A Purple Heart

[gopiscrap]

Donald Trump: go to hell!!!

My father served in World War II, Korea AND Vietnam. In 1964 when the war was was still young in Vietnam my father was shot by a North Vietnamese sniper and died as a result of that shooting. He was awarded a purple heart.

Believe me, I wasn't even the one shot and the pain was enormous. I am what is considered collateral damage, the child of a deceased war veteran.

I was seven when he died 6 days before Christmas of that year.

I was 16 when I got my drivers license with out a father to encourage and help[

I was 17 when I graduated with out a father to watch that happen

I was 22 when I got married with only one parent in attendance

I was 26 when his first grand child was born, one who he would never see.

I was 50 when his first great grand child was born.

All my life as a child I saw others go with their fathers fishing, to ball games, etc and I wondered what that was like!

Donald Trump your grubby small hands shouldn't ever get near a purple heart!

[texanwitch]

1. I have my Grandfather's purple heart from WWI.

I took it out to look at again.

My Grandfather came close to not making it back home.

I know what a purple heart means.

Thank you for your Father's service to our country.

[gopiscrap]

2. Please don't thank me

I didn't give my life, just reaped the consequences of his service. Thank all those who died for justice and peace on our behalf!

[texanwitch]

3. I know your Father would be proud of you.

My Father came back WWII.

My brothers from Vietnam.

Bless all men and women who have served our country.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

4. Wow....amazing post...and absolutely touching G !! I am so sad for you. nt

[gopiscrap]

5. Thank you don't be sad for me

it instilled in me at a very early age a life long need for activism and an anti war strain that is deep with in me.

[George II]

6. That is truly putting all of this into perspective. Thank you.

[hibbing]

7. Thank you n/t

[calimary]

8. It really burns me up to see that creep cheapen the Purple Heart.

He isn't even worthy to touch a Purple Heart, much less accept it as a gift.

The classy thing to do would be to say "thank you, but I can't accept this." But when did we ever expect Trump to be classy?

Beautiful and deeply thought-provoking piece of writing, gopiscrap.

[AllyCat]

10. He doesn't cheapen it. But it exposes the cheapness in him.

[DonCoquixote]

9. if this does not get to the greatest page

a pox on us...this is the sort of message that represents DU at it's high point, one that communcates truth rather than become another toy sword for egos to fence with !

[niyad]

11. k and r

[Separation]

12. Out of all the presidential elections that I have gone through while in the military

Clinton twice
Bush twice
and Obama twice

Now, most of the time I will say the majority voted Republican. Although there are more Democrats in the military than most people think. This time around, I am no longer in since I retired, however, anyone that I am talking to are not going to vote for Trump. They arent going to vote for Hillary, but they will either be writing in somebody's name or voting for Gary Johnson. Especially after his bullshit with the Gold Star family, and the Purple Heart comment.

Again, I still cant believe he is actually running a real campaign. Its like he is doing it as a joke or something.

[pinboy3niner]

13. Fucking chickenhawk Trump

Weaseled out of serving in Vietnam, talks casually of military invasions and using nukes, and gives lip service to troops and vets. Then has the gall to accept a vet's Purple Heart with no shame.

Tammy Duckworth and Max Cleland know intimately what the Purple Heart means. As do many of my friends, like the Iraq War vet who was trapped for 45 minutes in a burning tank. When help was finally able to get to him, when they went to pull him out his arm came off. He's partially paralyzed with extensive burn scars, has limited use of his remaining arm, and spends his life in a wheelchair.

I was far less seriously injured than they were, but my Heart meant spending 18 months in an Army hospital on the floor that had all amputees and facial casualties from Vietnam.

I'm so sorry you lost your dad. I lost a lot of friends in that war, but the effects on a child of losing a parent like that is really in a special category. Adults express condolences to the family but don't reallly know how to deal with the bewilderment and grief and pain of a child.

There is a good group for for family members who lost someone in the Vietnam War, especially sons and daughters of KIAs: http://sdit.org/about-sdit/about-us/

I have friends who are closely involved with the group and I heartily recommend it.

[gopiscrap]

14. Thank you so much