SwiftVets.com

[JK]

Delegate Wears 'Purple Heart' Bandages

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - A GOP delegate handed out bandages with purple hearts on them Monday night at the Republican National Convention in a swipe at Democratic nominee John Kerry (news - web sites)'s war record, but national GOP officials have asked him to stop.

The bandages were handed out by Morton Blackwell, a longtime GOP activist from Virginia, with the message: "It was just a self-inflicted scratch, but you see I got a Purple Heart for it."

Kerry won three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a bronze star for his service in the Vietnam War. A group calling itself Swift Boat Veterans for Truth has been attacking Kerry as a liar through campaign ads and media interviews, but Kerry's wartime experiences have been backed by crewmates and official records.

"It is inexcusable for a delegate to mock anyone who has ever put on a soldier's uniform," said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe. "It is inexcusable to mock service and sacrifice."

Blackwell, who gave out almost 250 of the bandages, said Vietnam veterans have every right to be angry about anti-war comments Kerry made after returning to this country.

GOP Chairman Ed Gillespie spoke to Blackwell and they agreed that he would not distribute the bandages Tuesday night," said Republican spokesman Jim Dyke. "This was not a party activity, but he was acting as an individual."

[cipher]

He'll be lucky if the feds don't put him in jail. It is a major no-no to use the image or likeness of military awards and decorations without express authorization.

Generally, there is some latitude given, especially for the lower orders (such as making a bumper sticker with the likeness of the VSM). However, any of the valor awards or Purple Heart are considered "Off-Limits" without authorization. For example, Purple Heart state license plates, etc. The authorization to use them has the criteria that must be met for the state to issue them, and the likeness must be approved and in compliance with accepted designs.

In NO case would a Purple Heart bandage be authorized. It would never happen.
_________________
USMC 69-72, 7th Comm, 3rd MarDiv, FMFPAC
US Army 75-79, 97th Sig, SHAPE, NATO
Arkansas National Guard 79
Defense contractor for US Navy, SSPO, SP-20, SP-24, OP-12 84-92

[producehawk]

I want one

[SF]

Interesting regulation about the medals/awards. I think any arrest could be successfully challenged on free speech grounds, though, particularly since there wasn't any commercial gain. (Of course, I haven't read the rules or any case law, and I'm not a lawyer!) In any case, maybe the bandages had the valentine type heart on them colored in purple, in which case the Armed Services surely couldn't object as it wouldn't be a likeness.

[GenrXr]

Hmpf, You can kill a baby in the womb and its a fetus, yet you can drive your car into a woman and kill her "fetus" and its vehicular manslaughter. You can burn the flag and desecrate religous symbols as long as they are symbols of a imperialist nation or christian, and it is free speech?. How can our country still honor those medals when we no longer honor our ancestorial heritage of honor and tradition. Thing is people that honor and respect medals are the people that love and respect our countries ancestory and tradition.
_________________
"An activist is the person who cleans up the water, not the one claiming its dirty."
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing." Edmund Burke (1729-1797), Founder of Conservative Philosophy

[Belisaurius]

[Truthseeker1]

Quote:
"It is inexcusable for a delegate to mock anyone who has ever put on a soldier's uniform," said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe. "It is inexcusable to mock service and sacrifice."

McCauliffe is the one who started trashing Bush over his National Guard service, even though Bush got an honorable discharge. So, like a typical liberal, McCauliffe thinks it's Ok for HIM to mock Bush (who "has put on a soldier's uniform"), but not for GOP delegates to mock John Kerry, a self-proclaimed "war hero." Same old liberal tactics: Criticize someone else for doing the exact same thing you've been doing, and then get all self-righteous about it. I'm glad the GOP stopped the guy from handing out the band-aids with the purple hearts because I think it gives the Democrats an excuse to WHINE (not that they NEED one nowadays). But you HAVE to admit, the band aids were kinda funny...

[greasepaint]

Perhaps some kind soul could post the internet link
to the 'Will Lester - AP ' story.

[Son Of The Godfather]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4462924,00.html

Here's one place.

SOTG
_________________
"Which candidate would enemies of the United States prefer to see in the White House?"

[greasepaint]

>"It is inexcusable for a delegate to mock anyone who has ever put on a soldier's uniform," said Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe. "It is inexcusable to mock service and sacrifice." <
.
This is outrageous.
The cover of Kerry's book, 'The New Soldier',
mocks the service and sacrifice of the Marines
who fought on Iwo Jima.

[FredRum]

[rb325th]

Personaly I think what the delegate did served only to feed fodder to the left and kerry apologist.
I have to admit, I have laughed at the "Purple Owie" parodies, but I know quite a few guys who earned their Purple Hearts the hard way and carry around visible scars and missing parts to show for it. Wich tempers any humor I may see in the use of images of PH, even when used to chide Kerrry on his unearned "I put in for it myself, after being turned down for it before" first PH.
I do not appreciate the Hypocrocy of the left (McCauliffe) on this subject, he has slammed Veterans himself and their Honor without having served himself.
_________________
U.S. Army 1983-1995, 11C1P/11H2P NBTDT

[lucky]

Lighten up people. It is a joke. And I for one thinks its funny as all get out.
_________________
life is great

[NortonPete]

Is there any law or regulation against disgracing a medal?

How about throwing them into the dirt in a public display ?

What if that individual was still in the service at the time?

[lrb111]