Rolling Thunder on the Mall
 

Man, I just caught the Smithsonian's piece on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 25years later. I really liked the part about the Memorial Day ride started by those cats from Wisconsin. It's been 30+ years since I moved back to Ca. from the D.C. area. Hopefully, one day I'll be able to make the trip back and pay my respects.

The only beef that I have is that the war protester's are portrayed as having animosity towards the returning vets. I never saw any of that. There was rage against the conduct of the politicos in charge and the corporations profiteering on it. Never against the men and women in uniform.

I'm not sayin' that there weren't some isolated incidences of disrespect but I guarantee that had I witnessed any such conduct the offender would've been picking up their teeth. In the anti-war movement that I experienced there was none of this shit. A few fucking wack jobs screaming baby killer did not represent the overwhelming sentiment of the anti war movement, not in the least.

In 1986 I had a woman in San Diego tell me I should be "ashamed" of myself for "glorifying war".

I was wearing a T-Shirt that said;

American Naval Invasion
July 22, 1985
Hotel Criterion
Perth, W. Australia

My reply;

"You're right. It was a horrific scene. Empty beer bottles and panties everywhere. Clothes strewn all over the room. People groaning, body fluids leaking out. (Looks up at ceiling of bus, shaking fists and screaming.) MY GOD, WHERE IS THE HUMANITY??!!!"

(Followed by a moment of total silence, then chuckling.)

Dave

Seriously, my brother (Veteran) said he did experience some mild disrespect. But, no one ever spit on him or anything that extreme. I was too young for Vietnam. Now, he lives right next door to Kent State University (Where the shootings took place.) and takes classes there. Sometimes does volunteer tutoring work as he is a retired engineer and possess multiple degrees.

Dave

She didn't know the difference between wars and whores?

Chas

I guess she was confused by that bloody war we had with Australia in '85.

Dave

And the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor.:rolleyes:

<rimshot>!!

I would imagine that the sight of an American carrier with 5,000 soon to be drunken swabbies armed with fists full of yankee dollars pleased the Aussies to no end.

Damned ugly Americans. Nobody would put up with us if we didn't pay them to.

Chas

:D There's a story about a boatload of GIs shipping into Australia to protect them during WW2. They were disembarking and there were Aussie soldiers passing them on the quay heading for a ship to New Guinea. Some GI made a comment ,"Oh don't worry boys we'll take good care of your girlfriends!" Started a riot right there on the dock that took every MP in port to put a stop to.:D Dang ungrateful of 'em.:D

Wasn't New Guinea discovered by the Italians?

Chas