Kerry’s Purple Heart Flap

There is one point that everyone misses in the Kerry Purple Heart smear, which is that even to be eligible to be considered for a purple heart you must be where the “shot and shell” are exploding. Injury sustained in a combat area is eligible for a purple heart.

Kerry was in a combat situation. Bush on the other hand was swilling gin in a Houston Officer’s Club.

One other thing, bronze and silver stars are awarded for courage under fire. Kerry displayed that, Bush bugged out.

But I'm sure it is right-wing chickenhawks making a pathetic attack on a true American hero and patriot. Typical of those America-hating republicans. I'm an Army vet I greatly respect Kerry's magnificent service to his country - in and out of uniform.

McCain type story this morning.

It states maybe Kerry wasn't hurt all that much to receive the Purple Heart. Or that they were minor injuries which Kerry used to get out of Vietnam earlier than he should have. Both stories are an outragious smear. There should never be any discussion about Purple Hearts. There is a process to earn them and it should be respected. I find it hard to believe that a soldeir who was searving his 2nd tour of duty and had earned the Silver Star would have to explain himself. He went through all the necessary channels and recieved all his awards by the conditions of all military procedure.

At least he had the courage of his convictions.

I was just in the bathroom here at work and there was some printed out article on the floor about this. It was clearly anti-Kerry and yapping about his purple heart.

Once I saw it was a smear I didn't bother to read the rest of it and just threw it in the trash, lest anyone else find it.

One got a purple heart for getting a little prick in combat the other one is a little prick who hid from combat.

sorry to spoil the joke (which isn't funny because it seeks to diminish Kerry's heroic acts).

unfortunately the repuke smear has made it's way into the mainstream press

(they are saying he was not worthy of the Purple Star and have a quote from his superior saying he got worse injuries from his rose garden or something like that)

It was whiskey not gin that he was swilling. :P

I can understand Kerry wanting the medal for the "scratch" to commemorate participation in an action. It certainly speaks a lot better than ducking out in the bars stateside.

It only reminds people of the contrast of where Bush was during the war. And the family priviledge that got him there.

I can't say how civilians see it, but military types joke that a Purple Heart is an "I f'd up" award. That's not to say we don't appreciate the sacrifice, but we also realize that how badly someone was wounded has nothing to do with heroism and is usually more a function of luck.

My own husband is a DFC recipient from Nam, but never got a Purple Heart. And that's fine with me, believe me.

Purple Hearts are passive--you were there, in the wrong place at the wrong time. A Silver Star (as Kerry and Clark both received) means the awardee actually did something. Something requiring remarkable strength of character. I would hope most people know the difference.

So is the POW Recognition Medal, which carries the same status as the PH.

I know, because my father has one.
(World War II, captured in Belgium December 1944, just before Battle of the Bulge. POW camp in Germany. Liberated in April 1945.)

:kick:

There are different kinds or classes of decorations - some are bestowed generally without much individual activity beyond showing up and others requiring extraordinary effort, and everything in between.

For example, the National Defense Service Medal: You get this just by volunteering (not drafted) during a time of (war? conflict? emergency?). After you sign on the dotted line, then get sworn in, BANG, you've already got ONE medal.

Then there is the Vietnam campaign medal: When you set foot in Vietnam, getting off the plane on a safe air force base, BANG, you get this one. Every couple of months or so, the name of a new campaign takes over ("Tet" or whatever), and BANG, you get another VN medal, which is denoted by an added little star device on the one medal or ribbon.

Otoh, there are the heavy duty medals - such as the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Medal of Honor, requiring some kind of extraordinary individual effort.

As for the Purple Heart, if a DROP of blood is shed while under fire, BANG you get this, not to mention losing whole limbs or life.

As for this smear about how SLIGHT JK's wound(s) was, this also appeared in the VFW magazine for March'04: the wingnut editor giving a very snarky summary of JK's service. I complained to the VFW magazine and higher that if this dude didn't want to write about JK why did he, and that the vast majority of military members serve without huge danger and in roles that are supportive - was this dude saying that the only service that matters is that of being severely wounded or dead?

Also, my hero Charlie RANGEL has zeroed in on something: Very many of the military enlistees are minorities who joined BECAUSE of the LACK of jobs, family wealth and connections, and education opportunities - meaning, surprise, not on the grounds of "patriotism" at the beginning (maybe later).

there were handed out quite freely in Viet Nam and handed out like candy in Grenada.
My Dad got one from a hand injury in the Ardenne Forest...I once asked him which hand and he replied "Hell I forget..."
Later on in the course of the war, at the infamous "crossing of the Rhine" dear olde Dad REALLY got injured badly.
So this purple heart stuff doesn't register for me....
Mostly it is just sublimated GOP jealousy....
And their ingrained inability to deal honestly with a candidate who is a veteran when their guy all but hid under the bed when the draft board came a 'callin.
:)
www.chimesatmidnight.blogspot.com

"Won" his first purple heart when the hand granade he attempted to throw at the enemy bounced off of a tree which happened to be in the way. A piece of shrapnel scratched him. He returned to duty the very next day.

Source a news magazine which I did not save.

180

send yours to letter@globe.com

If I were not already familiar with Karl Rove's modus operendi, I would find these attacks on the validity of Senator John Kerry's Viet Nam service and decorations to be unbelievable and way over the line.

Unfortunately, I am very familiar with Rove's propaganda methods. They are all around us, everywhere. Every time you hear a Bush talking head pit bull, you know you're hearing Rove's "talking points".

I thought that the recent attacks on Mrs. Kerry because of her background, upbringing, financial situation, real estate, and charitable contributions was as low as you could get. I was wrong.

There are no depths too sleazy for the Rove machine to plumb. Unhappily for them, they have no choice.
After four years of dismal mis-administration, when you have no record to run on, the only choice left is to attack your opponent and his motives.

On the bright side, if recent polls are any indication, the American people are wising up.

Massey Lambard
Foley, Alabama

I sent my post (above) as a letter to the reporter in the link.