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Post by ReneeW on Jun 8, 2012 10:43:28 GMT -6
Saw this in today's Star Tribune. It contends that the Vietnam-era belief (that is still strong today) that soldiers returning home were spat upon is baloney. The few times it did actually happen were extremely rare and is only talked about today as if it had been a widespread, unpatriotic, abasing act is so that people today who want to question the war will be be afraid to speak out and stay silent. I thought it was very thought provoking and a good read. Here's a link: www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/157945515.html |
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Post by sarahisis on Jun 8, 2012 11:17:05 GMT -6
My uncle is a deceased Vietnam Vet... He served two tours and def. was "spat" upon when he got back home. He had Agent Orange.. developed skin cancer, liver cancer from alcohol abuse brought on by PTSD and suffered from severe psychosis from what we think he witnessed and was never offered the help he needed.
I think more of that era suffered through this... there is a lot more support for our troops overall with this war.
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Post by ReneeW on Jun 8, 2012 11:21:03 GMT -6
Thanks Isis! I thought it was an interesting read and of course want to hear others' thoughts on it as well. There's no doubt in my mind of the validity of the really horrible things our soldiers, both past and present, go through during their years of service. And also the challenges they face upon returning home (PTSD, struggles to find work, I've even read about some whose homes are foreclosed upon while they're deployed, it's unbelievable). I fully support our soldiers and also the public's right to love our soldiers and hate being at war. Again, I thought it was thought-provoking and had never heard the statistics cited that the author of the op ed mentioned.
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Post by sarahisis on Jun 8, 2012 11:23:10 GMT -6
that book that was written... 'The Spitting image' by Jerry Lembke sounds like it may be a good read. I'll have to look into it.
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Post by lilmermaid on Jun 10, 2012 18:15:24 GMT -6
Interesting. My Dad is a Vietnam Vet, has PTSD and takes sleeping pills to avoid horrific nightmares of what he experienced over there. It's a daily battle for him.
I really have to wonder how truthful those soldiers were due to the many battles they have faced when they returned and the repressed memories of that time.
Thanks for sharing!
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