of the myths and truths of who Jane Fonda was, is and still remains.
This endorsement of Obama by one of the most hated and divisive individuals of the 20th century will do him no good. If these celebrities really feel the need to support candidates then they should do like the rest of us, place a sign in their yard, buy a bumper sticker and vote for them in the election.
A strange phenomena has materialized in the American landscape since we went to war with Islamic extremist in the middle east and Afghanistan. As our casualties have risen a small group of perverse protesters have grasped the attention of many across the nation. These are the members of a small church in Topeka, Kansas. The adherents of Reverend Phelps have taken to demonstrating at the funerals of our fallen servicemen and women across the nation.
Originally these followers of Phelps hateful philosophy picketed at the funerals of gays. But this didn’t bring them the attention they craved so they began frequenting the funerals of soldiers, sailors and marines killed in Iraq and Afghanistan under the guise that the war and their deaths were the result of America’s tolerance of gays and their lifestyle. In the still homophobic atmosphere of this country today not much was said when they were spewing their hate at the funerals of gays, but in focusing their venom on our fallen military they finally got the exposure they desired.
Many of us in the biker community have risen to the challenge by joining organizations like the Patriot Guard Riders or the state organizations like the Florida Patriot Guard, The Old Guard Riders of Arizona, Inland Northwest Patriot Guard among others. We’ve dedicated ourselves to standing between the grieving families and the minions of Phelps’ bogus church.
To those of use who have faced down the members of the Westboro Baptist Church we recognize them for the evil that the represent. Unfortunately, this church made of up primarily family members nearly all of who are lawyers, have been able to avoid serious legal challenges until recently. As a result of their antics at these funerals the federal government and many states have instituted laws forbidding this kind of conduct at funerals.
Their fall began a few months ago when the father of a soldier they demonstrated against took them to court and won.
All of us who have witnessed these degenerates demonstrating rejoiced. But it was not enough. What about all the other families whose sons and daughters funerals these dirtbags had protested at? More needed to be done.
Well a federal judge determined that enough was enough. He decided in favor of putting a lien on the Phelpses property in Topeka, Kansas to pay the settlement Al Snyder and his family won earlier. The lawyers of Westboro were sure they could drag this through the courts for years and ultimately wear everyone down, but that strategy is not working.
A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered liens on the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office.
If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett is upheld by an appeals court, the church, at 3701 S.W. 12th, and the office building, at 1414 S.W. Topeka Blvd., could be obtained by the court and sold, with the proceeds being applied toward $5 million in damages Bennett imposed on church members for picketing a military funeral.
A lien is a legal hold on property, making it collateral against money owed to a person or entity. It can keep the owner from selling the property or transferring title to the property.
The $5 million penalty is the result of a lawsuit filed against three of the church’s principals by Albert Snyder, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, whose funeral was picketed by church members.
The senior Snyder contended the picketing caused emotional distress and invasion of privacy.
We applaud the judge’s decision and pray for the family of Matthew Snyder. We also hope to see the criminals of the Westboro Baptist church get what they deserve. There is a special place in hell reserved for Reverend Phelps and his followers. Lets wish them a speedy journey to that place.
Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters
These guys really say it like it is. This entire election campaign has been a joke. Manipulated by the media, special interests and political pundits what we’ve ended up with is laughable. If a candidate wasn’t anointed by these elements they aren’t heard.
Today people are more interested in nonsense than substance. Analysis is superficial and the message is simply words mouthed with no meaning. The candidates change their stories depending on the polls, instead of taking a stand and sticking to it.
So after all the canned responses and talking points heard in the mainstream media, it is refreshing hearing newsmen simply saying it like it is. Bullshit.
The Neocon movement in the United States has taken the Conservative out of the GOP and replaced it with a mutant of the Republican agenda. They have destroyed what was a respectable party and turned it into a creature that old time Republicans don’t even recognize. It all started when they got in bed with the evangelical Christians and lost their focus on the principles the GOP has always been based on.
Conservatives believe in fiscal responsibility, limited government and personal accountability. Neocons, on the other hand, demonstrate an almost maniacal need to spend money they don’t have. They borrow and spend, putting future generations in jeopardy. They have turned government into big business and grown the bureaucracy to record levels. They have sold out democracy for nepotism and lobbyists quick cash. Their concept of personal accountability is deny everything. Call war peace, call failure success. They have destroyed the GOP.
The Neocons have taken over the GOP like some malignant growth. Destroying it from the inside. What they should have done is formed their own party instead of corrupting an existing one. When I was living in Germany I was impressed by the diversity of political parties that learned to compromise and exist. There were seven or eight major parties instead of two. Some of them had similiar ideas, but different approaches to accomplishing their goals. They had Democrats and Christian Democrats. The Neocons should have formed an Evangelical Republican party instead of demolishing the GOP from the inside.
I think Libertarian Mike Gravel gives us a good idea of why this is so dangerous. He speaks about the oppressive nature of religion and its effect on society.
It is the religious right that would take us back to the stone age with their supplanting scientific theory with ancient mythology. It is one reason why our students are failing in the scientific community. The church has too much influence on government and in turn is harming us as a society. While the rest of the world is making great advances in the sciences we are stepping back into a medieval mindset. It is like requiring that geography teachers teach it two ways, the earth is a ball of dirt flying through the universe and the earth if flat and the center of the universe.
The Neoconservative movement in the United States is doing us irreparable harm. They strive to ruin our education system and are more concerned with what we are doing in our bedrooms than what is going on in the board rooms.
