Thad, let's give this subject a break, enough has been said already. Let me give you some advice, before you write a letter make sure you have the correct spelling for names and also some of your examples are truly idiotic. What do we have to do with Somali soldiers, those people have been killing each other for eons and they are not and never have been under the control of our military. Rosa Parks is on a niche all her own, had nothing to do with military service or draft dodging, just a woman that did the right thing.

It is not who served and who didn't it is those that chose to run that now pass themselves as veterans that irritate some of us. Last but not least, thank a veteran for keeping your right to turn your back on whoever you choose and to write letters expressing your opinion.

If you served, fine, if you ran, fine, just do not pass your self as a veteran, that's all. Really simple isn't it?

And let's bury this subject for a while, at least until next year.

loomis, Well said. It was Lt. Calley and for combat veterans he was protecting himself and his troops. The 70's peace advocates were responsible for the civilian slaughter after we left Vietnam.

Jon Green: Did the 70's peace advocates personally slaughter civilians after the "we" left Vietnam or was it a option exercised by a retaliatory armed force?

The Peaceniks created a political frenzy that caused the US to withdraw and leave the Hmong, Cambodians, and South Vietnam without protection. The same thing will happen in Iraq and Afghanistan if we leave too soon. Yes, their actions personally caused the slaughter.

Here is a suggestion that may solve the problem. Since Veterans for Peace accepts non vets, draft dodgers, etc in their ranks and this seems to create a bit of confusion as to who is and who isn't a vet why don't they change their name to "Veterans and Others for Peace". This would be much less deceptive and lets everyone know that there may be not only non vets but those that ran ourt of the country also. It would be a lot more honest and would silence the critics.

Refresh my memory about the President at the time of the 1973 Paris Peace Accords and who won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to draft these. If my memory serves me correctly, it was a Republican Administration. Jon, as a member of the local Republican party, you aren't taking exception to this action are you?

Draft "these" what?

1973 Paris Peace Accords.

loomisresident: What about VFW who also accept non-vets?? Should that organization also undergo a name change?

It's a personal choice to enter the military. I was drafted and answered the call but I hold no animosity towards those that chose differently.

Dead horse

And North Vietnam violated the accord. As we knew they would.

Steelybob, I was not aware they did, the VFW. Are you confusing them with another organization? I know they have an auxilliary which helps with events and consists mostly of relatives of veterans

Thad, appears to be young and a victim of our public schools.

loomisresident -

Change the name of Veterans For Peace just because you can't understand its organization? That's silly.

Where did you serve during the war?

Steelybob,

The VFW does not allow non-military persons membership! The following was taken directly from their website.

The fundamental difference between our organization and other veterans organizations, and one in which we take great pride, is our eligibility qualifications. There are three primary requisites for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States:

(1) Citizenship

(2) Honorable service in the armed forces of the United States

(3) Service entitling the applicant to the award of a recognized campaign medal or as set forth in the Congressional Charter and By-Laws and Manual of Procedure and Ritual.

The american Legion does not allow non-veterans in its ranks. There is an organization called the American Legion Auxilliary, they are run seperatley but work closely with the VFW. There is also an organization called the Sons of the American Legion, it is open for the sons of veterans.

Both of the above organizations are fairly select with the applicant process. Perhaps the members of the VFP didnt qualify to get into either of these, or were turned down so they formed their own club.

Born_Here & Loomis: Sorry, I had read that on more than one post around here...maybe they meant to refer to those in the auxilliary that help out with the events.

On 11/17/09 at 08:20 AM, JonGreen wrote:

The Peaceniks created a political frenzy that caused the US to withdraw and leave the Hmong, Cambodians, and South Vietnam without protection. The same thing will happen in Iraq and Afghanistan if we leave too soon. Yes, their actions personally caused the slaughter.

On 11/17/09 at 01:26 PM, JonGreen wrote:

And North Vietnam violated the accord. As we knew they would.

So Jon, if I am following you correctly, the accord entered into by the Nixon administration, negotiated by Dr. Kissinger, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize, and was violated by the North Vietnamese...led to the slaughter of innocent civilians all caused by Peaceniks. Interesting perspective.

The Peace Accord was our surrender to the North Vietnamese caused by the US war protesters and led to the slaughter. An historical correct perspective. The same thing will happen in Iraq and Afghanistan if we leave too soon. The Iraq-Afghanistan slaughter will be caused by President Obama's inability to make a decision and take action during a time of war.

skeptic, , I was drafted in 1966, I was in the 1st. Cavalry, Air Mobile, I was in Nam from 12-13-1966 until 2-1-1967. You OK now?

Do you make a distinction between those that served and those that dodged the draft? I know Jimmy Carter pardoned them but a lot of people for a variety of reasons haven't.

I don't belong to any Veterans organization and I've tried my hardest to forget my time in the service and so far, mission accomplished. What is past is past and no point dwelling on it. I just expressed my opinions and that's all it is, an opinion. You have yours and I have mine. That OK with you?

Jon, thank you for answering my question and confirming that you believe the result of the Paris Peace Accord was President Nixon's succumbing to popular sentiment rather than political conviction.

Rolandmc, Henry Kissinger is wanted for MASS MURDER and WAR CRIMES in those countries. Giving him the peace prize is like giving one to Pol Pot. The Vietnamese did more to stabilize the region than this thug. Maybe you should check out his role in the power game.

"Military men are just dumb, stupid animals to be used as pawns" -- Henry Kissinger

If Kissinger had his way we would still be in Vietnam. In 1975 he was seen in a news article laughing and patting his dominions on the back. He and Ford toasted the success of a futile mission with brandy and cigars. Kissinger said. "We really gave them a black eye." He wasted the lives of 42 service men to get revenge and save face. Luckily he couldn't get the B52's to carpet bomb Cambodia.

http://www.kohtang.com/nswk.htm Nice pictures. Kissinger is a pig in the eyes of any military man. He makes Cheney look like a school boy.

His idea of peace was to kill everyone. Men, women and children. As I said he is wanted in the many countries.

ChuxxR, don't read more into my posts more than are written and read all of what I write before jumping to conclusions. I'm not saying Kissinger deserved the Peace Prize nor anything else about his strategy. I'm not saying President Nixon did the right thing.

I'm saying Jon Green's peacenik theory is interesting and was following it from a different angle, incorporating his political slant. That's it.

Conscientious objectors are generally spoiled brats from well-to-do families, trust fund babies and so forth. Bill Ayers is a good example. They bash the very society that enables them to live luxurious lives and act like total a-holes.

Freed - you mean like the Quakers and the Amish?

Freed, real conscientious objectors have gone in the military as medics or other non combatant status. Draft dodgers were not CO they were the ones that were spoiled brats and yellow to boot, they were also the ones that greeted returning soldiers and yelled obscenities and spat at them. Scumbags if you ask me.