i just got done watching born on the fourth of july for it seems like the 100th time. The part where the people in the republican national convention scream and call you a traitor and a communist makes me sad. I don’t agree with you politically or take many of your stances on issues, but i would always defend your right to say it. I myself did vote for President Bush twice and have just recently become disgusted with his second term.

September 11th was a tragic day and I am wondering how do we really solve this problem of terrorism. War should always be the last resort but we have to find a way to educate the people in the middle east to stop the hate of jews and western culture like joseph goebbels did during nazi germany! I’m also not naive to the point that we don’t have our machine rolling as well, but i would like to believe that we also have more viewpoints to choose from too.

The point I’m trying to make Mr. Kovic is I strongly believe that you are entitled to your opinion even though i don’t agree with certain aspects and you my friend should never be called a traitor!

Eric Lindquist
Chicago, IL

A Letter to Ron Corvic

I have just again watched Born on the 4th of July after many years.What a powerful excellent movie and so pertinent today! What a gift Ron and Oliver gave to the world!

I was born on April 4th,1946 and lived through this chaotic time too. Our generation saw the destruction of youthful idealism and disgust with the betrayal of the basic, simple values of early christianity and the ideals of democracy. Hypochrisy really gets my goat.

The cold war was traumatic for us Boomers-I remember the ducking under our desks for atomic bonb drills in school. My hands were tied by domineering parents who would not allow me to protest. All the rest of our family was behind the Iron Curtain and they didn’t want me to get on a radical list.

I studied HODERN HISTORY AT THE UNVERSITY OF TORONTO (1965 to 1970)...my major was American and German history(I needed to understand how slavery and the holocaust could have happened)… I met many draft doggers. U of T had its share of sit-ins and protests on campus. We Canadians cared and still fear what is happening in the US. I have always loved friendly Americans! What has happened?....is money God today?

My parents had fled the Communist take over in CZECHOSLOVIA,and we migrated fron Prague in 1947 to Toronto with great difficuly. We would never been allowed to enter if we had been Jews! We left all possessions and family and were among the first refugees. My parents had lived through two wars and hated Germans and were paranoid about communists.

Today I am a semi-retired teacher of ESL to refugees and an addictions counselor. I try to help others succeed using my own experiences....a life’s mission, like Ron’s. We all can do our own humble service for love. I love Canada for opening her arms to refuees and for our universal health care.

At 62,and with 20/20 hindsight, I see I studied and passed on the whitewashed History taught by the best Canadian historians at U of T to my highschool students. There was silence about our native school abuse of aboriginal, glorification of British clonialism---what tragedies have resulted in so many countries from its seeds.  But I know now, considering my WASP teacher’s interpretations which I passed on, that I betrayed my own values. The truth is so impossible to find in History. We don’t learn lessons from it either sadly! My heroes are also Ghandhi and Martin Luther King.

I have slowly grown my own spiritual transformation through the 12 steps of AA and much therapy over the past 20 years. Enlightenment often comes after near death of the spirit, if we survive.

After watching your movie, I had to e-mail to let you know that your suffering has born this gift of love of humanity that has impacted so many millions.
Your strength of character is a testimony to the resilience of the human soul and inspiration to others.
Thank you and God bless you!

Jane in Calgary

The job our military is doing in Iraq and Afghanland is to be commended. Their bravery and expertice is well known and respected throughout the world. They are loved and adored by the very citizens they think they are protecting. But they are not at war for what they think they are fighting for. The war is not about freedom for the Afghan and Iraqi peoples. This is a war about the pursuit of one world government, not just by the Bush administration, but by all of the power elites, this includes McCain and Obama. Their desire for control has put our brave men and women in a “harms way” that has made them expendable, not for the pursuit of freedom, but for its demise. Those currently in control of “our” government think of the United States a only a tool for their own purposes, to be discarded like so many of our veterans when they are deeemed worthless and unuseable. Bush and those like him, will abandon the U.S. and its beloved Constitution for NAFTA and the coming Union of North America which are currently creating, all under the guise that we must toss aside the Constitution and create another political entity if we are to survive and compete in the international scene. This is bull. Do not believe these liars. If you want to rise up and protest, rise up and protest their secret agenda. Concentrate all efforts on not just the war, but also on the safe keeping of our fundamental rights as Americans, of a sovereign nation, and the destruction of their diabolical intentions. Honor yourself as an American and resist their attempts to destroy our economy, our way of life, our Constituional heritage, and the memories of all of the brave souls who have fought in all our wars for the very things they are trying to destroy. God bless America.

maybe ron kovic had a spiritual awakening?

opinions represented as fact. we get a lot of that, it seems.

later......

Ron,
And I use the term losely, you were a flake on Jan 20th, 1968 and you are a flake now.  I was with you, what a whiner when you got hit on that track.  YOU were not alone.  What the hell makes you so special.
You spoke up?  NO, you were annoying.  Its tough when people who were actually there with you on that trac, knew you went on 30 days leave if you were to extend 6 months.  Who held a gun to your head.
What a hypocrite!

