Fraters Libertas

The Fightin' Side Of JB

Regarding John Kerry's distinctly un-American actions after 'Nam I have to say that hell yes it matters. How could it not? And for how many years are we going to allow someone a pass to act like a foolish jackass--if Kerry was 25 when he said hateful things about his fellow servicemen that was okay, but 28? What about 30? Is that still considered young?

I ask this not rhetorically, for I would like those who want to give Kerry a pass like our esteemed colleague Lileks or the Atomizer to explain how irresponsible and hateful adult actions should be discounted simply because they happened 30 years ago.

Does this logic work for a loan you took out at 25? "Yeah, umm, about that loan I took 30 years ago...like I know I was an adult and everything, but can I like just not pay it back cuz it was like a long time ago and stuff and I shouldn't be held accountable."

What if you knocked up a woman at 25, should you be forgiven the modern democrat's responsiblity of paying for half the abortion because you are "young?"

I've heard some of those on our side saying that we don't need to dredge up Vietnam and try to refight it. Vietnam is why we have the left we do. Or I should say lies about Vietnam and the revisionist historians who have achieved virtual unanimity that It Was Wrong is why we have the left we do.

As conservatives, ducking Kerry's outrageous behavior and giving him a pass makes us look weak and more importantly, guilty. We fought the good fight there and our only guilt should be that we fought with one hand tied behind our backs. Have you ever seen a bombing map of Hanoi circa 1967? There was about an eighth of a square mile that was cleared for bombing: you can bomb here, but not here, and not here and definitely not there, that little tiny place is okay, but not here, here or here or over here either. The whole "Carpet bombing" thing was nonsense.

The wounds can't heal until the battle is over and 'Nam aint over when an anti-war activist is seeking the White House. I implore all my conservative brethren to sack up and win this rhetorical battle once and for all.