Predicting the Past?
Taking what is clearly a page from the past and using that to predict the future is risky business.
The IVAW is attempting just that this March with Winter Soldier II. And overview of Winter Soldier in 1971 can be found here.
The first Winter Soldier and the subsequent congressional hearings succeeded in painting all Vietnam Veterans with a stain we carry today.
Check out Denis Keohane's piece here for more background.
Candidly, I missed the first Winter Soldier 'Investigation' myself. I was well aware of the fallout without being really aware of the event. It wasn't until Kerry decided to run for President that I began connecting the dots. Others had been for, and before, me to whom I owe a debt of thanks.
One difference of note is that this time around I will be there! The IVAW has asked for Milbloggers to participate (at least as observers) in the up coming event. My application is pending as a second tier candidate according to this:
Myself, I hope to do some live blogging and maybe toss in some pix.
The IVAW is attempting just that this March with Winter Soldier II. And overview of Winter Soldier in 1971 can be found here.
The first Winter Soldier and the subsequent congressional hearings succeeded in painting all Vietnam Veterans with a stain we carry today.
Check out Denis Keohane's piece here for more background.
Candidly, I missed the first Winter Soldier 'Investigation' myself. I was well aware of the fallout without being really aware of the event. It wasn't until Kerry decided to run for President that I began connecting the dots. Others had been for, and before, me to whom I owe a debt of thanks.
One difference of note is that this time around I will be there! The IVAW has asked for Milbloggers to participate (at least as observers) in the up coming event. My application is pending as a second tier candidate according to this:
Claiming active duty to get first preference and maybe help with travel? You'd need to show some proof. Claiming to be a vet? DD214 and verifiable service record. Plain identification if you fall into the third tier of someone who just blogs about the military.The folks doing this have 4 decades of experience and with little doubt efforts will be made to exploit our presence for propaganda purpose. As Denis K., points out the concept, then and now, is theater rather than honest fact finding.
Myself, I hope to do some live blogging and maybe toss in some pix.
posted by Zero Ponsdorf at 12:48 AM
7 Comments:
Zero,
Absolutely made my day! Please let everyone know how your application to attend turns out!
DenisK
I point out that I'm not even four decades worth, for what it's worth, nor are most of the other IVAW members, but that's a minor nitpick.
I appreciate your putting the offer up for others to see! I really would like to offer everyone a fair chance.
Sarge, I acknowledge I was lumping IVAW and VVAW together.
Like I said, minor quibble. You're not the only one who does that unintentionally, and I'm sure you won't be the last.
By the way: pictures may be problematic inside. I hadn't even really thought of it as related to blogging, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. I will develop some time to working out the problem-I'm all about photos of the testifiers, but I want to make sure to avoid audience members and bloggers being caught in those shots.
I'll be happy to clear any photos with you before putting them online. If there's to be no WiFi I'll even share any text with you before posting. Not so sure I'll change anything, but you'll at least get a heads up.
Seriously, Zero,
We are no+ looking for +rouble. Someone is already making i+, we don'+ have +o search i+ ou+. Las+ I looked, arson is a serious felony. Bu+ IVAW is no+ going +o +olera+e any disrup+ion.
However, you are cer+ainly welcome +o come see +he WSI (WVA ain'+ +ha+ far away from WashDC) for yourself.
I can'+ be +here-- I'm a +ouring musician, and I have gigs in +ennessee and Ohio on +he days of +he WSI.
I am speaking +o you as MYSELF. People +hink I'm crazy for no+ hiding behind +he anonymi+y of +he in+erne+ and using pseudonyms. However, I've spen+ almos+ 60 years, and earned +wo degrees, +rying +o ge+ people +o +ake me seriously as MYSELF.
I'm an old man now, and +here is very li++le anyone can do +o hur+ me any more. Been +hrough Nam, several +ornadoes, coupla hurricanes, +wo marriages, +wo ca+as+rophic au+o acciden+s (I once did a flip and a full +wis+ in +he air behind +he wheel of a 1951 Chevy pickup), los+ a piece of a finger +o a 52-inch buzzsaw, been mugged, robbed and lef+ for dead wi+h mul+iple compound jaw frac+ures in Mississippi-- my head's plumb lopsided now, I +hank God for a superior oral surgeon-- wha+ am I gonna be scared of? So I use my real name when I correspond. I am cons+an+ly decrying +he anonymi+y, and +he dumbing-down of dialogue, of +he in+erne+. Is Zero Ponsdorf your real name?
Sorry abou+ having +o use +hese plus signs, bu+ +he "+" on my compu+er doesn'+ work any more af+er I spilled coffee on +he keyboard one nigh+.
God Bless You, my bro+her, even if you ha+e me,
Bill Homans
Oklahoma Ci+Y
US Army RVN 69-70
Don't hate you or anything of the sort. Disagreements don't have to lead to fists.
I use a fake name on line anywhere I figure SPAM will be an issue.
I'll be in DC one way or the other, and I have no intention to be disruptive inside (or outside) the venue.
Post a Comment
<< Home