Please NO!! remain silent. I am so tired of hearing people say they support the troops but believe the filth of the people on this website. I cleaned up after the WTC I’ve served in Iraq and Afganland. So believe me I’ve seen the stuff the news stays away from and I’m proud of it. The only thing that ticks me off about President Bush is that he’s letting the likes of CNN (I call it the Clinton News Network) and other media agencies win because he’s afraid of what will happen if you Dems win the next election(so am I), hes stoped fighting. What was it Jefferson said the Masses are A**es, ya know if you don’t like what this country stands for and actually believe your own filth please Cuba and friends of yours like Chavez are only a boat ride away Ill even pay it for you, I know you Dems don’t like to actually earn anything. I’m going to stop you probably won’t let this stay up very long anyways.

SGT T
A disgusted NCO

Fuck The War. Okay~

straight_talk_11,you’ve expressed yourself very well, and I must agree with you vis-a-vis the politicians.  It doesn’t matter what your stance, the politicians take no notice of what you, the constituent, want, nor do they care what you feel about the major issues facing our country.  The people with money and power, e.g. bankers, CEOs of large corporations, etc., dictate this nations policies.  The only exception is if the constituent belongs to a special-interest group.

On the issue of Viet Nam, I still believe we were right to come to the aid of an ally, and I have no regrets about serving there.  Had there been a moderate government in place in Hanoi, perhaps I would feel differently, but I have spoken with people who spent as much as fifteen years in the communist “re-education” camps, as well as to Vietnamese who were witnesses to the slaughter that took place after the north completed its conquest.

I believe I stated before that I harbor no animosity toward those who have opposing viewpoints about the war.  I do detest, however, those who became “anti-war activists” simply for self-serving purposes.

Re comment #58722 by DTY - You mention the treatment given returning vets by the government in general and the VA in particular.  You’ve conveniently left out the treatment afforded all returning vets by the anti-war, anti-American liberals.  Being spit upon for serving one’s country cannot be considered a welcome home!

Just to get it right: Ron Kovic’s conversion to anti-war protester was not simply due to his being injured and paralyzed. It had much more to do with his treatment following his injury and return home where he (and other injured vets) were treated with little respect and simply warehoused in insanitary VA hospitals.  The government couldn’t be bothered funding adequate medical care and thus sent a message to these veterans that their sacrifice didn’t matter. Disillusioned? Who wouldn’t be?

I grew up in the USA, and narrowly missed going to Viet Nam because I failed the physical.  I have been away from the U.S. in various countries for almost 30 years now.  Seeing life from an outside perspective helps me to see how wrong it is that the government wages war on false pretenses.
The only one who wins the war are the defense contractors, and the standard advice for finding a criminal is to “follow the money.”
The most important things in the world are life, love, and truth, and those things all come from God.  Trusting in a government run by vested private interests cannot bring us life, love and truth.

Great article but best of all the strength to come public and be anti-war in the Vienam era is a hard thing to have done back then.  I am grateful that you had the courage to speak out and tell it like it is.  Thanks for being very brave both on the battlefield and in your comments and work that you are doing.

For Marie Comment #42365:

If you think you now understand the Viet Nam War after reading Ron Kovic’s book, Marie, you are sadly mistaken.  As you said, there were many soldiers and many stories, so I’d suggest you read a much wider range of stories instead of relying on this one book.

Yes, I do think that Mr. Kovic’s unfortunate choice of direction in his life is merely intended for his own self-aggrandizement.  He had many chances to criticize the war prior to being wounded.  In fact, as you know, he even chose to return to Viet Nam for a second tour.  So please don’t let your emotions cloud your objective reasoning.

Although I am a Viet Nam Veteran, I have nothing against those who opposed the war.  Rather, I do hold those in disdain who use their service in that war for their self-promotion, such as John Kerry, John Murtha and Ron Kovic.

If you would seriously like to discuss the war, I would be glad to have you contact me so that you can have at least a well-rounded view of the history of that conflict

Regards,
Ron huegel

A friend of mine just gave me “Born on the Fourth of July” to read.  Ever since I was a junior in high school (I am now 20...still a young kid...) I have been reading about the Vietnam War.  No one would ever tell me anything about it...and the lessons on it in history class were a joke. 

This was something very powerful, very raw, very emotional and very truthful to read...ranking up there with Laura Van DeVanter’s “Home Before Morning.” (In my opinion)

Even now, after so much time has passed, it is very difficult to obtain any shred of truth; especially for young people who are eager to learn.  This is a very demanding book; one that forces the reader to continue reading long after the pages have been finished. 

I have read some of the other posts others have left concering this article and its author; including posts left by other veterans.  It really disgusted me to see one such veteran claiming Mr. Kovic’s actions were a cry for “attention”...how sad it is that one must degrade another’s efforts for peace. 

There were many different units in the war - in any war - and each had their own duties, own stories, own secrets and nightmares...not every unit, not every soldier was (or is) the same. 

There are certain things from the past that elicit such strong reactions, that sometimes it takes a great deal of time and personal evaluation to really digest what has happened in order to reform any clear and precise “opinion” or belief. 

