posted on March 9, 2004 01:47:34 PM
Dear Senator Kerry
Sandra Hartle
March 9, 2003
I have been paying close attention to your campaign, and have listened to almost all of the speeches you have given during the last two or three months. But I have some questions for you because even close attention to what you have to say leaves me less informed than when I started. I have heard you call our president a miserable failure, and imply that his policies are all wrong. What I haven't heard is what you will do differently.
From the little you offer on this subject I get the impression that you want our security to be in the hands of countries other than our own. You say you would form a "real coalition" and make sure that our soldiers are not in harm's way. May I ask you how you intend to do this? It has become obvious to me that nations like France do not care to be part of any coalition, let alone one that puts their cowardly soldiers in harm's way. Despite the fact they sent a few soldiers to Haiti this past week, it appears that we will once again carry the lions share of that problem as well. Is this what you want for our country? Other's making decisions on the safety of our citizens. If so I say no thank you Mr. Kerry. Just the fact that so many in foreign nations want you to succeed scares me to death.
Another question I have for you Senator Kerry is where did you get the information you testified to in front of congress back in the days of the Viet Nam war? Did you witness these events and do nothing yourself to stop them, or was the entire report based on hearsay which would have been tossed out in a court of law? I served in the Army when President Kennedy was in office, and when he was killed. The hard facts of Viet Nam is that he started our presence there, because my first husband and many of his friends were some of the first sent in. They were not the very first sent, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg in the communications facility and I heard the stories told by those who were returning from their first tour of duty there, people who courageously volunteered to go back as soon as they could. Stories of bamboo being cut into razor sharp weapons, and dipped in human feces to ensure maximum pain on those who had the misfortune of receiving a cut from them. Pits in the ground full of these weapons covered with the thick cover of the wet jungle, traps that caused many injuries. Our soldiers that came back for treatment that had burns from their jobs so severe that they were permanently disfigured. And you Senator Kerry spent only four months there, came home on your request after receiving slight wounds according to reports. And while other men were still in the control of the Viet Cong being tortured you led protests against the war, giving the enemy the courage to kill and torture more men than they may have had you just kept quiet. I listened to someone claim you saved his life. Well perhaps you did, because Lawrence O’Donnell angrily claimed on Hardball that you saved his life because he did not have to go thanks to you, but what about the lives you cost? What about all the men that had been captured by the enemy? That were tortured while the enemy told them no one here cared?
My husband served there twice Senator Kerry, he was among some of the first to be sent in, and he like many of his friends volunteered to go back. But then that was at an earlier time, before the politicians started playing games with that war. It was at a time when we actually thought we were protecting our country from affects of communism. But sadly because of people like you communism took hold in this country anyway, and most if not all the anti war protests since Viet Nam are organized by them. When I grew up Mr. Kerry we were told that we were known by the company we kept. My husband never returned from Viet Nam, Senator Kerry, and I blame people like you.
My oldest son served during the time when Saddam Hussein decided to start taking over the Middle East, starting with Kuwait. Yes, I believe if we had not gone in and driven him back, his next stop would have been Saudi Arabia, and then perhaps Iran, as he was intent on having the Arabian continent back under one leadership. Politicians like you who wanted to cut spending on the military to increase social programs, sent these boys into another war with equipment that had not been upgraded since the 60's. And once again the war protestor's were out blocking roads. The same un-kept lot that had appeared in the 60's. And once again they were organized by Communist groups.
Your pundits are attacking the leadership of President Bush, in the most vicious way I have ever witnessed. What happened to having a debate in this country? One that laid all the facts on the table Senator Kerry, including the war record you want us all to be aware of when you campaign, but seem to want to hide the details when they are revealed? What about your voting record in the Senate? Why is it off limits according to your people, do you have something to hide?
Senator Kerry, in case you have forgotten this country and the men in this country have laid down their lives for our freedom more than once. I seriously doubt anyone stood up and told President Roosevelt he could not mention the attack on Pearl Harbor, when he was president. In fact no one stopped President Clinton from giving a speech in front of the Federal Building in Oklahoma when he was running for president in 96. Why is it you and your pundits want to make President Bush look bad for reminding us of the devastation 9-11 did to our country and our economy? Personally Senator Kerry, the last three months of listening to the lies of your spokespeople has made me very afraid. If people want power so much that they would slander in order to achieve it, I have to wonder why.
You keep talking about taking this country back, are you insinuating that Republicans are not Americans as well? Perhaps we want to take the country back from drug dealers, corrupt corporate leadership, and corrupt politicians. After all Senator Kerry, isn't it all the people in this country that either hire or fire those in public service? Personally, after paying close attention to this years campaign, I wonder why anyone would want to be in a public office. If the media isn't castigating the individual, then their opponents are tossing out un-validated accusations, and yes they come from the very top of your campaign organizers. Terry McAuliff has not only called the president a liar, he has also stated he was AWOL, something that is extremely hard to achieve in the National Guard or as a reservist. Since they don't accrue leave in the first place it is very difficult to be Absent without leave. From what I understand your contempt for President Bush's service comes from the fact he served in the National Guard, isn't that who is fighting the current war everywhere in the world?
