I'm constantly astounded at this whole Vietnam stuff. I'm young and liberal, but, even in my high school which was conservative filled with conservatives, the general consensus was that Vietnam War was stupid and ignoble. Does the majoirty of America believe otherwise? There's not much glorification of Vietnam in any of the movies. We appreciate the valor of soldiers who fought there, but because they were brave, not because they were fighting for a noble cause. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, and people do believe that Vietnam was a justified war fought for the right reasons?
of course, I may be thinking too hard. Given the sheep-like mindset of many conservatives today, it doesn't matter if you country is doing good or bad, you just have to support it, huh? I can't think about that too much, I'll have an aneurism.
Thanks for posting the link, Ogged. I'd been wanting to hear the testimony since reading the many (not so flattering) accounts of it. I agree that it's quite impressive.
But finding the younger Kerry impressive is perfectly compatible with finding the older Kerry a tedious windbag. His anti-war argument in 1971 was a classic young person's moment, since the moral issue presented by that war was close to black and white. Someone whose first great moment was so achromatical is likely to keep looking for blacks and whites in future, that is, for further occasions to "stand up" (even if one sat calmly at the table during the orienting moment) and "fight" for the noble cause.
As a serious and responsible older person trying to sort through shades of intermediacy, Senator Kerry has compiled a respectable record of sensible positions. But it's as if that record isn't quite real for him. He seems to flee his voting record, but I suspect he isn't fleeing but manifesting the feeling that it simply isn't as real as that noble testimony.
Thus we have yet another angle on why I don't trust Kerry and on why I voted for Edwards last Tuesday.