It took a great deal of time and courage for Mr. Kovic to really re-assess the beliefs of his childhood and take that life-altering step towards those new outlooks and beliefs.  He should be lauded tremendously for his efforts.  The world could use a few more like him. 

God Bless our Troops.

Ron,

While I take nothing away from your service in Viet Nam, I can’t help wondering why you became so conscientious only after your crippling wounds?  You served one full tour in country, then you volunteered for a second tour.  You were gung-ho right up until the time you were seriously wounded.  I can’t help but feel that the reason you turned against the war is that you wanted attention.  Had you done otherwise you would have been just one more disabled vet.  However, by joining the anti-war movement, you became a celebrity for having “been there.” I, too, served with the Marine Corps in Viet Nam.  I, too, was wounded, although not as seriously as you had been.  I even return almost yearly to that beautiful country, which is now at peace.  But I can’t help thinking about those hundreds of thousands of innocent Vietnamese who were killed after the “liberation” of the South.  Nor can I stop thinking about the thousand of American service members who were killed because you and your “friends” prolonged a war that had been won, by the North’s own addmission, after the 1968 Tet Offensive.

Ron Huegel
1st Force Recon Co.
RVN 1970

Ron,
As promised, I just read your essay. I was moved and inspired by what you wrote and what you said to us tonight. I will continue to educate myself on this war and on our political system. Thank you so much for speaking to us tonight. Keep on fighting - you will inspire many.

Sincerely,
Alex Wagner
(granddaughter of the Flying Tiger)

Hi Ron,
I read “Breaking” this morning. As I read, I was amazed at how you echoed my thoughts, about the losses in the 60’s of Martin, and Bobby, about Viet Nam and Iraq, about the government and the fact they have become our own worst enemy.  I have been vocal, and lately afraid of the consequences of my words.  After reading this, I know I must continue to speak out, to do what I can to educate my fellow citizens, regardless. 
Today after reading Breaking the Silence, I feel a great peace within myself, an understanding that being vocal, no matter what, is OK…
Thank you Ron.
Dara

Mr Kovic is very courageous human being but I don’t agree with his apparent attitude that “The world owes him a great debt of gratitutde.” And that he did everything by the book but still was wounded and paralysed.

There would have been certainly some moments in time that someone who is in a similar position to where Mr Kovic was when he was younger that he / she could have made a different choice.

With all due respect Mr Kovic the world is NOT made of love. Humans are predators by nature but we do all our best to get around that.

Students with more savviness surely would not have volunteered for such dangerous mission. World is a dangerous place and only those who have the wisdom and are savvy enough to stay out of trouble can survive. I am truly sorry that more of those qualities were not with you back then.

James

Ron, I have made the trek from my high school senior essay in 1964 on Viet Nam, in which the last sentence was, “I believe I could give my life for the ideals as stake in Viet Nam,” to finding out about the Tonkin Gulf Incident to being a S/C disabled VN era vet, to this year hosting an overnight stay at our place by Brian Wilson and the other vets of the Veterans for Peace Energy Independence and Sustainable Fuel Impeachment Tour on the way to the Seattle conference. It has been a long trip, hasn’t it? And now we have Iraq. And we have the death of habeas corpus. I am madder than ever and doing all I can still, trying to convince others these times are “Worse Than Watergate,” as John Dean calls it. More dangerous than Viet Nam and the demonstrations. That these are the worst of times for our freedom is in peril and we better stand up and speak to power and take to the streets and to the halls of Congress and not take it any more. We have no other choice, do we? Thanks for your words here. Welcome home… --- Bruce, former Navy corpsman

Ron,
Before I read your words tonight, I was in full despair, agonizing over my place as a tax-paying citizen supporting the ignominious American assault on the world, and the government’s betrayal of its people.  At least I can now see that many of us know the truth, and that is a place to start to crawl out of the abyss.

THANKS FOR SPEAKING OUT ALL THESE YEARS RON
IWENT INTO THE ARMY IN 1976 AND LUCKILY I WAS DISCHARGED IN 1982. I WOULD’T WANT MY SON OR DAUGHTER FIGHTING IN A WAR LIKE THE ONE IN IRAQ.

thank you for this Ron! it is a time when we need all soldiers and veterans to speak up and give the people the truth. perhaps if the people knew the truth they’d pitch in to stop these senseless, immoral, illegal wars.

i very much appreciate all your works and all you’ve done.

peace, bunkie.

Ron,

Very well said, thank you.  It is a shame that you or any other person had to suffer or die like this in that most awful Vietnam war.

To all those reading - learn the lessons of the vietnam war - ok here it is spelled out for you

Vietnam and North Korea as well as Germany were forced into a two state solution to effectively neutralize them.

The lesson not learned is this - our beautiful country herself was placed in a two state solution and it’s known as the Civil War where a President was assinated as well. 

Here’s the news - anyone awake in America…

Two state solution has morphed

you have two versions 1. cripple 2. handicap

Iraq is a proposed 3 state cripple solution with permanent bases.

