"Swiftboat" verb wounds vets

Source: Seattle Times / New York Times

"I was proud of what I did and all the guys I was with," Miller said. "Now somebody says 'Swift boat' and it's a whole different meaning. They don't associate it with the guys we lost. That's a shame."

"Swift boat" has become the synonym for the nastiest of campaign smears, a shadow that hangs over the presidential race as pundits wait to proclaim the Swiftboating has begun and candidates declare that they will not be Swiftboated.

Swift-boat veterans — especially those who had nothing to do with the group that attacked Sen. John Kerry's military record in the 2004 election — want their good name back, and the good names of the men not lucky enough to come home alive."

Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024879_swiftboat30.html

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What's interesting to me is that one of the people RESPONSIBLE for "Swiftboating" Kerry in 2004, while not feeling sorry for attacking Kerry, is sad that the term "Swiftboating" HAS become so negative. Guess what dude, it's negative because LIARS LIKE YOU MADE IT NEGATIVE!!!

"Still, even some Swift-boat veterans associated with the anti-Kerry group say they do not like what "Swift boat" has become.

"It's taken on a life of its own," Wasikowski said. "The problem is, it's on the wrong side. We would like to be remembered as the one operation in Vietnam that succeeded, totally."

Oh, and a Swift Boat Veterans group attempted to pick up T. Boone Pickens challenge again. To nobody's surprise, he welshed on it again, telling the veterans they need to take it up with the Swift Boat liars group.

correct the bush policies the swiftboat campaign propped up for another four years...

The Swift Boat Vets that are fighting for the truth and trying to defeat the Swift Boat liars are trying to do just that....

And the liars don't believe they have anything to change.

Quote:

"The new meaning of Swift boat stings worst for the men who served with Kerry, who say that, by implication, the attacks cast a blight on their military decorations. "I don't have a lot in this world — my service means a whole lot to me," Short said. "It's been besmirched, I guess would be a good word. Whether they meant it or not."

Pickens refused to pay on his challenge, and he suggested the Swift-boat colleagues who submitted records and other materials in defense of Kerry take up their disagreement with the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

For their part, group members say they take nothing back. "We didn't back down," Wasikowski said."

The ones involved in smearing Kerry can kiss my fat ass.

I have NO sympathy for the Wasikowski's, who helped smear Kerry, one of their OWN, and now mourns how the Swift Boat name has become tarnished.

The innocent ones, the ones that still fight for truth? Rock on and fight on.

The liars? Cry me a freaking river. You reap what you sow.

Their silence guaranteed their fate. So it goes.

Four years later, they want to reclaim their legacy. It's a bit late for that.

:thumbsup:

got a larger version?

This was a good one too:

The "SBVFT" were organized, pay-rolled, and supported.

I don't think the party or any other organization got behind them or tried to organize a credible counter for that attack. If there was a flaw in tactics, it's owned by Kerry's staff, not these veterans. If my poor memory is correct, I believe they did appear with Kerry publicly. Was it at the convention?


Wasikowski, I believe, was behind the organization and approached Bush's campaign for support. He had aspirations of becoming a GOP attack-dog, and has been implicated in some other smear attacks.

Perhaps the Kerry people thought they'd look too defensive, or someone just dropped the ball.



I can understand why these guys would not want their service to be connected with that bunch of scoundrels.

One of them, a pastor, gave a speech. The lone crewmemeber who didn't appear was still angry over Kerry's anti-war work.

The average vet didn't have the same platform to speak out as the liars. I do remember one speaking out about having been contacted by someone who wanted him to speak out against Kerry. He refused.

and memory nudge!

:thumbsup:

We learned this from the Swift Boat Liars.

So, the next time you meet a veteran who received a Purple Heart, be sure to question its legitimacy.

Because now we know they hand them out like band-aids.



Oh, and fuck you, Pat Peale.


See:

September 7, 2004
By punpirate

I want you to remember the name Pat Peale.

Pat Peale is the woman in the photo wearing a "purple heart" band-aid, mocking John Kerry's war wounds. She's also mocking every soldier, sailor, airman or marine ever injured in battle, for whatever reason.

If you think she's just another mindless twit who happened to slap a joke on her chin on her way into the Republican National Convention, think again:

She's known Karl Rove since he was "a youngster."

She's fixed dinner for George W. Bush.

She's also whipped up lunch for that hungry Republican crew of "rioters" in Florida who were determined to stop that nasty ol' vote count from proceeding in the 2000 election.

More:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/04/09/07_purple.html


Also:

I wonder how Pat Peale is feeling these days
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5347590

that was a young Lee Raymond in drag!

This is how these murderous bastards "support the troops."

They should be thankful.

Truth is, very few would remember "Swift Boats" were it not for the current use.

