[thechat] A balance of opinion.

[abbey]

On Mon March 24 2003 4:18 pm, Bill Haenel wrote:
> Really, I just want my loved ones to come home now.

Yes, absolutely.

Protestors have every right to protest and I hope it does some good. I won't 
be out there though since my son-in-law may get the wrong impression. He's 
just doing his job and it's been hard enough for him to leave his daughter 
and his new wife. I don't want to try and explain a philosophical difference 
between my support for him and my problems with our current president.

I do think the protests helped bring an end to Viet Nam. But, we were so 
deeply involved that we couldn't just up and leave. The USA did not want to 
openly _lose_ so it took some political doing to get us out. But, the process 
was started due in part to the protests. Sadly, many people also blamed the 
soldiers for their involvement in Viet Nam and back then, a lot of them had 
no choice since they were drafted into service whether they liked it or not.

With the memories of how our soldiers and sailors were treated during and 
after Viet Nam, that's why some of us can not and will not actively take to 
the streets. But, I'm glad there are many who feel no such need to quietly 
disapprove for fear of hurting family members.

-- 
<abbey />