USA is a proposed 3 state handicap solution with the CAFTA and super highway and all.

The military commissions act is set-up for another draft. 

The USA scenario will continue to gather steam until martial law is declared.

That was real easy right.

Man, I am so dissappointed in all the hot heads, know it alls, repenters, everyone

The reason Vietnam was so wrong for the U.S. is that we suffered the Civil War and then did IT to someone else.

Guess what? tactics have changed - 3 state handicap (soft) solution if RIGHT ON TOP OF US.

Some of us in the middle generation asked questions and didn’t friggin read red manifestos to look for answers.

By the way it is confirmed, that Chavez in his many speeches at the U.N said I quote, “we are building towards a new, new world order”.

See hot heads and repenters - Both Bush and Chavez are in on it.

The U.S. our beloved country is in deep mud.

So talk about the Iraq war.  Be blind to the 3 state solution. Cuz I saw the news tonight and friggin North Korea had a public demonstation that was PURE 3Rd Reich spectacle.  They had more people out than the olympics.  It was nasty with torches and mass waves of people.  Man, just millions of people on the street.  Now get this.  They themselves are just being set-up for slaughter. 

So remember - if we enter a new world war - we lose the U.S. to a combined Canada, US, Mexico AMERO policy - akimbo to the Euro but we don’t agree to it.

yeah history is learned - good luck. 

American Revolution is the road map out of this.

That’s two fronts by the way for those keeping count.  Hard and Soft.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on your people.  Blessed are the peacemakers.

I’m old enough to remember the Vietnam war. I didn’t serve and I was active in the anti-war movement, as unfortunetly I still am today. There’s not many people I respect more than the “ gung-ho, rah-rah, love it or leave it veterans”, who later went on to question their deep rooted convictions and use their experience to educate others to the real horrors of war.  Ron Kovic, Ron Ranft and Ed Conley certainly fall into that category, as do so many others. They are true heroes.

Ron,
You are and always have been a hero of mine.  Without strong voices speaking truth in America we have nothing. I believe the good people of our country are waking up and with any luck we’ll see the change we all have been waiting for all these years.
I hope I live long enough to see wars become a thing of the past, and those who profit from it put in jail where they belong. 

Everyone get out and vote in November.  We must
take America back for the people.  we must continue to stand together for the truth and peace and justice for all. 

Thanks for all you are doing.

Ron, good writing! Wasn’t it just the other day I loaded you, your chair & reams of papers into my taxi in North Beach??

Be well Brother, McClock says “you rock!” - yeah, I talk to him every once in a while!

Peace, Hal

I understand there is a slight difference between ‘young and stupid’ and ‘old and wise’. That difference is that when you are young and stupid, you don’t become a sheep and go fight someplace which is NOT your country. I am NOT sorry for you Ron and your story definitely is nothing that would touch my soul, ever. I was once ‘young and stupid’ and maybe I still am, but NOBODY under NO PRICE or ANY CIRCUMSTANCES would ever get me to go and kill a human being or animal for someone else. Yes, we would have done some pranks, but going someplace and killing people, and then receiving a medal for something they would send you to ‘old sparky’ back home, is NOT something that one could label as ‘young and stupid’, but more like ‘brain damaged and retarded’.

Frankly speaking, I hope you stop bulls*****ing and don’t pretend to ‘understand’ the world and what’s it all about now, after 40 years. It’s too late for regrets once you kill an innocent being who didn’t do ANYTHING wrong to you or your family.

I know you still don’t sleep well. I do, and so do many of us who were ‘young and stupid’, but never killed anyone.

Vel Kovic

Correction-In my comments I mistakenly refered to Karl Rove’s father when I actually was speaking of his grandfather,who was a known Nazi. My apologies to Karl’s father.

Micheal B (below) Your disgusting commments reveal you to be one of the brain-washed individuals that the author mentions in the beginning of this article. As clear evidence I would offer your use of the un-american phrase “homeland”. We do not live in the fascist German Fatherland or in the Stalinist Motherland. No sir, we simply inhabit America, our beloved Country. You are parrotting the Rovian dialect, which Karl adopted from his father who helped organize the Nazi party and who also was involved in building the Birkenau concentration camp. Do you even realize that you have adopted the thought processes of a willing victim of totalitarianism?

Wow.....great article.  My son went to boot camp on 9/4/01.  When 9/11 happened and I was afraid he’d be deployed, I was really far more concerned with what would happen to him psychologically and emotionally than physically.

My godfather was served in Vietnam.  I was around 12 at the time and I still remember very clearly what he said when he came home on leave one Christmas. He’d done ROTC in college and went in as an officer.  He was talking about how he was having a lot of trouble giving orders knowing that someone would get killed.

A month later, he called his mother and told her that he’d fallen off his bicycle.  He wasn’t allowed to say anything else or tell her where he was.  We later found out that he had led his troop across a field that was supposedly checked for mines - and it was full of them.  He woke up to see his boot up in a tree, still laced up, and his best friend dead by his side.  When the army brought his purple heart up to the hospital, he told them exactly what to do with it.

