SwiftVets.com

[fortdixlover]

As a former academic faculty member, I hate to say it, but the collaboration of academia leftism with media leftism (and academic production of media leftists) is one strong root of the Misappropriation of Honor, humiliation, and deaths from war prolongation suffered by the Vietnam Vets. (The other is the exploitation of the above and of useful idiots like Kerry by the communists.)

Here's a prime opportunity to begin the reform process.

A Columbia Univ. professor of "journalism and sociology", Todd Gitlin, wrote the following screed that appeared in today's Phila. Inquirer. This is the same school and, I think, department in which another member called for "A MILLION MOGADISHUS!!!!"

Most disgusting in the article are these little gems: "Bush would have been a one-term nonentity president had it not been for Osama bin Laden's exploitations of American weakness - not least President Bush's cavalier refusal to take al-Qaeda seriously in the months before Sept. 11, 2001. ... In John Kerry, the Democrats found their best available opponent: substantial, intelligent, without major enemies, and less vulnerable to the wimp-out charge than any other plausible Democrat."

Unbelievable.

Emails to Gitlin and his Dean and to the President of Columbia from the SwiftVet readership on the misinformation, distortions, frauds, defamations, crazy assumptions, etc. would be a good start.

Todd Gitlin - tg2058@columbia.edu

Peter Bearman - Chair of the Department of Sociology - psb17@columbia.edu

Nicholas Lemann - Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism - nick@jrn.columbia.edu

David A. Klatell - Vice Dean, Graduate School of Journalism - dak25@columbia.edu

it's high time we didn't put up with this journalistic malpractice and malfeasance any more. Hearing from the SwiftVet readers would be a good start at letting these academic frauds know their ability to promote their antiamerican, leftist agendas is coming to a close.

The article follows:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/10103032.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Bush played it to the hilt

Todd Gitlin

is a professor of journalism and sociology at Columbia University

The story of the campaign is that the Democrats played a bad hand well - not perfectly, but, as Donald Rumsfeld full knows, stuff happens - while, in the end, Republicans played a good hand better.

Bush would have been a one-term nonentity president had it not been for Osama bin Laden's exploitations of American weakness - not least President Bush's cavalier refusal to take al-Qaeda seriously in the months before Sept. 11, 2001. Bin Laden and his squad of mass murderers presented Bush with the opportunity to transform himself into a sort of war president, an opportunity Bush proceeded to exploit to the hilt by launching a bait-and-switch war. Why wouldn't he? Embattlement was his strong - perhaps his only - suit.

His presidency found a motif: Be very afraid. The wolf pack is coming. Don't change horses in mid-apocalypse.

Bush and his handlers knew what rulers have known since the dawn of time: Fear is a mighty cement. Fear makes strong men (especially men) craven and paradoxically trusting. Fear makes them want to surrender their judgment to the man who reads them sunny children's stories and (after first launching one just and sensible war) thrashes about with mindless revenge when frightened, clueless citizens don't know what else in the world to do.

In John Kerry, the Democrats found their best available opponent: substantial, intelligent, without major enemies, and less vulnerable to the wimp-out charge than any other plausible Democrat. Ex-Lt. Kerry, "reporting for duty," seemed armored against Bush's strength. Seemed.

Over the long months, Bush proceeded to undercut Bush. His colossal tax cuts mocked cardinal principles of fiscal conservatism. His belligerence, mendacity and incompetence in Iraq frightened not only Democrats but also independents and some Republicans. His vindictiveness in office troubled moderates.

But Bush had two advantages Kerry could never undercut. One was his readiness to serve as chief crusader in the culture war. He deftly exploited the Massachusetts court's gay-marriage decision by coming forward with a constitutional amendment. His supporters stepped up to deploy the Swift boat deception to undermine Kerry's Vietnam war record - the heart of the challenger's strength. He and his subterranean squads were willing to go low and then lower.

The second was the gullibility and deference of the mainstream media, which while poking away - usually late - at one or another administration lie, deception, and secret, were always reduced to playing catch-up. The ostensibly responsible media permitted the Swift boat hucksters to run away with the campaign for the entire month of August. Dots of administration corruption went unconnected.

Meanwhile, the Democrats and their organizational allies charged forward with a scheme to maximize strength. They would register, inflame and mobilize as never before. They would overcome sectorial differences. They would permit the hated Bush and the specter of four more right-wing years to bring them together.

