SwiftVets.com

[MiltonThrasher]

Subject: Wounded Vet Buys Full Page Of Army Times

This gentleman felt so strongly about this that he
paid for a full page ad in the Sept 6th Edition of
the Army Times.

By Dexter Lehtinen, an Army paratrooper and
Ranger, severely wounded in 1971 while a
reconnaissance platoon leader in Vietnam. He later
graduated first in his class from Stanford Law
School and later served as a Florida State Senator
and the United States Attorney in Miami.

Here is his Full Page Advertisement:

John Kerry & Vietnam

THE WOUNDS THAT NEVER HEAL:

In 1971, I awakened after three days of
unconsciousness aboard a hospital ship off the
coast of Vietnam. I could not see, my jaws were
wired shut, and my left cheekbone was missing, a
gaping hole in its place.

Later, while still in that condition at St Albans
Naval Hospital, one of my earliest recollections
was hearing of John Kerry's testimony before
Congress. I remember lying there, in disbelief, as
I learned how Kerry told the world that I served
in an Army reminiscent of Genghis Khan's; that
officers like me routinely let their men plunder
villages and rape villagers at will; that "war
crimes" committed in Vietnam by my fellow soldiers
"were not isolated incidents but crimes committed
on a day-to-day basis with the full awareness of
officers at all levels of command."

Then Kerry went to Paris, meeting with the North
Vietnamese enemy officials, all while our soldiers
still fought in the field. The pain and disbelief
I felt listening to his words went deeper than the
pain I felt from the enemy fire which seriously
wounded my face.

Eighteen months later I was discharged from the
hospital, the wounds inflicted by the enemy fully
healed. But more than 30 years later, the wounds
inflicted by John Kerry continue to bring pain to
scores of Vietnam veterans. Those wounds--the
bearing of false witness against me and a
generation of courageous young Americans who
fought and died in Vietnam--are much more serious
than any wound warranting a Purple Heart. Those
wounds go to the heart and soul. Those wounds
never go away.

Today, my son is a Marine Corps weapons officer,
flying the F/A 18 Hornet. He belongs to the same
Marine Corps Kerry ridiculed with his 1971 book
cover showing protestors simulating the Iwo Jima
Memorial, raising an upside-down American flag. He
flies the same F/A 18 fighter jet that Kerry voted
against in the U. S. Senate. And today, Kerry's
picture hangs in an honored place in Saigon's war
museum, as a hero to the Vietnamese Communists.

Yet, John Kerry shamelessly drapes himself in the
imagery of Vietnam, military service and the
support of veterans devoid of any media scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the criticism and disapproval of Kerry
by scores of veterans continues to fall on deaf
ears. Worse yet, any legitimate criticism of
Kerry's post-war record is discredited as a
"personal" attack or an attack against his
service.

John Kerry is quick to surround himself with a
handful of veterans and claims overwhelming
support from the veteran community. He ignores,
however, the wounds he inflicted on millions of
veterans, and he refuses to sign a waiver to
release his military personal records and medical
records. This is the portrait of a man who has
failed to comes to terms with his treacherous
past.

I, Dexter Lehtinen, paid for this ad personally,
without any connection to other individuals or
groups, because I want the public to know what
John Kerry did to our Vietnam veterans.

Dexter Lehtinen
[Edited by Admin - personal address removed]

http://www.eco.freedom.org/el/20040902/lehtinen.shtml
_________________
I have a great distrust of John Kerry and
want him to answer the Swift Boat Vets for
Truth's challenge to his statements appearing
in his books and speeches. Vote for Bush/Cheney '04. Korean War vet.

[ALMOUNT]

Thanks Milton....Great Post.

I've all ready cut and pasted it into an email to my liberal friends.

Most Democrats do not realize that we all feel just like this man...nor do they care...
_________________
101st Airborne Div.
Vietnam 67-68


http://www.DELTARAIDERS.COM

I killed a six pack....just to watch it DIE

[Hondo]

Any idea how much the ad cost, and if Mr. Lehtinen would allow a group of us to help him fund a second run in mid/late October?
_________________
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse."
-- John Stuart Mill

[lthrneck]

Count me in $$$.
_________________
"Old Breed, New Breed, There's not a DAMM bit of
difference so long as it's the MARINE Breed"
- Lt. Gen Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller

Semper fi
uuurah
Carry On!!

[gocars]

That is a great post! I especially like the idea of a second run of that ad....good thinking Hondo. I will see if I can contact my Ranger brother and check-out the feasibility of re-running the ad and what the cost would be.

gocars
101st Airborne
'Nam 67-70
U.S. Army Rangers Lead the Way!

[gocars]

Found out that Dexter's wife, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a U.S. Congresswoman from the 18th district in Florida.

Still trying to contact Dexter but I'm having a hard time obtaining information. I've been told that he is receiving threats because of the ad and that is why no one close to him is releasing any details. Is there someone who has access to a Miami phonebook and might be able to obtain his office phone number? If someone obtains his number, don't post it in the forum, but contact me directly through the forum email box or through my email address (as follows:).

And to the pussnuts who are threatening him: Why don't you contact me at sales@swmicropublishing.com and we can arrange to meet..... anytime, anywhere you motherf*****s!

gocars
101st Airborne
'Nam 67-70
U.S. Army Rangers Lead the Way!

[Hondo]

If it's a go, count me in. I'll kick in some $$$ for a repeat if he's willing.
_________________
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse."
-- John Stuart Mill

[Hondo]

A second thought: perhaps we could get word/instructions how to PM someone here for coordination if he's worried about the risks of phone/direct contact?
_________________
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse."
-- John Stuart Mill

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

[Hondo]

Tisk, tisk.

EJ, aren't you afraid one of the admins will ban you if you keep that up?
_________________
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse."
-- John Stuart Mill

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Sorry, my evil twin sneaks out of the garrett and takes control of the keyboard every now and then.

Anyone who s***ws around with these honorable vets deserves the utter and complete contempt of us all.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[lthrneck]

Why Echo Juliet.... wash your mouth out.
ps Didn't you delete one of my posts just cause I said Killem all.
_________________
"Old Breed, New Breed, There's not a DAMM bit of
difference so long as it's the MARINE Breed"
- Lt. Gen Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller

Semper fi
uuurah
Carry On!!

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

I washed my hands, instead. Izzat good enuff?

Advocating no violence, here - just complete and total disdain for anyone who s***ws with Dexter Lehtinen. Friggin' cowards.
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[gocars]

Remind me never to get sideways with you Echo Juliet. My RI in Ranger school taught me the niceties of expressing myself that way but I've started to taper-off in my old age!

Like I've said before "Let Kerry and his Muslim buddies, and now those that threaten Dexter, eat ham and motherf*****s", (for you Navy, AF, and Marine types, that's what we used to call Ham and Lima bean c-rations).

gocars
101st Airborne
'Nam 67-70
U.S. Army Rangers Lead the Way!

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Well, they don't allow women to go to Curmudgeon training until they're 40, so I'm just making up for lost time.

And I remember my dad having nicknames for the c-rats like that!

Crunchy lima beans and "mystery meat." Yum!
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother