VFW Magazine "gives permission" to Oppose Dem Vets KERRY & CLARK

[UTUSN]

(The source is hardcopy only, no links available.)

As with media wing nut bias, where my peeve is not that they should slant to us just that they should keep the playing field level-----so with the veterans’ organizations. I’ll never forget those 5 or 6 Medal of Honor medal holders standing on the PARTISAN Shrub stage during Coup 2000. Or how Texas ex-Senator Enron (Phil GRAMM) would conduct veterans’ awards ceremonies at Republican Headquarters instead of at neutral community center sites.

So here comes the VFW magazine, giving supposed profiles of KERRY and CLARK, in the most grudging tone possible. Actually, the author’s objective appears to be to “give permission” for VFW members to vote against these two, not to feel obliged to support them just because they are vets. The paragraphs on CLARK were not slanted, just barebones.

Plus, the full page advertisement, p. 56, sponsor being New England Mint 888-215-6468, is for a $10 “Victory Commemorative” 1 ½” diameter silver medal. On one side there is the open-mouthed gloating face of Shrub, emblazoned “ VICTORY”. On the reverse is the bearded “capture” picture of Sadam, emblazoned “DEFEAT”. It’s like a board game token.

*********QUOTE********

From VFW (magazine) March 2004, p. 8
Nowhearthis
Brief news items of interest to veterans and their families.

Two Viet Vets Vie for Presidency

The Democratic presidential primaries have once again spotlighted veterans as a supposed “voting bloc.” That war veterans think as one and vote as a monolithic bloc is a myth perpetuated by the news media. …. But as past elections have shown, especially in 1992 and 1996, veterans are as independent-minded as any other chunk of the electorate. At any rate, Vietnam, like Korea, has yet to produce a President. Two Democratic Party hopefuls---Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Wesley Clark---would like to change that historical situation. While the media makes continual references to their military backgrounds, few reports have gone in-depth. So here is an overview of their Vietnam duty you may not have seen in the general press.

John Kerry: …. For four months, … he served aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Gridley off the coast of Vietnam. ….All told, Kerry served eight months in the war zone----four off-shore and four actually in Vietnam.

He was wounded three times: slightly….Kerry said in an interview with the Boston Globe that one wound cost him about two days out of service, and that the other two did not interrupt his performance of duty.

Besides three Purple Hearts, Kerry was awarded a Bronze Star with V device and a Silver Star. The latter was for killing a Viet Cong on Feb. 28, 1969. Kerry was discharged from the Navy Jan. 3, 1970.

*********UNQUOTE*******

[papau]

1. Somehow the right can not bring itself to say that he reenlisted

Indeed the right goes from Vietnam to used a loophole (3 wounds) to get out early

I expect spin - I did not expect this much lying by "mainstream" media.

[UTUSN]

2. Here's the Shrub-Saddam Commemorative Medal

http://www.nationaltvbargains.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=241



*******QUOTE*******

.... The Outcome ... Decisive American VICTORY ! To commemorate this World Changing event, The New England Mint is Proud to Announce The Striking of The PURE SILVER Clad United States Victory Commemorative. ....

********UNQUOTE*******

[Octafish]

7. That coin may be .999 solid silver...

... but George Walker Bush is 100 percent solid turd.



No matter what side of the coin, he'll always be:
The Little Turd from Crawford.

[Jack Rabbit]

14. Heads or tails, you lose

That's the only coin to feature two war criminals.

[Sugarbleus]

3. Well, they're right about one thing........

All vets surely do NOT vote alike. I was with a bunch today at a peace rally honoring the dead US and Iraqi from this war. These guys and a couple women were members of Veterans for Peace. Nice burly fellows, no mommas boys....anti Bush and anti Iraq invasion/occupation.

So the VFW can blow it out their ear! I guess some people just LOVE to "blow stuff up" any chance they get.

[papau]

4. The below wording was used by the VFW in Aug 03 re Kerry

Kerry served off the coast of Vietnam aboard the guided-missile frigate USS Gridley from February to June 6, 1968, and for another four months as a swift boat commander in the Mekong Delta from December 1968 to April 1969. He was wounded by shrapnel to his arms and legs on three separate occasions.

[madrchsod]

5. during and after the war the vfw

refused membership to viet nam vets. the old ww2 guys didn`t want the "kids" in their club. of course all those old assholes died off but the rot still exists ,i guess their`s new assholes to take their place.

[PA Democrat]

6. I picked up a copy of the VFW magazine in my doctor's office

this past December. It was a special Vietnam commemorative issue. I flipped through it and I was shocked to see that aside from a couple of factual articles about the war, the rest of the magazine was editorial in nature and blamed "liberals" and the "liberal media" for the failure to "win" the Vietnam war. There was one editorial specifically bashing Kerry claiming that his anti-war activities were another reason the US didn't "win" the Vietnam war.

I was shocked because I didn't think the VFW was a right wing political organization. Any vets out there see this magazine?

[PROGRESSIVE1]

8. VFW has a right wing tilt in it. I wouldn't bother to donate to them.

They are shameful in politicizing war and those who fought it.

The right wing DOES NOT own the military, veterans, or America.

[alfredo]

11. The head of our local VFW hates Bush

the guy is an ex Marine, and very forceful in his opinion.

[PA Democrat]

12. My late father-in-law belonged to the local VFW

He was a WWII vet and a staunch Democrat. That magazine would have made him sick, especially considering how the right wing has sold out veterans.

