In the latest effort to further divert the voting public's focus on the issues, former Republican Sen. Bob Dole, has jumped on the Kerry firing squad bandwagon, highlighting Kerry's criticism of the Vietnam War.
Dole is now suggesting that Kerry make a formal apology to the Vietnam vets for openly criticizing the unjust, and inhumane acts committed against civilians during the war by American soldiers.
Dole:
"One day he's saying that we were shooting civilians, cutting off their ears, cutting off their heads, throwing away his medals or his ribbons. The next day he's standing there, 'I want to be president because I'm a Vietnam veteran.'"
"And here's, you know, a good guy, a good friend. I respect his record. But three Purple Hearts and never bled that I know of. I mean, they're all superficial wounds. Three Purple Hearts and you're out."
I not only don't care about the comments Kerry made about the Vietnam decades ago, I don't believe it relates to what his perspectives on the issues are today.
Are we shallow and gullible enough to believe that people's political opinions however noble or disgraceful, whatever their political party, can't change decades later?
I also take issue with the onslaught of McCarthy-ist persecussion that's sloppily tossed about everytime someone openly critiques any political issue or figure worth analysis. How the hell else can we, as the voting public, shape our own ideas about how and by whom this country should be run?
Debating the issues should not only happen during presidential campaigns, it should take place all the time and given a proper platform and vehicle for transmission, which we all know isn't supported by corporated media outlets.
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