And in the end, it must be said, the Democrats did all that - did it thoroughly and well. They were idealists, they were realists. They knew when to get excited about the antiwar archangel Howard Dean coming in out of left field, and they knew when to discard him in favor of a rival more plausibly electable.

They poured staggering sums into an unprecedented effort to build up a vote-getting infrastructure. They pounced on the Internet. They poured thousands of organizers into the battleground states and turned out millions of new voters. Their acumen, discipline and effort were evident nowhere more than in Pennsylvania, where the Democrats were able to improve on their 2000 margin of victory.

But the limits of all this come-from-behind savvy are equally evident in the Republican victory in Ohio. The Republicans knew how to panic a few million extra voters into the barely conscious thought that their whole way of life - their marriages, their military, even their guns and their Bible - would be under assault if John Kerry won. Where the left mobilized Moveon.org and Americans Coming Together, the right, with less fanfare, turned out the National Rifle Association and the elephant's share of the evangelical churches.

If no evidence materializes that the Republicans actually hacked themselves to an unearned victory using electromagnets or some other voting-machine wizardry, I see no other conclusion than that, in a panicky country, doing well wasn't good enough.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Todd Gitlin (tg2058@columbia.edu) is author most recently of "Letters to a Young Activist."
_________________
"Millions For Defense, Not One Cent For Tribute" - Thomas Jefferson on paying ransom to Muslim corsairs (pirates).

[Anker-Klanker]

When I read this kind of fantasy I don't know whether to cry or to rejoice. It's really sad (pathetic really) that this is evidence of the rot in journalism schools and the MSM, and that so many of the so-called progressives really think this way. On the other hand, as long as they remain this delusional, I don't think they can ever win.

[xeniadif]

I am not the most eloquent writer but I did send e-mails to all of your links. I agree with you that we have to start now and respond as soon as possible whenever their are untruths written.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

There is untold intellectual wealth at this web site:
http://www.i-served.com/MagruderArticlesIndex.html

Vietnam Veterans for Academic Reform
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[DaveL]

It is thinking like that in those stories which reinforces why it is so important that Kerry be fully exposed as the fraud and traitor that he is. This country has been saved from the great tragedy that a Kerry presidency would have been...unfortunately, about half the country doesn't believe it yet! When these people come to realize the choice they actually faced on Nov. 2, I trust that the MSM will at least be forced to "shut up" (certainly no apology expected), and this will help all Americans to move forward together under the leadership of President Bush.

[fortdixlover]

[msindependent]

Do parents know this is what they are paying for?

[xeniadif]

http://www.i-served.com/MagruderArticlesIndex.html


Wow! Thank you Navy..Navy...Navy!

I think I will be spending a lot of time over there...hopefully I can help in some way.

I will still be watching and learning from this site. Funny how i come here to learn the truth before I ever turn on the t.v.

[fastrock]

That is an awesome website Navy. it appears to be a new website, does the founder update often. Hope he's ready for some hits, i'm sending to my Bushie maillist.
_________________
"It is never right to do wrong, even if sanctioned by law" Abe Lincoln
The Last True Cruiser
www.usslongbeach-assoc.org

[Stevie]

good grief! does he get paid by the word ? I could have said about the same thing in about 1/6 the space and words.... or less...

No wonder it costs so much to go there! They charge tuition by the word?

ok, will get on it! go to it soldiers! it's our mission!

Sad they are framing the minds of some of our young people....

and there are those that are grounded enough not to fall for it -

I'll never think of a graduate from there the same again..... from now on, I'll pity the poor souls ! Thnk that is what I will tell them....
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[Stevie]

Thanks Navy ! How wonderful! there is HOPE! for our young people!

that is a wonderful site! for sore eyes!
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

I have BARELY begun to scratch the surface - someone mentioned it here a couple of months ago, and then Lew Waters reminded me of it again, last night.

It's a treasure-trove, for sure.

And there's another site - darn it, I can't find it at the moment. But, during the DNC, there was a three-day symposium held on the myths of the Vietnam war - they had started putting up transcripts of the different speakers last time I checked - maybe someone else has it handy?

Haven't had time to read it, either! (I'm so far behind!!! )

Definitely worth searching for.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Me#1You#10]

Here it is NNN...

http://www.viet-myths.net/

[Stevie]

Here's another mission! I sent my email.... part way done with the email for here....


in case you missed it on the topic column.... it hasn't got much traffic!

needs email help !!!! RE: STOLEN HONOR
http://www2.swiftvets.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16400
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[WebTalk]