Distorting Obama, Demeaning The Vets

I come a little late to this, but it really burns my Vietnam veteran ass about how Barack Obama's remarks on returning Viet vets have been intentionally distorted.

This is what Obama said:

"One of the saddest episodes in our history was the degree to which returning vets from Vietnam were shunned, demonized and neglected by some because they served in an unpopular war. Too many of those who opposed the war in Vietnam chose to blame not only the leaders who ordered the mission, but the young men who simply answered their country's call. Four decades later, the sting of that injustice is a wound that has never fully healed, and one that should never be repeated."

But some bloggers went to considerable lengths to maliciously distort those remarks, including the all wise Jeralyn at Talk Left:

"In other words, Obama intends to battle the war-hero McCain by throwing us under the bus."

Hello?

Jeralyn took especial umbrage at Obama's description of these vets as "young men who simply answered their country's call" because most were drafted. Yes indeed.

Are we to infer from her snarky observation that once in Vietnam these young men should have laid around their hootches all day listening to Jimi Hendrix, smoking opium and plotting how to frag their platoon leader instead of fighting gallantly, as the overwhelming majority did, despite being dealt a bad hand in a lousy war.

And are some of us feeling just a little put out over Hillary Clinton's crash and burn?

Photograph by Patrick Hagopian