I am offended by David Sirota’s opinion and discounting of our experiences as Vietnam veterans. [“Legend of the spat-upon veteran,” Opinion, June 4.] While not every Vietnam veteran was maligned when returning home, the all-pervasive atmosphere, along with actual experiences, are not fable, they are true and real.
As an Army nurse returning from Vietnam in 1968, our entire planeload of veterans were held on the plane for two hours until it was safe for us to go into Travis Air Force Base. We were told to take our uniforms off after leaving the airport.
I was also in uniform in Washington, D.C., and had eggs thrown at me by protesters. No matter that I did not agree with the war, I still deserved respect for my service.
Contrary to what Sirota wrote, President Obama’s Memorial Day speech was very moving for me, brought me to tears and it was very healing to hear his words. While I do not speak for any of my brother or sister veterans, I trust others were moved and felt some healing as well.
So, Mr. Sirota, “I found your opinion piece cold and unfeeling. Not a way to honor veterans on Memorial Day!”
— Sarah L. Blum, Auburn
Arrogant, ignorant lecture
Far-leftie David Sirota burns me up. He wasn’t even born before the Vietnam War was over and he never served a day in uniform. But he arrogantly lectures us about how military people were treated during that time, and he claims to know what’s inside President Obama’s head.
I served during that time. I believe the president was simply honoring veterans who were consistently ignored (or worse). I was never personally spat upon, but I saw a few spitting and egg-throwing incidents and I know vets who were similarly dishonored. I was called “baby killer” more than once while in uniform, even though I was never sent to Vietnam. I saw people snubbed socially when they acknowledged their military service.
Sirota says we shouldn’t believe these events were widespread. The truth is that vets don’t like to talk about this stuff and news cameras didn’t happen to be at an airport gate or bus station at the right time (it may be news to Sirota that nobody had camera phones back then).
Sirota also conveniently ignores the fact that although a majority of Americans didn’t actively dishonor Vietnam-era vets, those who did were mainly leftists — like himself — who held those in uniform responsible for a flawed American foreign policy.
Oh, wait. I think President Obama said, “You were often blamed for a war you didn’t start.” That’s not “militarism.” It’s acknowledgment of dedicated service during an unpopular war.
— Phillip Johnson, Seattle
Revisionist history
I hope you have been reading the comments attached to David Sirota’s attempt at revisionist history. Fellow Vietnam veterans like myself have posted comments documenting that such events did occur, contrary to the “myth” Sirota is trying to sell.
It is clear that the anti-war crowd was upset by the comments President Obama made at the Vietnam War Memorial on Memorial Day. So those like Sirota have embarked on a mission to yet again paint those of us who served as dishonorable soldiers who lied about our painful experiences when we came home to a ungrateful nation to somehow promote the war machine and silence opposition to our current conflicts. None of us who fought in Vietnam desire war and the carnage that comes with it.
His attempt only pours more salt into old wounds. It is painfully clear that many of the comments posted are still disrespectful of our service and those who made the ultimate sacrifice when our nation called. Little has changed in more than 40 years.
— Roger Young, Seattle
http://seattletimes.com/html/northwestvoices/2018361896_sirotalets06.html