He only lost part of his foot, but he lost a lot more of himself than that.  He was a completely different person.  He’d always been easygoing and light-hearted, silly and a lot of fun.  The man who came home was very serious and cynical.

Many Vietnam vets are still around.  We get them as hospice patients from time to time. They’ve lived with post-traumatic stress disorder for decades and have never come completely back.

The soldiers in Iraq are going through the same thing, if not worse. They’re living with the constant stress of never really being able to determine who the enemy is and whether they’re going to be blown away at a traffic light, and they’re often ordered to do things that go completely against their conscience and personal and/or religious beliefs. 

Their sacrifice goes totally over the heads of those responsible for this war as well as a large part of the population. A year or two ago, I read an article that implied that Bush said that if we pulled out of Iraq, we’d “look bad.” Who gives a shit? Apparently, “saving face” has more value for him than human life.  The soldiers who aren’t killed and return home in some ways may have been better off if they had.  Their psychological state will cause problems in every single area of their lives, especially those they love most, until the day they die.  Some will even affect society as a whole when they turn to addictions, domestic violence and even crime.

And the VA had the nerve to say a few weeks ago that there’s no such thing as Gulf War Syndrome..........

At the time of 9/11, we were all so angry that we were all for this war.  I don’t remember how long it was before I changed my mind - I think it was early on, maybe the second or third year.  I haven’t supported it for a very long time and the longer it goes on the angrier I get.  I do support our soldiers because they didn’t ask for this and have the courage to stay and do what they have to do.  Perhaps Mr. Bush ought to don his BDU’s and spend a few weeks with the troops.

That’s a great story!  You really put it all in perspective!  The people we’re killing are always going to hate us now for what we’ve done.  Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11.  Saddam’s fatal mistake was paying palestinians to blow themselves up against Israel!

#

Comment #28880 by Michael B on 10/15 at 8:26 am

I wonder if Mr. Kovic would have returned to Vietnam for a third tour, had he not been injured?  Sadly, this is a veteran taking his frustrations out on his homeland because of an unfortunate incident.  Let us not forget that he RETURNED for a second tour, only to shoot more innocent Vietnamese people.  I don’t feel sorry in the least bit for you Mr. Kovic.  Don’t shame your fellow soldiers that fought and died in Vietnam.

Michael B.— You’re an idiot.

I wonder if Mr. Kovic would have returned to Vietnam for a third tour, had he not been injured?  Sadly, this is a veteran taking his frustrations out on his homeland because of an unfortunate incident.  Let us not forget that he RETURNED for a second tour, only to shoot more innocent Vietnamese people.  I don’t feel sorry in the least bit for you Mr. Kovic.  Don’t shame your fellow soldiers that fought and died in Vietnam.

I hate these traitors who have constantly ripped off this country.  But, I have no illusions.  The average American is nothing but a lazy coward (like all the other peoples on this planet).  And the remainder are just Republican crooks and suckers.  H.L. Mencken said that he thought of this country as a vicious bragging whore, and the only time he felt any sympathy for her was when she was being chased by the police.  (This time the whore has cried wolf one too many times.)

I am proud to have been part of helping stop the Vietnam War with Ron Kovic, and others in the past.  This brave piece in Truthdig by Ron Kovic states clearly and so very eloquently how soldiers such as Ron and others like myself came home from that horrible evil conflict more then 30 years ago went through transition, a mental change, and saw and spoke the truth.  That truth helped turn the great people of this nation around by openly declaring the Vietnam War a mistake. It took years and a bloody struggle.  This time let us quickly welcome home our new veterans from yet another mistaken conflict by our government.  Hug our sons and daughters when they come home, tell them “welcome home,” and let them quickly see it is now their turn, as Ron Kovic others did in the past—to speak out loudly against this war in Iraq so that the veterans themselves and the people of Iraq can live in peace once again.  Thanks Ron.

First, let us remember that America has a representative Democracy and those that are elected to office are public servants doing the public’s bidding.

Write to your Senator and Congressman and explain exactly what you are thinking and what you would like them to do.

On Election Day show no mercy to those candidates who continue to believe preemptive strikes are a substitute for diplomacy and negotiation.

Politicians who impose sanctions on countries that already have starving and unemployed populations are cruel and inhumane. 

We will succeed when we choose to reach out and join each other and other countries in a partnership of peace and prosperity.

I too lived through the era. I gave up my College deferment in 69 when my Draft Lotto number was 206 and they stopped at 201. I too had mixed feelings about Nam and ended solidly against it. I was in the eight grade when JFK was assignated and didn’t believe the warren commision (then MLK, RK) I haven’t trusted those whom have run the country since. I KNEW by the universal propoganda on 911 WHOM was really responsible. You can’t not know it was going to happen and know (supposedly) who did it. What a false flag Fairy Tale. Bluffing isn’t this administrations MO, and they are radically building up to Syria & Iran. With an exhausted Military there is No way this can turn out well. Attacking Iran will be the Neocon’s undoing! I find it haard to believe everyone can’t see the agenda when the talk about Freedoms and they completely trash our Rights.