My second husband also served during the time of the Viet Nam War, Senator Kerry. And like President Bush, although he was in the regular Army, he was never deployed to Viet Nam, in fact thousands were never deployed, because there were jobs that needed to be done here, that were as important as those being done over there. So although I cry for the deaths of all those who never came back, I also understand that every job being done by a serviceman/woman holds equal importance.
Now we are being treated to the news that you are a devout Catholic as well, this is something that has always disturbed me about the Kennedy's, not just you Senator Kerry. How is it you can profess to be a good Catholic yet vote to support organizations that go against the doctrine of your church, killing off our next generation? Additionally, Senator Kerry I would like to see your record on the abuse of the Catholic Priest against young boys in your state. What exactly did you do to make sure this never happens again? Considering your support for gays, don't you find it a bit disturbing that 80% of the molestation cases were young boys ages 10-14? That even insiders in the Catholic Church indicate that this is a problem with rampant homosexuality, and that of the 4% of those who did the molestations, 80% of those were gay? Just what is it you and the Democrats want to take this country back too?
Summing up my concerns Senator Kerry, after listening to the rhetoric for 3 months, I have to wonder why you would come out against the Bush Campaign exposing your voting record, or for that matter your military record. What are you hiding?
Some other things that I am curious about is just how a devout Catholic managed to remove himself from one marriage, and launch himself into a new one? That is, and still consider yourself in good Standing with the Church.
From what I can see your record is far from stellar, and I am old enough to remember when those who served in a position such as the one you are applying for had to have a stellar record to be considered. I guess all that changed when Clinton took office.
The Democrats ran on 'Honesty' and I told 'em at the time they would never get anywhere. It was too radical for politics. The Republicans ran on 'Common Sense' and the returns showed that there were 8 million more people in the United States who had 'Common Sense' enough not to believe that there was 'Honesty' in politics." --Will Rogers
posted on March 9, 2004 03:54:45 PM
Great Letter....I notice there has been no responses to this but I wonder how many viewers you had and were afraid to answer. There are a lot of unanswered questions about Kerry. He talks about taking higher taxes from the rich, does that mean his second wife?. Listening to the democrats they want to give free college education (Dean} Low cost medical. Where do you think all this free and low cost will come from? I know I can't pay more.
posted on March 9, 2004 04:09:06 PM
Given time you can bet that Helen, Prof, Reamond & a few others will blast the author as not knowning what she is talking about.
But she does bring up many very good questions.
The Democrats ran on 'Honesty' and I told 'em at the time they would never get anywhere. It was too radical for politics. The Republicans ran on 'Common Sense' and the returns showed that there were 8 million more people in the United States who had 'Common Sense' enough not to believe that there was 'Honesty' in politics." --Will Rogers
posted on March 9, 2004 05:03:32 PM
OK - I will say that although I know it is outside your ability to consider she is wrong.
She says her husband died protecting our country from communism.
The North Vietnamese were about as likely to ever be a direct threat to this country as Iraq.
Call it ZERO.
These were both wars of world influence and dominion. They were fought to promote political and economic systems NOT to protect the people on our continent from any direct aggression.
Wars to gain a world empire are not what the United States was set up to carry on. People came here for the very reason they didn't want to sacrifice their sons for wars of political ambition. But the poloiticians sitting safe in Washington see a need to spend other people's sons to promote freedom and democracy to people half way around the world who don't give a damn about it and won't shed a drop of their own blood to gain it.
There is no excuse for meddling in all these conflicts that don't mean anything to people here at great cost to build an empire fit for a king instead of a president. Indeed the nation nows seems ready to fight wars more for sport than any neccessity. But then so do our allies. I mean why does Canada even NEED an army? They have a border with the US. Are we going to invade? Could they stop us if we did?
But whenever the US or England has a war they have a 'team' to send along.
"A battalion to Afganistan? Sure we'd be happy to do that. Should we bring the chip dip?"
posted on March 9, 2004 07:18:41 PM
[i] OK - I will say that although I know it is outside your ability to consider she is wrong.
[/i]
And how long did it take you come up with that snappy retort, think it up all by yourself did you? But then all along you bleeding hearts consider an opinion contrary to your own to be the wrong one......
The Democrats ran on 'Honesty' and I told 'em at the time they would never get anywhere. It was too radical for politics. The Republicans ran on 'Common Sense' and the returns showed that there were 8 million more people in the United States who had 'Common Sense' enough not to believe that there was 'Honesty' in politics." --Will Rogers
posted on March 9, 2004 07:47:48 PM
"She says her husband died protecting our country from communism.
The North Vietnamese were about as likely to ever be a direct threat to this country as Iraq.
Call it ZERO.
These were both wars of world influence and dominion. They were fought to promote political and economic systems NOT to protect the people on our continent from any direct aggression."
It was fought, of course, to prevent the communists from overrunning and subjugating Asia as they had done with Eastern Europe. Besides the obvious gains there was the added benefit of isolating the west. Vietnam was simply a line drawn in the sand and the world would be quite a different place if that war had never happened.
posted on March 9, 2004 08:03:23 PM
Put down the remote, turn off Fox news and do a little research. The answer to all of your questions can be found in the On The Topics section of JohnKerry.com. I realize that it is easier to complain than to research but the campaign thoughtfully provided all of Kerry's views on the issues questioned in one handy location. If after reading them, you disagree then so be it but to dismiss because because you are too damn lazy to actually find out is rather pathetic.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
