US war veterans tossing medals back at Nato was a heroic act

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/may/21/us-war-veterans-medals-nato-heroic-act



Nato summit leaders 'were busy posing for photo ops' as war veterans staged protest. Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images


"No amount of medals, ribbons, or flags can cover the amount of human suffering caused by this war."

"I have only one word, and it is shame."

"This is for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan."

"Mostly, I'm sorry. I'm sorry to all of you. I am sorry…"

In the shadow of the Nato summit, under the watchful eyes of a phalanx of full-black-clad riot police, dozens of former servicemen and women in uniform, veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, threw away their medals, with apologies. It was one of the most moving experiences many of us had witnessed in our lives. It is hard to describe in words. I couldn't get the lump out of my throat. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a woman next to me crying. Their words, their voices, crackling under the emotion of their courageous act, breaking under the weight of the pain, the trauma, their anger, sadness, and hope – theirs was a heroic and beautiful act, a moving ceremony. It was a privilege to be there with these women and men who served in our wars.

Operation Iraqi Freedom medal. Tossed. Global War on Terror medal. Thrown. National Defense medal. Pitched. Marine Corps Good Conduct medal. Flung. Navy and Marine Corps medal. Chucked.

Most of the reporting of the demonstrations that met the summit will focus on the minor violence, on the few clashes between protesters and police, on the blood, on everything that happened after the peaceful march was over. In our sad world of spectacle, the pushing and shoving will be all that gets our attention. It is a pity.

Because what was truly remarkable today was the American servicewomen and men tossing their medals back at Nato. In a mixture of sadness, shame, anger, and pride, of trauma, sorrow, and pain, some looking back at their time in Iraq and Afghanistan, some healing from PTSD, others chanting Occupy slogans, these men and women showed a type of courage that the Nato leaders should have been forced to watch. Tragically, our leaders were busy posing for photo ops. They should have been forced to listen to these courageous men and women, to their veterans. It is their loss, ultimately.

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. REC!

[pinboy3niner]

2. I remember when Kerry threw his ribbons on the Capitol steps

I watched the news at the Army hospital in San Francisco, where I was being treated for my war wounds, and something just boiled up in me.

I'd been a true believer, volunteering for the draft, for Army Infantry, for OCS, for Vietnam, and for combat assignment.

But by that time, after VN combat and living for more than a year on the hospital floor that had all the facial casualties and all the amputees, and watching the never-ending flow of new casualties into our hospital and onto our floor, my views and my feelings had changed in ways I wasn't even consciously aware of.

When I saw the news about Kerry's protest, this true believer couldn't help exclaiming, "Yeah!" And in that moment I wished so much that I could have been with Kerry then, throwing my ribbons, too, at rhe Capitol...

[era veteran]

9. I was in Washington that day/week.

17 years old
Here is a posting from a couple of years ago.
Throwing medals is now tradition. Sad

30 April 1975 Not a celebration for American Soldiers
This is what I did that sorry ass fucking day: ( This is from an older posting) Terrible times & my emotions may never come to grips with this war. On 30 April 1975 I was in a cocktail meeting with all the NCO's at our Kaserne , The Rock, in W Germany. The Sergeant Major of the Army was the speaker. He was there to prep us for a visit by President Ford. After the talk and during the drinking part the TV at the bar turned on. Pictures of that helicopter on our embassy roof flooded the room. All E-6's and above had been to Vietnam at least once. All emotions flooded that room. Older men than me crying and some throwing their medals at the TV. A memory which will never leave. The anti-war demonstrations certainly did have an effect on ending the war but these would not have happened if their had not been a draft. Universal Draft Now Peace, Richard

[Magoo48]

3. From the picture: appears a great time was had by all...

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. Doesn't heroism involve risk? Where's the risk?

[coalition_unwilling]

7. Um, right here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002710303

Nah, no risk there

[AnotherMcIntosh]

15. Some people otherwise took risks in Iraq and Afghanistan, and when clashing w police in Chicago,

But that is not the issue. And your sarcasm and link to photos where other protestors are actually taking risk when clashing with police doesn't change that.

Or to borrow a your sarcasm tactic in return: The photos of others who placed themselves at risk when clashing with the Chicago police really shows that there are those who were taking risks when throwing away their medals.

U.S. war veterans raise their hands in solidarity after throwing away their medals:

[coalition_unwilling]

18. Are you agreeing with me or disagreeing with me? Beats me. Are you

saying the vets are heroes or cowards? Beats me.

[sabrina 1]

16. They risked their lives on a mission they were told was a noble cause. That makes them heroes.

They went willingly to fight a war they THOUGHT was for the reasons they were told it was for. They thought they were defending US. That takes courage.

But when you find out you were fooled, lied to, deceived, it takes moral courage to admit that, first of all to yourself, then to do it publicly, knowing it will not be popular to do so, even with some of your family members and buddies and the public. Unless you've been in their shoes, it is hard to understand that kind of courage.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

17. How do you know that I haven't been in their shoes? What makes you want to assume that?

My objection is not to anything that the vets have done. My objection is to the characterization of the title of the post as written by someone at the Guardian in the UK.

