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Old 08-30-2009, 12:52 PM
 
Location: in the southwest
13,396 posts, read 44,936,096 times
Reputation: 13599

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jertheber View Post
How about all those stories about the "hippies" spitting on the returning troops, those who were being drafted were coming home to a sympathetic neighborhood of their old classmates, I don't remember anyone spitting at the troops except on TV, was it staged? Was it planned out to discredit the anti war crowd? We were against the war because it WAS a bad decision, today without the draft very few care about those who are dying on foreign soil, TV is now reporting the war as though it is just another reality show.

.
Indeed.
It does sound like the age-old Us against Them.
Spitting on the Troops
Stories of spat-upon Vietnam veterans are bogus. Born out of accusations made by the Nixon administration, they were enlivened in popular culture (recall Rambo saying he was spat on by those maggots at the airport) and enhanced in the imaginations of Vietnam-generation men — some veterans, some not. The stories besmirch the reputation of the anti-war movement and help construct an alibi for why we lost the war: had it not been for the betrayal by liberals in Washington and radicals in the street, we could have defeated the Vietnamese. The stories also erase from public memory the image, discomforting to some Americans, of Vietnam veterans who helped end the carnage they had been part of.
Spitting Image
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Old 08-30-2009, 12:53 PM
 
5,252 posts, read 4,651,759 times
Reputation: 17362
Had it happened every day in every airport around the nation, in the numbers that TV would have you believe it happened, I'd be surprised, I think you may have missed my point, it's not that isolated incidents didn't happen in exactly the manner you describe, some people were, and still are, motivated to point the finger of blame for that war on the troops themselves, but, the fact that so many ex soldiers, (me included) were active in the anti war protests allows me to understand what was wide spread, and that was the anti war sentiment, not the pro war one that surely existed alongside.

So many who were duped into thinking we were there to help the Viet's, have come to the understanding of American foreign policy being wrong on that score, first and foremost we we there to support a rotten bunch in Saigon, secondly we were paying someone elses lunch tab, I'll never be convinced of the "rightness" of the war. If somebody spit on you or someone you knew, that is certainly something you'd remember, but, try to reconcile that with the fact that coloring an entire generation or movement by isolated incidents of some misguided people is a little over the top.
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Old 08-30-2009, 01:04 PM
 
5,252 posts, read 4,651,759 times
Reputation: 17362
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawkeye2009 View Post
I was hoping that when they died off, things would get back to normal. They are the ones in power now- no wonder things are so screwed up.

Kev- are you actually sticking up for those who fought in Vietnam? Good for you! I find it odd that these hateful lefties spit and derided veterans and active duty soldiers at that time because it was fashionable to do so. My uncle, a decorated veteran from Hamburger Hill, was tripped by a leftie after spending a year in military hospitals. He was an easy target for the brave leftie, as he was on crutches. Engaging in such evil, contemptable behavior was excused because they were for "peace". Peace through violence. They should be ashamed of themselves, yet people with no conscience rarely engage in introspection and examine what they have done in thier life. They have short memories and inherently believe that they are right, regardless of their behavior.

These are our "leaders" today.
Well, some folks are never going to get to that point wherein they really read the other guys post, you want to jump in on those "lefties", and then attempt to tie in that generations anti war crowd with the "leaders" of todays government, man, you should be looking at the young Republicans that went on to fleece us in their business careers. You forgot to include your heroes of the Bush crowd that dodged the military, and let us poor boys do the dyin.
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Old 08-30-2009, 01:53 PM
 
133 posts, read 190,466 times
Reputation: 46
Hillary would love it. Who needs more losers?
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Old 08-30-2009, 06:33 PM
 
29,982 posts, read 18,554,412 times
Reputation: 20758
Quote:
Originally Posted by jertheber View Post
Had it happened every day in every airport around the nation, in the numbers that TV would have you believe it happened, I'd be surprised, I think you may have missed my point, it's not that isolated incidents didn't happen in exactly the manner you describe, some people were, and still are, motivated to point the finger of blame for that war on the troops themselves, but, the fact that so many ex soldiers, (me included) were active in the anti war protests allows me to understand what was wide spread, and that was the anti war sentiment, not the pro war one that surely existed alongside.

