Subject: Political Perspective and Historical Record
June 30, 2004
Kerry, who was quite well off volunteered to go to Vietnam! A vast majority of his rich and almost rich peers did not. Bush did not want to go to Vietnam and obviously did not want to go to his National Guard duty either. I believe Kerry received 3 Purple Hearts along with a Silver and Bronze Star. There is plenty of contemporaneous testimony to his bravery. Are there people who carp about his medals, and complain about the so-called “real” stories behind them? Yes! But Kerry had the guts to come home and complain about the war, not bask in the glory of his class adorned with his “red badge of honor.” For that effort he engendered the enmity of Vietnam apologists for all of time. Was his Congressional testimony completely correct or was it the reflection of a whole generation jaded with the invented rationale regarding the whole intervention? Personally, I know little or nothing regarding his motives, during those days, in front of Congress 33 years ago. All I know is that he volunteered, when he could have easily got his “pass.” All I know is that he was highly decorated, above and beyond 99% of all of the 6 million heroes that served.
Personally we all have a tendency of romanticizing war and probably we shouldn't. When you see the dead and wounded on both sides it “ain't” pretty. Michael Moore, by the way, is on screen for about 10 minutes. The picture is not about Moore at all. He focuses on the subject of George W. Bush, the Bush family, and their connections, and I believe, their motivations. Saudi Arabia is at the core of the problem that plagues the Middle East. They are really the problem, though they make Israel and our western culture out to be the bogeymen. From the days of Herzl, Israel scratched its way upward from the degradation of Europe. They bought barren land, established kibbutz cooperatives, settlements, villages, towns and cities; i.e., Tel Aviv. They were industrious, charitable and in most cases quite generous to their neighbors. Their willingness to accept compromise was evidenced by their agreement with the original partition. The Arab world has never accepted any compromise, period. In regards to the probable fate of Saudi Arabia, the Bin Ladens and the House of Saud will eventually be destroyed in the same way as the Shah fell. Will their heirs or successors be better? I doubt it! Certainly the chances are that those who follow will be more like Lenin and Robespierre, and a lot less like George Washington.
After almost 60 years of struggle, death, mayhem and hatred, Israel, like any other modern state has become jaded with the “so-called” peace process, and looks to protect its people and interests in the best way it can.
Moore's film is a creation of what cinematic art is about. It takes and shapes imagery into a message. I believe the bottom line regarding that message is the incompetent danger of George Bush. One thing for sure is that normal people flocked to the theater, and were moved to a standing ovation. It reinforced in them the sanctity of their cause to rid us of George Bush. I did not need to see Fahrenheit 9/11 or any other film to tell me that George Bush is a disaster!