Why did the ‘Veterans Today” become a nest of anti-Semites, 911 conspiracy theorists and other bigots?

I rave only the quality of intent of what is posted, whether I agree or not. Understanding is everything, even in disagreements. That being said….

As to; “I have had friends come back from the wars and are ashamed of the things they did there.”

I did nothing wrong while in Vietnam, but I can agree that the United States should have not gotten involved even though South Vietnam asked their help. Someone that does not finish what they start are a very lousy peace of $hi_ as far as I am concerned. I have an undesirable discharge today because I told my supervisors exactly what I thought of them when I heard the military was pulling out, leaving a bigger mess than it was when they went in.

However, your friends were wrong in the statement; “they were not defending freedom,” Our freedom has been under attack for several years now, but most Americans don’t know that. The attack on the country on 9/11/2001, was only the latest attack on our freedom at that time, and the Middle East countries that say they did not support that attack are a pack of lairs. Looking at the push for the passing of a Muslim religious law in this country speaks volumes in support that it is a lie. I am a Christian, but like the founders of this country, I understand that religious laws in the hands of people are dangerous. A leader that supports such an arrangement soon gets the idea that he is God, and that is a lie of the greatest magnitude.

No, your friends did what was right under the laws of this country, however misguided they may be. One should obey the law, but then, if we are in a mess now, whose fault is it? To get down to the real nitty-gritty (as we said in my younger days), the real freedom of a country depends as much on the character and habits of the people as on a written constitution. Our founding fathers gave us leave to solicit the weight of their example, with authority and influence in opposition to the mistaken notions and vices which now threatens our liberties. It is in the favor of the principles and virtues, which are indispensable to our freedom and happiness that we should enrich.

Good examples act with the greater effect, because it reproves without upbraiding, and teaches us to correct our faults without giving us the mortification of knowing that any but ourselves, have ever observed them. We feel the force of counsel or persuasion much more sensibly, when we see that one does what he advises or requires us to do. But the best counsel from one, who obeys not his own precepts, nor practices upon the principles of his own advice, will generally be little regarded. As I did in 1971, I do not believe a man to be in earnest, who advises one thing, and does the contrary.

To resist the progress of irreligion, injustice, luxury, selfishness, and an impatience of legal restraint, is a duty imposed by patriotism. And I hope my highly esteemed hearers feel their obligation to recommend by their own example piety, justice, economy, public spirit, an attachment to our constitution, and a cheerful submission to its laws, as essential to our political happiness. The influence of their example is the more necessary at the present day, because an attachment to old opinions and old customs, which once exercised an almost boundless sway over the human mind, has lost a great part of its power, and has given place to a passion for innovation, which rejects whatever is old fashioned, with as little reason and as little examination as prejudice formerly retained it. This passion, when indulged will, as we are witnessing today, prostrate the religious, moral and political principles, which are the bulwarks of our freedom.

Our government is what we make it, as I stated above; "I do not believe a man to be in earnest, who advises one thing, and does the contrary."

This is a pattern in all politicians of the last thirty years, and has a spotted history throughout the proceeding seventy years. I don't question incompetent men, but those that elect them. This last election was a joke, for the people did not do what they said they would, and until the people can tell and do the truths they say they stand in, they are no better than the elected officials.

This ties directly in with; "the real freedom of a country depends as much on the character and habits of the people as on a written constitution." Why? Because the people are the owners of the government, but the government has been pushing the people away for the last hundred years. Until the people get down right nasty with their elected officials, then it stands to reason that the people, like their representatives, "advises one thing, and does the contrary."

I can't condone that, and thought I vote, I know that most people vote for the one their party tells them to vote for instead of checking the running history, along the lines of the truthfulness, of the politician in question. I am an independent, and that means exactly what it says, “INDEPENDENT”, I do my own thinking.

I can give you the picture of an honest man through one great President, Harry Truman. When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, "You don't want me. You want the office of the president, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale." Later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise."

I really love the man, he was one to say it like it was. About the time that Congress tried to put him in the spotlight, he observed, "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference."