Veteran's Day

I would like to dedicate this Veteran's Day post to Senator John McCain who deserves recognition for his incredible personal sacrifices in service to this nation. I haven't read his book yet, but I hope to do that in the near future.

When Vietnam and the protests were happening, I was too young to have much awareness of it. Based on what I learned about Vietnam during my impressionable years, I always felt bad for the Vietnam vets for being mistreated and left out because they had been in an unpopular war. One TV show that became very popular was China Beach. I don't know whether people who had been in Vietnam thought it was a good show or not, but I liked it because it humanized a war that had been dehumanized.

When the First Gulf War happened, I was glued to the TV because my cousin was there. I am sure I would have watched anyway, but the experience has to be more intense when friends or family members are there. It was considered a "glamorous" war, and it did restore some confidence that had been lost. That was a defining moment for me in starting to put Vietnam into perspective. Suddenly, the Vietnam vets were not left out. They were part of a long tradition of people who had made great sacrifices in service to this country. A tradition that was still needed. Their experience had not gone to waste. With the fatalistic attitudes at the end of the Cold War and the actual end of the Cold War, I think many lost sight of that. Many, including me, thought the nuclear weapons had made war obsolete. Now that we know otherwise, the Vietnam experience has a renewed purpose. Everything that we have learned in all wars is available for present and future use whenever we should need it. That perspective is even more significant now with the War on Terror.

Over the years, I have run into Vietnam vets and I have always wanted to say something to them about it. I wanted to ask them if they were okay and whether they ever had help putting it into perspective. I also wanted to tell them that I felt bad about how they were treated. I have never been able to get the words out because I did not want to open up any old wounds unexpectedly. Maybe that was for the best. Based on what I have read on blogs the past few years, I am sure that many veterans would laugh that it took so long for me to have that stunning revelation during the first Gulf War. In my own defense, I will say that some people still haven't figured it out yet.

I don't know what kind of support the Vietnam vets received from other veterans, but I hope that they took care of them. I am still wondering if there is anything that stupid civilians can do to be helpful to them.

Belated Reflections On A Historic Election

I am an independent voter and not affiliated with any political party.

Although I put in a pro-Iraq vote for McCain, I am able to appreciate that electing our first African-American President is a very meaningful and significant accomplishment for our nation. I was very touched by what African-Americans had to say about what this meant to them. They have made substantial progress in overcoming adversity, and one man expressed hope that this election would inspire those who have yet to overcome. He said, "No more excuses."

I am sure viewing this nation from an expanded perspective will be a transformative experience for President-Elect Barack Obama. I wish him well with it. And I wish his lovely family well, too. I am still concerned about what will happen with the War on Terror and hope that the Democrats will overcome their naivete about the nature of this threat.

Welcome to The American Dream. Congratulations!