Mocking the purple heart at the RNC!?

True spacedoubt, but remember, Kerry is nothing but an "ABB" afterall, right?
You know..."ABB"......the French idom of and for 'anybody but BUSH'.........the only requirement for the "ABB" being that the individual running against Bush ahve some simple, shallow hope of defeating/removing GWB in the upcoming elections...



seekerof

Seekerof,
shallow.
Wasn't that the theme of the DNC?

The ABB syndrome, IS the only hope for the Dems..
I just don't think it will push them over the top.
I prefer voting FOR something, not against something.

I guess there is the alternative of voting FOR AND AGAINST something.. (dig, dig)


[edit on 3-9-2004 by spacedoubt]

What about the Bronze Star and silver Silver Star? Maybe they could of worn them as earrings? Those Vietnam Veterans. Always waving their service in our faces. Yadda, yadda. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld never went to Vietnam, and they're doing a wonderful job!



Look at those bums! You call that sacrifice?What have they done for us lately?

EDIT: Reminds me of the time I was at a Marine base in Iraq, Camp Get Some. A car bomb exploded while some of us were smoking outside. We got some glass in us, and later, my boss, a SSG, tried to put himself in for a purple heart. I hope he never runs for President!

[edit on 3-9-2004 by curme]

.
jrsdls, should we now doubt the merit of YOUR purple heart? Did you lie?

Since hardcore republicans want to support political SMEARS.

GEORGE W. BUSH WALKED OUT IN ALABAMA. The cushy job provided by his DADDIES political connections. IN ALABAMA for pete's sake.

Young men and women are fighting and dying in Iraq for NOTHING.

GEORGE W. BUSH was NOT elected to create democracy in IRAQ.
GEORGE W. BUSH was NOT elected to infringe our Civil right in America.
GEORGE W. BUSH was NOT elected to spend over 120 billions of dollars to fight a purposeless war in IRAQ.

GEORGE W. BUSH HAS CREATED A BREEDING GROUND FOR TERRORISTS IN IRAQ.

ONLY A FOOL WOULD SUPPORT GEORGE W BUSH AS COMMANDER AND CHIEF.
.

Originally posted by Tesla
This is terrible.
They don't give those out for anything less than valor.

Actually, that's the Bronze and Silver Star.

But hey, I know a guy that got a purple heart for a spraigned ankle he got in a combat zone. He wasn't even in a firefight. He had been in one the day before, but that's not the point.

My point is only this: The purple heart, as well as many other awards get thrown around pretty liberally in an action in which the soldiers are enduring a lot of hardship. For some (probably even most), it makes it all bearable. You don't notice much being said negative about Kerry's Bronze Star, though.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this....

mentioned by Curme
What about the Bronze Star and silver Silver Star?

Curme, what you been reading lately? Where you been? That Silver Star, as with the Bronze, is/are certainly being heatedly discussed.

"The Kerry campaign has repeatedly stated that the official naval records prove the truth of Kerry's assertions about his service.

"But the official records on Kerry's Web site only add to the confusion. The DD214 form, an official Defense Department document summarizing Kerry's military career posted on johnkerry.com, includes a 'Silver Star with combat V.'

"But according to a U.S. Navy spokesman, 'Kerry's record is incorrect. The Navy has never issued a "combat V" to anyone for a Silver Star.'

"Naval regulations do not allow for the use of a 'combat V' for the Silver Star, the third-highest decoration the Navy awards. None of the other services has ever granted a Silver Star 'combat V,' either."

The suntimes.com



seekerof

[edit on 3-9-2004 by Seekerof]

Originally posted by Seekerof

Curme, what you been reading lately? Where you been? That Silver Star, as with the Bronze, is/are certainly being heatedly discussed.

"The Kerry campaign has repeatedly stated that the official naval records prove the truth of Kerry's assertions about his service.

seekerof

[edit on 3-9-2004 by Seekerof]

Kerry has never clamied he had a "V" for his Silver Star. He has spoken of his silver star. His "V" for his bronze star. His website never says a "V" for his silver star. His DD-214 has the "V" for both. I know my DD-214 is missing a couple of awards. Ever hear the jokes about the military and paperwork? It's true. I knew a woman who couldn't go to Aiborne school, because the Army said she'd was pregnant, and had been for at least six years! I'm running away from a hurricane now, I'll look it up more when I have a chance. That's just the common sense answer I came up with after a quick scan of Kerry's records, and what he says about them. Funny how everyone ignores Bush's fake Air Force medals. Selective retention for some?

Originally posted by American Mad Man
Even as a conservative very critical of Kerrys service record, I agree, that was a bit much. That being said, I don't think that anyone honestly can believe that they in any way mean to dishonor the medal in any way shape or form. In fact, one could argue that they were speaking for the honor of the medal in protesting Kerrys dubious decoration.

[edit on 3-9-2004 by American Mad Man]

Some have suggested that George Senior's award is dubious. That he couldn't have experienced the situation in the plane that was described. He even said he was no hero. There is so much confusion in war, some many friendly fire incidents, so much general panic...I feel when it's over the medals fall where they fall. To mock anyone or question the merits of one individual soldier's awards is shameful and is a discredit to anyone who has ever received a medal.

They make fun of Kerry and the award because none of them were good enough to earn one themselves. You can't earn one if you are hiding in the guard or having daddy get you out of duty.

