SwiftVets.com

[Robert Cooper]

SwiftVets,

What you have done is incredible! Now that's what I call leadership! You guys have made me feel alive for the first time in 33 years. You sure got me going! I have been supporting Swift Boat Veterans for Truth by calling in on Radio Talk Shows, e-mailing politically oriented TV programs like Meet the Press, Crossfire, etc - the following is a letter that I wrote to my Congressmen:

The testimonies of the SwiftVets have been publicly disregarded on the basis that they did not serve physically on Kerry's boat (with the exception of Steve Gardner who served directly under Kerry) - however, Kerry did not serve on any of their boats either - yet, in 1971, Congress and the Media didn't restrict his testimony to his own activities and those of his own boat. Rather, they gave him ear as he testified of the alleged activities of those beyond his immediate boat experiences and further allowed him to include testimony based on heresay relating to the activities of all the members of our Armed Forces in Vietnam!

Therefore, based on the standard established by Congress, the Media, and John Kerry himself in 1971 - America's sense of jurisprudence mandates that the testimonies of the SwiftVets should also be allowed the same courtesy by Congress and the Media in regards to their testimonies directly relating to the activities of John Kerry, regardless of whether or not he succeeds to the position of President and Commander In Chief of the U.S. It is a matter of evenhandedness and fairness which sets our Judicial system apart from other other systems in the world. The careless congressional allowance of 1971 is directly responsible for creating the deepest resentment and distrust of practically every veteran of this era, and it is an unwarranted and cruel to refuse to do something , congressionally, that will finally exonerate our Vietnam War Veterans and peel that baseless label "War Criminal" off their foreheads. This has been an ongoing issue for 33 years, and those who have experienced the brunt of John Kerry's 1971 accusations have been repeatedly stifled at each turn, Commander John O'Neill not excluded. Since 1971, Vietnam War Veterans has been due the same courtesy that was extended to John Kerry in 1971 - ie, a fair and equitable hearing.

Furthermore, I would encourage Congress and the Media to also give a fair hearing to POW's who was directly effected by John Kerry's label "War Criminals" which was immediately used by the North Vietnamese to re-classify the American captives and began charging them as "War Criminals" from that point on! An era most perilous and despairing for our POW's - especially when their captors informed them that their own Countrymen had confered that label upon them!

Let 2005, be the year that we regain the confidence and respect of a large population that has been too-long forgotten, maliciously mis-labled and too frequently scorned by the sedated and ungrateful faction of our Nation - The Vietnam War Veteran! Let us be resolved to never demonstrate such careless insensitivity toward our military ever again.

Sincerely,
Bob Cooper, Veteran, U.S. Navy, 1971-1977
Tulsa, OK

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