[stevedeshazer]

9. What a pantload

I know a lot of vets who don't see it that way at all.

My dad, now deceased, was a VFW member. I've got to find a hard copy of that mag now. I want to write the asshole who wrote that to comment on Shrub's stellar service record.

Kerry is being Clelanded (TM)....

[theHandpuppet]

10. Just curious...

Does anyone know if the VFW in Georgia supported or opposed Max Cleland?

[vetwife]

22. They opposed

Is that sick or what !

[Room101]

13. These Veteran groups are against Bush.

http://www.vvaw.org/
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/
http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/
http://www.vetsforjustice.com/
http://www.vaiw.org/vet/index.php

[TankLV]

15. So where are the comparable pieces on our glorious leader bunkerboy?

Oh, I almost forgot, they can't because there ain't any there there.

Being an AWOL, yellow, lying, literal son-of-a-bitch (hope Babs reads this) just doen't count for much these days.

Go figure.

[Kimber Scott]

16. Vets are just like anybody else,

Blacks, Hispanics, White folk... they vote for who they want to vote for. Nobody should expect a blank check from any "group" of people and no "group" should feel it necessary to "give permission" to their members to vote their conscience. They would do best to offer their members unbiased informtion on all candidates. This is the United States of America... isn't it?

Signed:

White Democrat US Veteran Soccer Mom University Student Married to Black Republican Retired Military Man

(Yes, we argue, sometimes.)

[UTUSN]

17. Nobody's Asking for a Monolithic Blank Check

But when a VFW-er claims that vets "do" better (benefits) under Repukes, HAH--------check out the vets' situation now. Remember "Help is on the way"? Same with Hispanics, Blacks, Gays out there who go Repuke. It's the eternal question, "How can somebody go against the party that best includes them?" Probably with the vets, what the Dem Party does least well is to reach out, since our freethinking streak allows for internationalism, attempting to work with others before jumping into aggression, suspicion of "loyalty oaths" (Pledge of Allegiance), adherence to the actual meaning of our freedoms as opposed to ritual displays towards symbols like the flag, etc. We have a harder time being simple.

[vetwife]

18. Not all vets are for Bush

I founded a very small vet org. in Ga. a 501 C called United Veterans of America and I assure you some of these guys are really Big Bush Bashers and absolutely loathe the sight of him. Unlike the huge org. Unlike some of the larger vet organizations we are not a lobbyist or special interest group. 95 percent goes to the vet.
I have been paying out of my own pocket to keep it up ad running. We only have 50 members and most of them are sick and disabled. I live in a mall town and many of our members are all of different minority status and folks out here don' like that much. TOUGH !
We have all of 25.00 in the bank right now but I put that CD Take it Back from my site focusgroupnow to help the dems because I couldn't do it under the Vet org. Too many legalities. The Vet orgs are supposed to be non partisian and I am plenty partisian.The reason I had to start another site to get that Narration of Bush lies on CD out. But that CD does help vets, the democratic party and I have not had one big org. even attempt to order.
Please visit me at
http://groups.msn.com/UnitedVeteransofAmerica/whatsnew
or http://groups.msn.com/focusgroupnow/whatsnew
or go to Guy James and click on the Amanda Kato banner

[ellie]

19. Hi Vetwife!

Are you the same vetwife from Smirking Chimp? If so, I enjoy reading your posts there! Welcome to DU!

[vetwife]

20. Yes I am !

Hey there ! I guess I get around..Same Amanda vetwife

[UTUSN]

21. Speaking of Flags (Policy)

****QUOTE*****


FLAG INSIGNIA POLICY : All Soldiers can now wear the U.S. flag
insignia on the right shoulder of their utility uniform, as a continued
reminder that the Army is engaged in a war at home and abroad. This
practice has been around for years to identify deploying troops. Army Chief
of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker approved the uniform item 11 FEB 04 and all
Soldiers have until 1 OCT 05 to get the insignia sewn on their uniforms. A
message on the uniform policy went out to the force 14 FEB announcing the
current policy of deployed Soldiers wearing the U.S. flag on utility
uniforms is expanded to include all Soldiers throughout the force
regardless of deployment status.
Currently there are not enough flags in the inventory, which is why
Soldiers have a substantial amount of time to get the flags sewn
on. Deploying troops have the priority. Everyone else will have to wait
until the Defense Logistics Agency has more in stock. An estimated 30
million flags need to be procured. Enlisted Soldiers will not have to
purchase the flags. They will be issued five flags from their assigned
unit, and commanders will make arrangements for getting the insignia sewn
on. However, if Soldiers purchase the flags on their own, they will not be
reimbursed. When purchasing the flag, the only ones authorized for wear on
the uniform is the reverse field flag in red, white and blue. Subdued flags
and those in other colors are in violation of U.S. code. Individuals
should comply with Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of the Army
Uniform and Insignia. The regulation still states that Soldiers are not
authorized to wear the full-color cloth U.S. flag replica upon their return
to home station. However, the latest change will be added to the
regulation when it is revised sometime this year. Nothing has changed
regarding the placement of the flag. It is sewn below the shoulder seam.
If a combat patch is also placed on the right shoulder, the flag is sewn
1/8 inch below the combat patch. The flag is worn on the right shoulder to
give the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves
forward.

******UNQUOTE******