When it comes to politics people are not very bright. They just go right down the party line. I dated a girl once and I was completely turned off because of her grandparents. The grandfather was a war vet yet he voted for a draft dodger because the guy was a democrat and a union man. I was disgusted that someone would put his union before his service to his country. He risked his life in a war yet he voted for a man that was a draft dodger. How messed up is that?

Then you have these idiots at the RNC who dodge active duty making fun of a man who was decorated for his service in one of the most unpopular wars ever.

Originally posted by curme
Funny how everyone ignores Bush's fake Air Force medals. Selective retention for some?

G.W. was allowed to wear those medals because they were Unit
Citations. Everyone in his unit wore them. That's how the military
works with Unit Citations. If he hadn't worn them he would have
been 'out of uniform' and would have been in trouble for it.

Ya' might want to get to understand how the military works before
you start talking.

Originally posted by RANT
Complete inability to see any other point of view, and if you don't agree you're "ignorant and stupid."

You left out a "girlie man."

Face it (or not, as usual) another cheap political stunt at the RNC backfired.

Ah Rant .... I see that you still have a 'complete inability to see any
other point of view'. Sorry bud ... I see the other point of view, and
it's built of a house of cards. It is ignorant and stupid. Perhaps
well intentioned, or perhaps just political. I call it like it is. The

I have never used the term 'girlie man'. However, since you want me
to.... would you like me to refer to you as a girlie man or something?
I could, if that would make you feel better.

No, this isn't a 'RNC stunt that backfired'. Not even close. And no, I'm
not - 'not facing it'.

You are making more of this than there is. It is a political
message about John Kerry. Use some common sense here. If you don't
want to use some, or you don't have any, well then there isn't much that
I can say to you to educate you on this matter.

The purple heart bandaids are a political statement against John Kerry.
Pure and simple. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't have any
Purple Heart bandaids, but there is nothing wrong with those that do.

Well the world appreciates the joke FlyersFan regardless of whether or not you "get it."

Everyone's favorite conservative comic, Louis Black, went off on the stunt last night and awarded the Medal of Idiocy to the RNC delegates that had awarded themselves purple hearts for TV face time.

You don't have to realize it backfired for it to have backfired, but I do appreciate you defending it. The point in the debacle I suppose was to sway undecideds with an attempted humiliation of a Presidential candidate by official representatives. We'll just have to see how that works out won't we?

I think Arnold's girly man quote was pretty funny and very good natured. I'm independent and don't care about ragging on a particular party. Purple Heart stunt simply was not funny and in indescribably bad taste and thoughtless.

People have a problem because Kerry was against the Vietnam War after fighting in it? Why are they not attacking the other 80-95% of the country that was protesting the war, against the war, and spoke out against it? How come Republicans act like Kerry was the ONLY person speaking out against the war.

But the PH bandaids were in bad taste. Kerry got injured in Vietnam. Where was Bush? Where was Cheney? Only reason Cheney married and has kids is because of the war. Why/How? First, he dropped out of college. But then the draft started up and he went back because that was an out. But then that wasn't enough, now had to be married. So he gets married a couple months after being in college wasn't enough. But then they said no, you have to be married and have kids, 9 months later has kids. At least Bush just went AWOL out of the National Guard.

Originally posted by curme


Look at those bums! You call that sacrifice?

Would you care to explain this comment?

[edit on 04/9/4 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott

Originally posted by curme


Look at those bums! You call that sacrifice?

Would you care to explain this comment?

[edit on 04/9/4 by GradyPhilpott]

Sarcasm.

Originally posted by Seekerof
"But the official records on Kerry's Web site only add to the confusion. The DD214 form, an official Defense Department document summarizing Kerry's military career posted on johnkerry.com, includes a 'Silver Star with combat V.'

"But according to a U.S. Navy spokesman, 'Kerry's record is incorrect. The Navy has never issued a "combat V" to anyone for a Silver Star.'

"Naval regulations do not allow for the use of a 'combat V' for the Silver Star, the third-highest decoration the Navy awards. None of the other services has ever granted a Silver Star 'combat V,' either."

This error is, in all probablity, a clerical error which may very well have gone unnoticed by Kerry or may have been ignored by him, because it is not crucial to the award itself. This error, now that it has come to light, does need to be corrected.

My DD-214 for nearly twenty years indicated that I rated a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, a South Vietnamese award for valor. Frankly, I never noticed it because I rated a unit award which at the time of my release was called the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Frame and Palm. The number of my awards was such that the clerk who filled out my DD-214 used the abbreviations from my record book for the awards and thus it was less noticeable.

I was being interviewed one evening by a VA Social Worker, who was a Marine recipient of the Silver Star, when he began to ask questions about my holding back my award for valor. I was totally confused and asked him to show me what he was talking about and he showed me the "VCG/Palm" on my DD-214. I was astounded because in all those years I had never noticed the error.

I had, in the intervening years, asked for a clarification of my awards and had been issued a DD-215 that added awards that were not listed on my DD-214 at the time of my release from active duty. On that document the award was listed by a less confusing nomenclature, but knowing what it referred to I still hadn't noticed the discrepancy. Fortunatly, I had my DD-215 attached to the DD-214 and we settled the confusion.

This is one error that probably is no reflection on Kerry, at all, unless, of course, he was the one making entries into his own record book.

[edit on 04/9/4 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by RANT
We'll just have to see how that works out won't we?

Actually, I think it's a non-issue and it will (and mostly has been)
forgotten already. It was just an anti-Kerry's-purple hearts
political statement. It's now yesterday's news.