Thank you, Ron, for such a beautiful and moving essay.  Thank you! 

But what do we do now?  The people in power just keep pulling us and the rest of the world deeper into their nightmare.

Peaceful protests are not working.  300,000 in NYC in spring 2006 - barely noticed. Is it all about November 7th and getting control of the House or Sentate or both? Impeachment?  Civil disobedience?

Ron, thank you for stepping up, again.

“My country right or wrong” has never floated my boat, but rather conscience.

The pendulum has swung too far to the right, and this election day we need to vote our conscience and bring the pendulum back closer to center again.  Too far right, or too far left, will destroy the America we love ...

God bles you, Ron.

Kurt
US Army 64/65
VVAW 68/70

Thank you, Sir.

THANKS FOR THAT STORY OF YOUR LIFE RON. THERE IS NO DOUBT POSSIBLE THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING FROM A PLACE DEEP IN THE HEART AND HUMAN SPIRIT THAT MUST BE SET UPON THE WORLD TO CHANGE IT. EVERYONE WITH COURAGE LIKE YOURSELF HELPS EVERY OTHER ONE WHO MAY NOT HAVE EVER SPOKEN OR SEARCHED THEIR OWN HEART. THEIR MUST COME A DAY WHEN THE HUMAN RACE DEMANDS AN END TO WAR, VIOLENCE, AND DESTRUCTION. MAN WAS MADE TO LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FELLOWS OUT OF LOVE NOT TO TAKE AWAY THAT LIFE. THERE IS A NOBLE PURPOSE WAITING TO BE LIVED IN THE HEART OF EVERY MAN AND WOMAN WHO COMES INTO THIS WORLD. LET US NOT ALLOW OUR “LEADERS” TO TURN US AGAINST ONE ANOTHER SO AS TO BENEFIT FROM THE CARNAGE THAT ENSUES. MANKIND MUST GET SMART QUICKLY AND MASSIVELY IF HE IS TO SURVIVE THE HATRED THAT HAS BEEN SET AMONG US. THERE IS BUT ONE GOD ABOVE US AND HE LOVES ALL HIS CHILDREN WHETHER THEY KNOW HIS NAME OR NOT. AFTERALL, WHAT HUMAN FATHER WOULD DO ANY LESS.

Ron - I was moved to tears reading of your struggle with your commitment and reverence for your country being tested as you came to terms with the immorality and bastardisation which is WAR.  How wonderful it is that you came to know the difference?  But how tragic it is that you had to fight a war to find that out!  You are a brave, honourable and truly amazing human being, and I thank you for your honesty, raw vulnerability and integrity.  I just wish more people could reach your understanding of the hideous results of wars.  I live in hope!

Wonderful that you have the courage, both in war and now in our present day.  We need to have people write to the Congressmen and to the local newspapers and tell them how we feel about this terrible war in Iraq.

In 1966 while operating off of the coast of Viet Nam many thoughts passed through my head.

The one big one that remains until this day is, how do we prevent an all out nuclear war?

Nuclear missiles above deck ready to fire and in the ships hold, more nuclear tipped weapons to continue the battle, the Battle that for certain will lead to the extermination of the human race.

It is only more recently that I have learned that the plans from the early days of the nuclear age, were to destroy the mass of the human race with the use of nuclear weapons.

The plan is still in effect, they have not decided upon a path of peace. Our “Master” class determined that we the human race should eat nuclear waste on our journey to the nuclear hell that they still plan to give us.

While out to sea a “UFO” buzzed into the area. The word came down from above that it was “only reflections of the ships lights.”

Since that time I have learned that those “Reflections” are craft from some high level power who have arrived from some still unknown world, with the purpose to prevent the immolation of the human race in an all out nuclear conflagration.

Our nuclear war fighting elite may not really be Bad, or evil, yet they surely are stuck on “Animal Primitivism.”

Ron Kovic points out clearly the impostor and fraud that America is, yet most folks are still not aware of the plans to give us all, what they give to the “Third Worlders,” every chance they get, death and destruction.

The Deceptions of our nuclear war fighting elite are deep and profound, yet they are thin as demonstrated by pulling the fire alarm, when Ron was speaking. When ordinary people hear the truth, they understand it, and that is why our nuclear war fighting elite do not want the people to hear the truth. If the people ever figure out that these nuclear weapons of genocidal mass destruction have their names on them, a change will happen.

When it then finally sinks in that our nuclear war fighting elite have already pulled the nuclear trigger on us, repeatedly, they have tried to exterminate us all with nuclear weapons, it will speed their downfall.

The decision to destroy the human race was made in April of 1947, this is when the “ET” dropped their craft at the only nuclear bombing base on the planet at the time, Roswell, New Mexico home of the 509th nuclear bombing group located at Scott Airfield.

Understanding that we are already supposed to be nuclear waste, only the timely intervention of the “ET” have spared us destruction, it should be easy to see that our nuclear war fighting elite are not really committing war crimes against the human race for our benefit, rather they are merely fattening the wallets of the murdering rich, at our expense.

