SwiftVets.com

[factman]

In 1986 a book"The Vietnam Experience-A War Remembered" was published by Boston Publishing. The book contained a series of contributory articles by Vietnam veterans, among them, the then Senator John Forbes Kerry. Kerry's article was six pages long ( pages 112 to 117).

At that time, 1986, we all now know that John Forbes Kerry had thousands of pictures of himself in Vietnam, as well as hours of movie film. From this vast array of photographs he could make a choice as to which ones he would use to accompany his article. He chose, what he must have sincerly felt were the four that would best illustrate his take on on the war to be remembered.

I don't have the ability to put the four photos in this post, so you will have to visualize the photos, as I list the captions for each in the order they appear in the article:

Photo #1- With Lt. Kerry's PCF in the lead, a line of boats sets out on a patrol through the Ca Mau Peninsula, February 1969.

Photo #2- Testifying before Congress, April 1971. "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

Photo #3- Kerry announces the decision of the veterans to defy a Supreme Court order banishing them from sleeping on the Mall during Operation Dewey Canyon III, April 1971.

Photo #4- A Vietnam veteran throws his medal on the steps of the Capitol during Operation Dewey Canyon III

Do you see anything out of place here. Vietnam veterans were asked to write articles about their experiences in the Vietnam War and John Forbes Kerry selects three out of the four pictures in his article to highlight his antiwar activities. This is a clear indication of his priorities and sentiments as they relate to the Vietnam War.

Comment on Photo #3: The photo shows a smiling and enthusiastic Kerry reading from a sheet of paper and standing in front of a bank of microphones. Now ask yourself, why he is smiling and enthusiastic? He is smiling and enthusiastic because, as a leader of a group of veterans, he has the opportunity to be able to announce that they are about to defy a Supreme Court order.

What is equally astounding is that in 1986 when Kerry wrote this article he was a U.S. senator, had a law degree, spent three years as an assistant district attorney, and two years as lieutenant governor of Massachusetts. Yet he still selects a photo that condones defying a Supreme Cort order. John Forbes Kerry in 1986 was hardly a young, impressionable man.

[Tom Poole]

[stylin19]

Plus, re: photo #3, it turns out, HE didn't sleep on the the mall.
_________________
U.S.M.C. - 1969-1971
RVN- 1970-1971

[srmorton]

As the old adage says, actions do indeed speak louder than words.
When he said at the DNC that he "served his country as a young
man" and he would do the same as CinC, his actions in 1986 show
what part of his service he believes to be the most important.
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Susan R. Morton