Sagebrush
Mistaken Wars Create Long Memories
RECEIVED Tue., Aug. 3, 2004
Dear sirs,
In regards to Mr. Dana's long military service I commend him ["Postmarks Online," July 29]. I also have an uncle that retired after 26 years in the army with the rank of sergeant major. I respect both of you and others immensely for your dedication; however in the end the Vietnam war was wrong. Even my uncle admitted this. Times were different in 1968 than today. We blindly trusted our leaders for many years until we figured it out. I don't care who was funding or backing demonstrations back then; it still doesn't change the fact that Vietnam was a mistake. The reason that you see this anti-Bush rhetoric is because some of us have a long memory when it comes to wrong wars. Had we known then what we know now the Vietnam war would not have lasted over a year or two at the most. Every 20 or 30 years a new generation comes along that, No. 1, has no respect for what people that lived in those times tell them. No. 2, they put far too much blind trust in their government's ability to do right, just as we did 35 years ago. Never questioning anything that we were told for years. The truest saying ever uttered is that by doing these two things history will always repeat itself. I believe this ignorance has caused wars for centuries and always will until the newer generations decide to listen to those that were there or get their info from unbiased sources. My God, during the last three weeks everyone under the age of 30 believes that Reagan saved the world and walked on water. This kind of stupidity and unquestioning mentality is exactly what I'm talking about. We older folks learned how wrong our government can be at times. The younger ones haven't figured it out yet, and some of them are just slow learners especially considering all of the lies that have come out concerning our current regime.
In regards to Mr. Dana's long military service I commend him ["Postmarks Online," July 29]. I also have an uncle that retired after 26 years in the army with the rank of sergeant major. I respect both of you and others immensely for your dedication; however in the end the Vietnam war was wrong. Even my uncle admitted this. Times were different in 1968 than today. We blindly trusted our leaders for many years until we figured it out. I don't care who was funding or backing demonstrations back then; it still doesn't change the fact that Vietnam was a mistake. The reason that you see this anti-Bush rhetoric is because some of us have a long memory when it comes to wrong wars. Had we known then what we know now the Vietnam war would not have lasted over a year or two at the most. Every 20 or 30 years a new generation comes along that, No. 1, has no respect for what people that lived in those times tell them. No. 2, they put far too much blind trust in their government's ability to do right, just as we did 35 years ago. Never questioning anything that we were told for years. The truest saying ever uttered is that by doing these two things history will always repeat itself. I believe this ignorance has caused wars for centuries and always will until the newer generations decide to listen to those that were there or get their info from unbiased sources. My God, during the last three weeks everyone under the age of 30 believes that Reagan saved the world and walked on water. This kind of stupidity and unquestioning mentality is exactly what I'm talking about. We older folks learned how wrong our government can be at times. The younger ones haven't figured it out yet, and some of them are just slow learners especially considering all of the lies that have come out concerning our current regime.
Allen Cunningham
Wimberley
Wimberley