They are merely warming up for the big one. That is when they finally get an all out nuclear war underway, and they can then kill us all.

The death and destruction of the human race with the use of nuclear weapons, is still on course and if the “ET” should ever stand aside, we all will be nuclear toast the next day.

For the US navy personnel who may read this who are sitting on ships poised to launch a nuclear war against Iran, remember the Idiot in Chief is a Dummy who has been wired for sound by Queenies Sheenies, that is the Zionist Jews, who for the last couple of thousands of years have hoped for this day to wage the battle of Armageddon.

That is where they all hide and we all die. Your officers are trained animals who are already committed to launch a nuclear war.

If the Captain of your ship gives the order to launch a nuclear attack upon Iran, use whatever force is necessary to effectuate a lawful arrest.

Nuclear war is not lawful.

To explain it; the government of the United States of America ended at the moment the decision was made and then put into action to exterminate the very people who it claimed that it was committed to protect.

The Zionist Occupation Government is a criminal enterprise run by a band of genocidal cannibals,and is now under siege at all levels.

They have already ready tried to “Sucker Punch” us with nuclear weapons.

We are near to the end, one way or the other.

Take no orders from this dastardly band of nuclear war fighting genocidal Fiends. Let them fall. We have the crews already in action who can do the clean up of them on the streets.

.

.

Thanks for your encouragement, Ron. The internal enemies of America would have us believe they have all the power. Well I believe there are more than 47,000,000 Americans who will disagree with them, maybe more. Perhaps the 47,000,000 are why we have all these new homeland security bs laws and rules coming into play. As long as the voting machines are owned by private industry our votes may no longer count. I suspect this will be the last time I vote. - Ron all of us can do our part in this election by dividing our vote to break up the concentration of power. I am voting mid term for a Democrat for the House of Representatives and Republican for the Senate. Where ever possible I will vote to elect women to the House of Representatives. Women will be less willing to see their children killed in a war started with lies or their grand children born with DU deformities. Thanks for being a patriotic American Ron.

Such an amazing, moving piece.

Ron, you are an inspiration and a passionate, peaceful warrior. We need more awareness, compassion, love and peace in this small world of ours, and your writing is so eloquently spoken as to bring tears to readers, and our hearts are with you.

“We must be the change we wish to see in the world” - Gandhi

THANK YOU. Keep writing, keep speaking!

Ron:

We met in San Francisco in 1984 in North Beach, then again (1989) at a function with Swords to Plowshares.

Just wanted to say “Right on, brother!” Keep up the good and true work—and “Keep on keepin’ on!”

I am glad that you are still out there, and would like to get in touch. I am now a psychologist and have done a great deal of research on trauma and addictions, following the thread of my own healing—from before and after the war.

Be well, brother. Hope to hear from you soon.

Stefan J. Malecek, Ph. D., CADC II
C/326 Med 101st Airborne Camp Evans, RVN

Ron, I am very moved by your eloquent rememberances of things past and present.
I urge you to run for office.
You have put it all out there for all of us and therefore have nothing to hide unlike 99% of the politicians in washington.

I am not a Viet Nam vet, although I grew up watching the despicable spectacle every night on the news. Back then the network news had the independence and the guts to show what was happening and even the balls to at time in their editorials, to call for an end to the war.
Today no such news outlet exists on network or cable news channels except for Freespeech TV and Link Tv. The rest are nothing more than lapdogs for the warmongers.
I very nearly enlisted when I was to graduate in 1969. Remember that year? The monn landing, Woodstock?
I remember hearing my older brother who had just returned fron Nam. He was a chopper pilot and AP mechanic as well, and the things I heard about the dynamics of the war and what the reality was, I began to question the motives of the government and to seek the truth.
I had planned to follow in my brother’s footsteps and volunteer for heli flight school, however my dad had also changed his mind and told me outright he would not sign for me. he did not want me to engage in the dangerous situations combat pilots face, after all he was a nosegunner on a B-24 in the south pacific theater during WWII and new what arial combat was like.
I guess it was after My Lai, I began to really decide I would not support the war. To this day I do not feel as though I commited any treasonous acts but feel even more patriotic for standing up a speaking out.
I felt very sorry for the returning vets who had been greviously wounded in mind and in body and did not agree with those who would label all those as baby killers, although we know this did happen from time to time.
After years of reading books, magazine reports and now online it has become quite clear to me that we are entering wars not for defence but for profit and that is the worst reason of all to kill hundreds of thousands on innocent people and our own men and women for. It is the ultimate in arrogance of those who never served to lie and propagandise the nation into such a costly war to humanity and to our own national wellbeing.
To be silent is to be as guilty as those who have commited this heinous and barbaric act against humanity.
To know that the military industrial complex whom the late Pres. Eisenhour warned us about, is reaping immense profits from the deaths of others is disgusting and shameful. All those who own stock in these industries should immediately dump them.
A friend of mine who also served in Nam as achopper pilot no longer supports the regime in Washington. He like many others are now turning their backs on this administration of lies, deceit and corruption. They are destroying America and care not.
If there is a God, may he be with us and the rest of humanity before it is destroyed.

