War Is Hell
I expect it’s a dishonest smear just like the Swift Boat ad campaign.
I agree that Sinclair’s order to affiliates to air it is a low, partisan blow by a sleazy whoremonger desperate to get some Enron-style mojo with the Bush White House for his failing company before it spins down the toilet.
But to a certain extent Stolen Honor will be effective, because there is some plausible foundation for it.
North Vietnamese POW camps were not nice places.
The screws wanted the prisoners to feel bad.
Maybe they broadcast Kerry testimony to do that.
And maybe it worked.
The proper rejoinder is not, They’re making it up! Or Well, John McCain didn’t mind! Or Don’t blame me; blame the Vietnamese; they’re the criminals!
Using my blogging prerogative, I will now provide John Kerry with the proper, victorious debate-ready rejoinder:
Take it away, John.
War is hell.
People get hurt. Badly hurt. And POWs suffering in Vietnamese camps may have experienced further anguish because of the truths that I decided I had to tell our government and the American people.
But I know that what I did was right — and necessary.
I did it so no more men and women would have to go to Vietnam to suffer and die in a bad war.
And so our POWs could come home sooner.
And to help heal and unite our country after it had been torn apart by the errors, lies, division, and anger that come with a bad war.
And I’d do it again.
Because in a time of crisis, our nation can only achieve strength through unity.
Unity that comes from honesty, mutual respect, and patriotism.
Unity is what we lack right now.
George W. Bush has made some terrible mistakes as president. He rushed us into an unnecessary, poorly planned war in Iraq. He converted a five trillion dollar surplus into a 2.6 trillion dollar deficit. He presided over the first presidency to lose jobs over its term in 72 years.
But the worst thing he did as president was destroy the national unity Americans shared after 9/11.
He took this country and split it bang down the middle.
We see it every day, and in everything this president does.
Do you know, if you want to attend a George W. Bush presidential rally, you have to sign a loyalty oath and promise to vote for him? And people who give him money get preferential entry?
That’s not right.
What does that say about a president who will only listen to people who agree with him and reach out only to people who support him?
What kind of leader demeans, attacks, and excludes patriots who love this country?
That’s not right.
A president who doesn’t understand that the divisions between Americans cannot be hidden through intimidation and misrepresentation…
…and doesn’t understand these divisions must be bridged with honesty, and shared values of patriotism and respect, and courage…
… is not fit to be a “war president”.
That’s not how I will govern as president.
I will be a president for all the people, not just those who agree with me or give me money.
I will not use the powers of my office and the political supremacy of my party to crush dissent, suppress inconvenient facts, or use a strategy of “divide and conquer” to weaken my opponents and the nation at the same time.
We cannot face the challenges ahead divided by labels, mistrust, and anger.
We are not Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and democrats.
We are one people, united by our love of freedom, democracy, and our country.
We are brothers and sisters.
And together we will lead our nation to a safer, more prosperous, and more just future.
When I take the oath of office next January, I will be speaking to — and for — all patriotic Americans, regardless of party affiliation and personal belief.
And I will say, God bless the people who love this country, who are reaching across boundaries of class, race, and religion to make this country strong.
God bless our unity.
And God bless America.
Copyright 2004 Peter Lee
Peter Lee is the creator of the anti-war satire and commentary website Halcyon Days. He can be reached at peter@halcyondays.info.
