I Wasn't There, But I Do Care

 Although it might surprise you that a 16 year old would even take 2 seconds to think about the Vietnam War, I guess I'm one of the rare variety of 16 year olds. My parents were high school sweethearts in the 60's. My father served in the Navy and Navy reserve for close to 6 years while the Vietnam War was going on but for some reason was never told to go to Vietnam. Many of his high school buddies, however, did go. And the few that were lucky enough to make it back got treated like enemies by their own country. I wasn't born then. My parents had fertility problems and couldn't have me until they were almost in their 40's. I'm not sure what even made me look up the Vietnam War on Yahoo one day. But I did, and I can't believe that I live in country that would be so cold-hearted to it's heros. I don't agree with everything that happened in Vietnam (who does?!), but I have no respect for that the hippies and draft dodgers of the 60's. They hadn't earned a right to complain. They didn't get blown to pieces, shot at by the Viet Cong and they didn't watch they're buddies die. If they wanted to be such an authority on the war maybe they should have tried going over there. I hate to see people die in this world and as a matter of fact I watched the news during the Kosovo conflict and cried, but the notion that peace solves everything is just ridicolous. I'm not crazy enough to go over into a jungle full of communists and hold up my rifle and say, "Stop. Let's make peace." Maybe if some of the peace lovers of the 60's had tried that method they'd have found out it didn't work as much as their protests said it would. Anyway I could rant on for days about this country and the way it still today doesn't give it's veterans their proper respect. (I volunteered for the VA Hospital 2 summers in a row and you'd be amazed at how they don't even give respect to their veterans.) But the main point of this longggggg post is to thank all the brave men and women that served this country in Vietnam and give them a long overdue welcome home. I wasn't there, but I do care. (Write me at futuremissrodeo@aol.com I'd love to hear from you.)