To all who protest ,

Having spent 13 years in the Navy [ 6 with the Marines as a ‘’DOC’’] , 2 OF THE 13 in country , let me say this . One can get rankled when you see and hear of the protesting going on in this country today . I for one have bandaged both countrymen and the enemy . I was sad for both , I did feel their pain . I even left my own blood soaking in the earth there . What did I learn that is still with me today ? I was born an American , this is my country, I will protest in my own way , not so the enemy can see , it wasn;t my choice , it was my fate . I didn;t have to enlist , but since I did , I was man enough to see it through . So go ahead and protest , its your right , I stand with you as an American , I just don;t agree with the methods you use .

James ‘’Doc ‘’ Loftus
HM1 3/5 2dn Marine Division
Fox Company
somewhere in the highlands , South Vietnam

Very well done Ron, I am sure Gods graces go with you now. Will you please also research 911 and encourage others to so as well. The facts of that evil day are obvious and all need to take a good look around at what is taking place in America today. God Bless you.

Mr. Kovic, it is people like you that are the real patriots that make America great. I just hate the way our brave soldiers are being neo-conned thinking they are protecting America.WHAT A TRAVESTY!

As long as the multitudes remain on the sidelines watching war games as entertainment, evil leaders will continue to wreak chaos, as their right to undermine freedom, for the underpriviledge class.
We need to stop, look, and listen at the results of destruction, instead of being mesmerized by the
political wizardry of Washington’s bag of tricks.
[thank you for sharing the wisdom so many ignore.]

Our country was murdered on September 29, 2006 with the passage of The Military Commissions Act of 2006.  Our Constitution and Bill of Rights trashed.  The generation reading this will know what I mean when I say that history tells us that there is only one way to get them back.

Another Vet

ron, i grew up a few towns over from you and graduated high school in 65. i think you wrestled a friend of mine. college and luck kept me out of vietnam so i am one of the fortunate ones. other friends and relatives were not so lucky. you are a real hero. i thought the book and movie “born on the fourth” totally captured the time and the way in which young boys are cultured into throwing away their lives to satisify the schemes of old men. now i ( we ) are old men and i do all i can to try to stop the madness, i doubt that i am very effective but i keep trying and you keep inspiring me, be well island boy, there are many of us and we shall overcome.

Hey Ron!

I’m writing from Toronto , Canada.
They are playing :"Born of the Fourth of July” currently on our movie network. Each time I see that movie I am moved.

It made me search you out.

Then I came across this article.

Well said, my friend.

I’m hoping that enough of “us” citizens can pull together enough thoughts of peace to make it so!

Thanks for your gifts.

Helene.

Dear Ron,

Great words from a great patriot. We were introduced years ago at a WGA event in L.A. by our mutual friend Kevin O’Neal, when I was then a fellow screenwriter. I am now working for peace in China, not far from the North Korean border.

I am wondering now how we can retake America from the fascists and criminals who have perpetrated a top to bottom purge of our government, institutions, traditions, and laws. It will be hard. What happened to your fellow patriot in Georgia is a small example, and the very sort of crime we must now be more vigilant than ever against in the coming month. As for my own vote, it was never recorded last time, and my absentee ballot has not been delivered to me this year (could it be because I’m a registered Democrat in a Red State, by which I don’t mean China?). Yet another example of our rights being systematically stripped away. They actually have more rights here now.

Anyway, keep up the good work.

Gene

Dear Ron,
Thank you for your words.
It is my prayer that those of us who did the deeds in foreign lands find places of healing and renewal.
It is my further prayer that those who sent us out and did not choose to share our experiences be confined singly, each in a room covered with the pictures of the innocents killed.
Let them spend a period of time alone with these images even as similar images haunt our dreams and memories until at last they recognize and take responsibility for the horror they have inflicted upon us all.
Finally, when they have experienced sincere remorse I pray to be allowed to sit in a sweatlodge with these sad, deluded and distorted souls who have caused all to suffer so much.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse
Art Durand USN (1959-63)

Since you were born on the 4th, here is a poem for you.

ALL AMERICAN

The occasions increase
When we must prove
That we can love.

The opportunities fall
All around us
Like rice
At a wild wedding.

Or like strings
Of lighted firecrackers
Flacking the dizzy air
On the Fourth of July.

These days and nights
Circumstances are flowering
Like cancers of the blue bones
Testing the invisible marrow
Of being human.

This test
Is the last.

********************** by Ed Stone
Ed Stone was a machine gunner who became a anti-war poet… this was written during the Vietnam War. He died in 1977

Dear Ron,

I couldn’t agree with you more.  You have the heart of a lion, and I too think the American people are brave and willing to fight if necessary, but sometimes fighting isn’t necessary and we ought to oppose that, too.

If it’s not too self-serving, I’d like for you to take a look at a new book that you’ll be in sync with.  I’d like to send you a free copy.  The book is entitled Failure to Atone: The True Story of a Jungle Surgeon in Vietnam, by Allen Hassan, MD, JD, DVM.  Excerpts and infomration at