DISABLED AMERICAN VETERAN

For years now, the Veterans Administration has granted me compensation for service connected disabilities during my military service and time in Vietnam.  Frankly, I have mixed emotions over this development.

I humbly, but proudly join my father, Uncle Willy, other relatives, and thousands of brother and sister veterans who left their lives or a piece of their good health on a distant battlefield. Compared to most my disabilities were minor and I strongly support a half dozen charities helping the most disabled veterans.  

Next, I am pleased that a giant federal bureaucracy, despite it's snail like speed finally accepted responsibility for the friendly fire of Agent Orange showered on unsuspecting people nearly fifty years ago.

I am thankful to fellow Vietnam Era veterans and sympathetic physicians who encouraged me to persevere and hold the United States government responsible and press my claims. The sprayed defoliant cleared jungle overgrowth in Vietnam, but also rained down poison on military personnel and the Vietnamese People. I urge other Vietnam veterans to learn about the effects of this herbicidal agent on their health and take action.

Finally, I am reminded of how important education and awareness of world affairs and politics should be to all citizens and most especially to our young people. Like hundreds of thousands of other naive 

twenty somethings in the 60's, I trusted the gray beards in Washington when they proclaimed events in Southeast Asia posed a security threat to America. At the time the domino theory of spreading communism made sense. We marched off trusting our government. Now, over a half century later, nearly sixty thousand names are marked on a dark granite wall in Washington DC and thousands of physically and emotionally marked veterans attest to the fact that politics can be a despicable business. Old men continue to endanger and destroy legions of young people for many invalid and often dishonorable reasons.

Nowadays, political differences are sometimes settled with name calling and like the Salem Witch Trials the accusations require no justification, and as with all negatives the accused are automatically deemed guilty. As a former soldier and informed citizen, I defend and celebrate all our freedoms especially that of speech. However, speech devoid of reasoning and filled with rage is a most dangerous thing in todays "woke" society.   

I am no pacifist, but pray and hope more people will allow the bright light of information and education into their political conversations. I demand politicians avoid war and only use formal declarations in only the most dire situations. Too many young people die because of old politicians playing war or enraging the violent passions of others.