My Conversation with a World War2/Korean Veteran Who Wants Bush GONE

[Zomby Woof]

One of my co-workers was lucky enough to have as a client today a feisty and outspoken veteran of both WW2 and Korea, who also was a career firefighter for over 30 years after that. I was waiting on no one, so I jumped at the chance to engage in a lively chat when he started going off about the needless waste and illegality of the Iraq invasion. My co-worker, a pleasant and sweet person who rarely talks politics, sat there smiling with guarded amusement and carried on her work while the wife of the veteran fed her the info she needed. So he and I encouraged each other in a Bush-bashing Festival of Truth.

Some choice quotes of this great American I am pulling from memory as accurately as possible:

"Boy, I am telling you, if Bush gets in there another 4 years, everything's going to hell."

"Where in the hell does he get off invading a sovereign nation without provocation? For what??"

"We're living in the Dark Ages. All through world history there has been too many wars and too much killing. When are we ever going to stop killing each other? It's the DARK AGES!"

"Bush is just stirring up the Taliban and all of them more than ever - the killing will get worse. He has them all stirred up over there! He only went after Saddam to get even for trying to kill his father! Iraq is his sandbox!"


Stirred by the memory of a wonderful and similar exchange I had a with a D-Day veteran nearly 2 years ago, I was enthralled to be lucky enough to have yet another opportunity to meet a genuine hero, who has experienced more hell on earth than any of us has ever known, and of course, shed the harsh light of the simple truth on the lies and corruption of the present regime.

This gentleman served in the U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. North Carolina (he wore his ship's cap with pins proudly) in the Pacific Theater of WW2, which took part in every major offensive. Doing some of my own research, I uncovered its amazing history here: http://www.battleshipnc.com/history/bb55/index.php

Our conversation ended with some good clean jokes to get us back at the business he had at hand. I offered my heartfelt thanks for his service, and for his insight, for this is a person who has the weight of history on his side, for he is history itself.

I have a renewed hope we can get Bush out this November, and as always, we must keep the dream of peace burning brightly.

Once again, I want to thank all of the veterans of DU, and everyone who works for peace and the end of Bush's misrule in our White House.

Peace.

[livetohike]

1. Great post!

I am lucky to still have my Dad around (WWII vet - Navy)and lifelong Dem. You should hear him get going when we talk about Bush!

[Richardo]

2. Amen, Zomby! Great story - thanks for sharing it...

:thumbsup:

[XanaDUer]

3. I LOVE stories like this

thanks for telling us about it.

I often wonder how much screwing the average person will take before they wake up to the lies of the * regime.

[ronnykmarshall]

4. Kick

:kick:

Keep this above the flame wars.

[blondeatlast]

7. In-DEED! nt

[Career Prole]

5. You're absolutely correct!

It did lift my spirits!
:bounce:

[blondeatlast]

6. My dad passed on last May--he was a WW2 vet and born Democrat.

We can't let Bush undo all the goodwill we won from the world for defending them in WW2.

I am sort of glad sometimes to know that he didn't see much of the invasion. What he did see clearly disturbed him.

In memory of John R. Harrington, 1923-2003

May God bless them all. Without them...

[Zomby Woof]

8. Here's to your Dad

:toast:

[no name no slogan]

9. My condolences on your dad

I'm glad he got to live a long life after the war. Unfortunately my family doesn't do as well with drafts and wars-- we either don't come back, or come back royally screwed up. I've got two great-uncles burried in Europe, and I just lost another uncle who was a Vietnam vet due to chronic alcoholism, which he'd been fighting ever since he got back in 1970.

I've always thought the most effective voices for peace came from those who lived through the horrors of war themselves. Through the local Kucinich organization, I've come to know a couple Veterans for Peace members. These folks have always been the most thoughtful and outspoken members against the BushCo wars, and are a remarkable example for the rest of us.

[JohnKleeb]

13. DK's father and two of his brothers are veterans

He himself delivered newspapers to the families of the dead. Good to know you have them NNSL. Vets are good people. My grandfather is a vet of Korea, and he is very democratic and anti bush.

[Mz Pip]

10. Another WWII vet

I know well hates Bush - my father-in-law.

My father-in-law is a fairly conservative independent who voted for Reagan. He thinks Bush is an idiot.

My mother-in-law is 85 years old. When Bush comes on the tube she quips, "Chirp, chirp, chirp." She says Bush reminds her of a little barnyard rooster that struts around chirping all the time.

MzPip
:dem:

[Jade Fox]

11. love to hear these stories.....

Right before the invasion of Iraq I was doing some work at a senior center
and overheard a conversation among a group of the men who said very
similar things. Given their age, I'm sure virtually all of them were WWII vets.

[OneBlueSky]

12. my dad was a WWII vet . . .

he was awarded the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters (the equivilant of earning it five more times) for his service as an aerial observer during the Battle of the Bulge, where he directed artillery fire for the Allied forces . . . it took some time, but he finally came to understand what a mistake Vietnam was . . . and, were he still with us today, I am 100% confident that he would be appalled at what Bush has done and be speaking out vociferously to get the chimp out of the White House . . . all I can say to him is "We're workin' on it!" . . .

[no name no slogan]

14. WOW-- five clusters!

One of my uncles died at the Bulge, and is buried near Belgium. His widow (my aunt, who never remarried) is now 92, and is a real family treasure. Her and my wife get along like gangbusters, and she's semi-officially "adopted" her as her own.

God, what a horrible war that was. And the ones afterward have not been any better, either. You'd think we'd figure out a way, in this day and age, to avoid these things by now. It may not happen in my lifetime, but I still dare to dream...

[ScreamingMeemie]

15. Thank you for a beautiful post Zomby! I hope all is made right

within this man's lifetime. It's what he fought for after all.

:hi:

[yardwork]

16. Thank you to everyone who has served our country

and thank you to those with family members that you support and grieve.

I have a couple stories. Last year just before the invasion of Iraq my husband and I met a Vietnam vet who flew fighter jets. He was totally against the invasion of Iraq. Said he thought it was a terrible idea. Didn't seem to think much of Shrub either. He lives in Georgia.

A few weeks ago I talked with another Vietnam vet in an airport waiting room. He ranted and raved about what a terrible president the Shrub has been, what a terrible mistake the invasion was, and how he will never ever vote for Shrub again. Just then CNN showed some footage of Shrub dressed in his little military outfit shaking hands with cheering supporters in Florida. I thought the guy next to me would puke!

His comments were about the same as the woman who says "cheep cheep" whenever she sees Shrub. The guy said, "Look at him. He acts like he just did something important." He lives in Indiana.

[Bundbuster]

17. A bedtime bund kick

To the boy who never cries wolf

To the Vets who've made the true sacrifices for the right reasons

To the real Patriots who will deliver us from insanity in November

To all the DUer's who understand that it begins with a single voice and builds to an undeniable chorus

[blondeatlast]

18. Every DUer should see this.

:kick:

[Zomby Woof]

19. ZombyKick

[stevedeshazer]

20. I remember that

Glad to know there are guys like that still out there. My dad was one, he died last year. I know a couple of his friends who feel just like that guy does.

Peace to you as well.

[Zomby Woof]

21. in memory of your Dad

:toast: I trust he is at peace.

[katieforeman]

22. Great story about a great American.

The only thing that would make me feel even better is if he used to be a Republican or if he voted for Bush and now regrets it.

[Zomby Woof]

23. kick for Monday morning