So many who were duped into thinking we were there to help the Viet's, have come to the understanding of American foreign policy being wrong on that score, first and foremost we we there to support a rotten bunch in Saigon, secondly we were paying someone elses lunch tab, I'll never be convinced of the "rightness" of the war. If somebody spit on you or someone you knew, that is certainly something you'd remember, but, try to reconcile that with the fact that coloring an entire generation or movement by isolated incidents of some misguided people is a little over the top.

How many vets do you know and talked to? The contention that the derision of vets did not happen is shameful and deceitful. The spitting and "baby killer" comments are not in the vet's imagination. Shame on you.
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Old 08-30-2009, 06:52 PM
 
Location: Southern California
15,083 posts, read 20,423,323 times
Reputation: 10343
Doesn't every generation have a Woodstock moment?
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Old 08-30-2009, 06:54 PM
 
Location: Birmingham
754 posts, read 1,918,614 times
Reputation: 935
I think we already have one... The bad thing is the drugs are much more addictive and destructive so I doubt if the kids will ever come down, grow up and become responsible adults.
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Old 08-30-2009, 07:13 PM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
45,058 posts, read 60,109,152 times
Reputation: 60639
The so called "Woodstock Generation" was in actuality a very small number of the age cohort. Most people weren't hippies and didn't tune in, turn on, drop out (as Timothy Leary urged) but grew up and went to college (most hippies were the children of the middle class) or got jobs and got married, raised families and are growing older now. Some got drafted, some did not. They were the generation that had the props knocked out from under them in the 70s and 80s when the jobs that always been there started to disappear. The whole 1960s period has been romanticized.
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Old 08-31-2009, 06:46 AM
 
29,982 posts, read 18,554,412 times
Reputation: 20758
Quote:
Originally Posted by Faworki1947 View Post
Yeh we do, back then folks were kinder, more open minded and giving the dreams died as we aged and lost our sense of humor and of "rightness" I came of age back in 1969 and sure I missed making a diffrence to the world but I did make it to my kids and grandkids ..and as a boomer thats something to be proud of
I burned my bra, but it didnt stop the war, I did the die ins and was carted off to jail many times, I sang and danced with love& care for my fellow man and the politicans seemed to overshadow my efforts with thier "isms" and then I prayed and found that wasnt enough to save my generation as we aged and were silenced by many vested in power folks .. and as my voice grew softer I looked around to see who still sang and laughed with the richness of life and relized that we had failed because oiur children just didnt care ... they had been brainwashed by the "me-ness" of it all.......

Yes, all that singing, dancing, and protesting did alot of good........for the North Vietnamese Army.

It is good that your children were not indoctrinated with that crap. The 1960s was a spoiled child's tantrum and a rebellion against thier parents. Very few, if any, of the children of the 60s remained true to thier "values"- childish and hypocritical to the end. "singing" for your fellow man does not do crap. It is easy, and therefore appealing to liberals, but is a false and sick "empathy", as no work is required to assuage one's guilt. Think about your protests- it was a big party for YOU and your associates and accomplised NOTHING, except for th NVA. You were a "useful idiot" for the North Vietnamese propaganda machine, as they have said in many interviews post war. Work and contribution is arduous, but that is for the little people. The left does the "thinking" and shows "empathy". Thanks alot!
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Old 08-31-2009, 07:07 AM
 
1,067 posts, read 1,994,769 times
Reputation: 471
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1984vt View Post
I think we already have one... The bad thing is the drugs are much more addictive and destructive so I doubt if the kids will ever come down, grow up and become responsible adults.

I think you meant "irresponsible."
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