Jane Fonda's assailant - Is he REALLY a Vietnam Veteram?

I've tried checking to see if this topic has been previously discussed and it seems it hasn't. Anyway, as just about everyone knows, a few weeks ago, someone spat in the face of Jane Fonda during a book signing in Kansas City. Since there have been many "phony" Vietnam Veterans (extensively investigated and exposed in BG Burkett's book "Stolen Valor"), I was just wondering if this guy (Michael Dean Smith) ever even set foot in Vietnam?

Let's take a look at this guy.

What's all the info we have on this guy? State? age?

Michael Dean Smith. Both 54 yrs from Gladstone, MO.

Do find out what units he served with. My experience is that there are a lot of these folks running around, claiming combat experience, that never got close to any action.

They go to an Army surplus store, buy some badges and patches, recycle stories and are on their way.

He stood in line at a Fonda book signing to diss her. He was quickly removed by security. At least that's the story I heard because his actions won him a glowing spot on Hannity's TV show.

Lawrence said that he had "garbage thrown on me" as a returning vet. I'd really like to know the truth of that.

Lawrence said he was 'sick and tired of this Vietnam stuff thrown in my face.' What the heck does that mean?

Sounds like a Swift Boat Re-Ducks. quack, quack, quack.

edit: didn't notice it, but Lawrence does have a recurring theme of "throwing," doesn't he?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3515536#3518216


dp

who avoided service.

it's been posted before....

The Spitting Image, by Jerry Lembcke debunks all that crap. Just like snopes debunks the story about Fonda handing notes from POWs over to the N Viets and getting the POWs beaten and/or killed.

DarbyUSMC: I was....
M-3-7
MOS 0331

in the SAME article he/she notes:

<snip>
It is also undeniable that some American soldiers came to harm as a direct result of Fonda's actions, an outcome she should reasonably have anticipated.

<snip>
The story about a POW forced to kneel on rocky ground while holding a piece of steel rebar in his outstretched arms is true, though. That account comes from Michael Benge, a civilian advisor captured by the Viet Cong in 1968 and held as a POW for 5 years. His original statement, titled "Shame on Jane," was published in April by the Advocacy and Intelligence Network for POWs and MIAs.

<snip>
Whether the war was right or wrong, those who risked (and gave) their lives fighting it deserve respect, and for Fonda to brand men who were held captive and tortured as "liars" and "hypocrites" (despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary) in order to defend her political views was and is unpardonable.


http://www.snopes.com/military/fonda.asp

my husband was in Nam, he has PTSD now. They don't care who they hurt by dragging up Jane Fonda. To be fair, she was young and IMO did some of this to hurt her father. Typical lashing out, it's no secret in her book that her father was remote. She was honest in wanting to end the war, she really did bring attention to it. The more they build her up, a new generation sees her as worse than she really was.
She became a weapon to be used, so much for forgiveness. And so much for trying to outlive your childhood mistakes. As I might add, most of these people in power, evidently think they have. :eyes:

How many times does this have to be discussed on DU for the "myth-theorists" get it straight??

Read http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1097390&mesg_id=1104246

According to my father, it did happen. Not necessarily to him, but the returning vets DID take a lot of crap from some misguided people. My dad was a Marine, and he was there very early-63-64...something like that.

The "baby-killer" label's one that really sets him off.

He's a Democrat...always has been. Hates the way this country seems to be heading. Doesn't have a beef with Jane Fonda or John Kerry for speaking out against the war. He hung out with the hippies and protester types himself.

If he says some returning soldiers were spit on/verbally assaulted, etc...I see no reason to disbelieve him. I don't think anyone is in the position to positively say it never happened.

Your father didn't, nor did he know anyone that did, he just heard it from someone who heard it from someone who heard it from someone. Much like my own stepfather who now acknowledges that he has never heard a first hand account of anyone that was ever spit on, other than the mythical bull that keeps cropping up.

Perpetuating that lie is no better than perpetuating the lie that John Kerry made up stuff and lied to congress about what he was told by soldiers during the Winter Soldier investigation.

... you'd find it DID happen, not only to me but one or two other DUers.

Read http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=1097390&mesg_id=1104246

There's little question that the numbers of those to which it happened, just like the numbers of people who served in Vietnam, have been inflated by specious claims.

There's probably little question that the characterization of "hippies" is inaccurate. To many guys coming back from 'Nam, anyone dressed in bell-bottoms, flowered shirts, and with long hair (the style for 20-somethings in the late 60's) would've been a "hippie."

But it happened. For me, personally, it was just once. That was enough.

The denial of a reality others faced, no matter how many fewer than claimed, is something I'd expect to see from neoconservatives - people for whom nothing ever happens unless it happens to them - not liberals.

He didn't say he heard from someone who heard it from someone else. He just told me it happened. The subject sets him off already...I'm not going to stick a fork in him to see if he's over-done.

I'm not in the habit of assuming anything is true or false based on anyone's assertions. It COULD well have happened, for all I know. And I doubt you or anyone else can say otherwise with any degree of certainty.

My dad is not in the habit of lying to me. Never has been. Doesn't mean he wasn't misled, of course, but I'm not taking someone else's word for that either.

I can honestly see it happening, however, just because emotions were running high and some of the news stories coming back weren't exactly painting our soldiers in the best light...hence the "baby-killers" appellation.

I am sure some vets were treated badly. I DO have a problem with people blaming ALL liberals or even Jane Fonda for the treatment of those vets.

Nobody is responsible for the spitting but for the spitters.

That said, Fonda DID err and I have stated my public disagreement with her posing with the VC...however, the guy who spit on Fonda is as despicable as ANYONE who spit on a vet...it's all the same..taking disagreement FAR beyond the rational.

I have tried searching the news sources to find out anything about this guy. If he had this much hatred after 30 years, you'd think he'd want his story told. As far as I can tell, no one has interviewed him. (I do NOT know if the press just doesn't want to interview him OR he is avoiding the press for the reasons I stated previously).
I find it strange that a guy after spitting in the face of a 67 year old actress would immediately run away. With that much anger wouldn't he want his story told? Something about this guy strikes me as being phony.

uh, yeah.

just another Swift Boat wannabe.

Maybe he was "in the military" during Vietnam, like * was.

But I would be shocked if he had any military service at all.

hoping someone buy into their hatred.

only in laos & cambodia??????

I got into a heated argument with a co worker about this freakin' war. This right wing bastard had the nerve to ask me if I had served. I told him I had, and told him the years of service (during the Vietnam War)!! I asked him if he had served too, and he replied that he had. Then I turned around and asked another co worker who was siding up with him in the argument, and he said yes too..

Two months later at a meeting, (and we were all present)our boss asked all the veterans to stand up and go to the front for a group photo. I stood there dead center with my veteran brothers staring at these right wing co workers who remained seated..

I just looked up Stolen Valor and a part of one of the reviews somewhat made it seem like this is an anti-left book. So is this an anti-left book, or is it one of those that could be taken either way? Could two people from different parties read the book and think it supports their view?