It saved these sad veterans from having their glory days of killing commies relegated to the dustbin of completely forgotten history.

insulting all who were duped into fighting that war, or compelled to fight it against their will. Are you trying to pick a fight?


You should be ashamed.

"It saved these sad veterans from having their glory days of killing commies..."

Don't denigrate the service of honorable young men and women who were tricked into what they thought was patriotism by cynical leaders.

Don't denigrate the service of honorable young men who were compelled to fight in that war against their will.

I doubt that many glorify in their days of killing communists. I believe most wish to forget that time completely, until some shit-disturbing political agitator makes light of it or delivers politically-motivated insults.

Like yours.

I've alerted, and I don't engage in repartee with clumsy jerks, so I'll bid you farewell.

you should have clarified who you were targeting. One of the highlighted sections in the OP states, "Swift-boat veterans — especially those who had nothing to do with the group that attacked Sen. John Kerry's military record in the 2004 election — want their good name back, and the good names of the men not lucky enough to come home alive."

You referred to "them" in your post, these men don't deserve your comment.

I responded to this post because you posited a plausible excuse for your comment, that you missed the phrase I've quoted and only meant the Kerry attackers. We all make mistakes; maybe I did by judging you too harshly, perhaps you did by not being clear enough. I've acknowledged mine...

you've actually had to step up to the plate and choose to go or to resist, and you are honestly trying to do your best, and you are really just a kid trying to figure it all out, you really shouldn't take shots at people who were in that position. In the last 38 years ( since I had to make my choice) I've never met a real resister ( and I mean real) who had a problem with a vet or a vet who had a problem with a real resister once they sat down and talked.

edit to add: "I've never met" - sorry.

You are citing the part that refers to Wasikowski. I get that part. But you *did not clarify that in your 1st post*. I think that you THINK you did, but what you said was,"these sad veterans" That could as well mean Miller, who said:

"I was proud of what I did and all the guys I was with," Miller said. "Now somebody says 'Swift boat' and it's a whole different meaning. They don't associate it with the guys we lost. That's a shame."

MILLER WAS NOT A SWIFT BOAT VETERAN FOR TRUTH.

Your post did not identify which group you were talking about.




The rest of this response makes no sense.

"You can try to silence those who don't kiss military ass, but it won't do you much good because your legacy of poorly prosecuting the wrong wars will stand for the world to see.

Vietnam remembers."


What are you talking about? Am *I* trying to silence those refusing to kiss military ass? If not, who are you talking to?

I don't want to silence anyone. Actually I encouraged you to explain yourself, that isn't silencing anyone.

*I* have a "legacy of poorly prosecuting the wrong wars"? *I* haven't prosecuted ANY wars.

Are you the one who refused to kiss military ass? There's no military here, friend. It's just you and me here, and nobody wants you to kiss anything. Really.

And, Viet Nam remembers WHAT? Viet Nam who, the country? The people? Viet Nam Veterans?

You're not making much sense. If you're not intoxicated, then you need to polish up your communication skills.

If this is a clever pose by a mole attempting to tie me up at the computer, you've succeeded.

*Dying* to read your next post, but I got to tell you, if you're not clearer, I'm just not going to answer.

No, I mean it this time!

We respect our veterans around here, no matter how much the republicon chickenhawks diss them and cheat them of their honorably earned benefits.

They never understand the blowback on this type of crap.

Before it became part of the lexicon?

It's in Eric Boehlert's book LAPDOGS. You can also read the details in DUsResearch Forum thread on the Kerry campaign's actual response to swifts - counterattacks that media refused to broadcast and few even deigned to report as a news story.

The media was completely complicit as they needed to protect Bush.....just as Dan rather charged last year.

Actually, it has taken on the life that people like Wasikowski gave it. I only hope that the swift boat veterans like Miller can get the term back (and as payback come up with a term that really nails the liars group).

The right wing has done untold damage in the last 28 years ( since St. Ronnie) to the language.

I honestly hadn't thought that the use of the word may denigrate Swift Boat soldiers who served. A reasonable point.

I will discontinue my use of the term "swiftboating".

KBZ

From now on, I'll stick with "smear" and "lie."

People risked, and lost, their lives fighting for their country. I have no reason to believe they were not honorable men. I think he made a good point.

Instead of swiftboat.

I like it.

2004, I saw this coming.....
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x771552#771798


2006 There was discussion about using the term, I thought it was a bad idea........
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2386775#2386826

:shrug:

If they did speak up, maybe a bit more volume would have been a good idea.

If they're "Swift Boat Veterans For Truth" who're all bent out of shape about this turn of events, they're welcome to a hot steaming cup of STFU.

That word is now part of our lexicon, and its not going away anytime soon.