Are there really vets who want to be thought of as being heroic? And are there really vets who want to be thought of as being heroic for tossing back their medals? I know lots of vets. I don't know one who thinks of himself as a hero. Although there are some who think of others as heros. Even Joe Foss didn't hold himself out as a hero. Nor did Audie Murphy. There are protestors who have been heroic. Some of them are even vets.

But tossing back medals is an act of heroism? Somehow I don't think so. Somehow, I don't think that any genuine vets who tossed back their medals would think so either.

[suffragette]

19. "genuine vets" As compared to what?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

20. As opposed to the pretend ones who bought uniforms at Military Surplus stores, or who

appeared in movies like Rambo, or who otherwise pose as vets and lecture others in order to call special attention to themselves for things that they wish that they did.

You remember John Rambo, don't you? He supposedly was a former United States Special Forces soldier who fought in Vietnam and won the Congressional Medal of Honor. In real life, Sylvester Stallone (who requested and received student deferments while others went) started the myth that combat vets came back from Viet Nam and were spit upon by war protestors.

Pretend vets, as opposed to genuine vets, are persons who pretend to be veterans.

[sabrina 1]

22. Are you saying these men are 'pretend vets'??

I did see that the rightwingers are making that claim, but that is to be expected. I hope that is not what you are saying. Scott Olsen is no 'pretend vet' is he?

Please clarify, I would hate to misunderstand you.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

23. I am in agreement with you. I would hate for you to misunderstand me as well.

1. As far as I know, Scott Olsen is an ex-Marine. His name is not listed in the above string by anyone, and his name has not been the subject of this post. No person should should infer that he is the subject of the above string or that I have, in any shape or form, referred to him in any manner. I haven't done so. No one can find any words to support a conclusion that I have done so.

2. As far as I am concerned, if any vet at the ongoing Chicago protests wants to mail back, hand back, or throw back whatever medals that they want, that's up to them.

3. All veterans are "genuine vets." All of them. Each of them. If they served in uniform, they are vets.

4. There are people who pose as vets. I'm sure that you know this as well. I mentioned Sylvester Stallone, an actor who in his movie role started the myth that Viet Nam combat vets came back to the States and were spit upon by war protestors, because he is the most famous contemporary pretend vet that I know and that many other people know. I could have mentioned John Wayne who many movie watchers have thought was a vet but, in fact, was one of the flag-waving pretend vets.

5. Just because a person wears a military uniform or part of a military uniform like jacket does not make them a vet. There are a number of motorcycle thugs who are vets, but there are also right-wing motorcycle thugs that wear military garb or insignias who never served in the military and who merely pretend to be vets. Here's another example. We know that Insane McCain is a vet because he crashed at least five planes. In contrast, we only have a single picture of Bush sitting in a cockpit of a military plane but no one can actually remember being in the military with him.

6. I stand by my origional statements. Any vet who wants to give back any medals can do so with no criticism from me. As I've said, I know lots of vets. As I've also said, I think that it is wrong for a headline writer to give the impression that an act by a group of vets, no matter how newsworth, is heroic if there is no identifiable risk involved. Heroism requires risk. When I did not perceive any risk, I asked what is the risk. I also said that, based on my experience, I don't think that any genuine vets who tossed back their medals would think that tossing back medals is an act of heroism.

7. You are welcome to disagree and support the headline writer if you want. But I don't think that you are going to find any combat vet who has faced genuine risk who will equate the risks that they and others encountered with the activity of tossing back medals.

8. Nobody at any time has to prove their vet status to me. But there are an awful lot of chickenhawks who never served but want to publicly reminisce about the good old days and lecture others about how they should conduct themselves when referring to issues and veterans. These are pretend vets.

[sabrina 1]

24. Thank you.

However, Scott Olsen was among those who disposed of their medals according to reports I have read. He belongs to the very well-known organization that all the other vets who were there, belong to. Veterans were among the first supporters of this movement. Most have provided their information, which they must do anyhow, to the organization they belong to.

Otoh, I would not be surprised if someone posed as a veteran in an effort to discredit both the organization and the movement. It happened several years ago. Mostly to do that would be someone from the far right.

As for the headline, the Vets are not responsible for what a news paper writes. I did not hear any of them call themselves heroes.

But reading the vile comments attached to news articles about their decision, it is clear that it does take moral courage to be able to stand up and tell the truth, especially knowing the vilification they will receive, and have today, from the far right.

And because, to have to admit that they participated in something they know now was so wrong, is a difficult thing to do. Remember Kerry did this, and today, so many years later, he is still being smeared by the Right for his actions. These men know, as threatened today by members of the far right, that if they ever run for public office eg, this will be used against them. It is a big decision and it does take a lot of moral courage to do it. And I doubt any of them care about being called heroes, or have referred to themselves as such.

[snappyturtle]

5. K&R nt

[The River]

6. I Tossed Mine

into the South China Sea upon leaving VN for the last time in 1971.
After being diagnosed with PTSD (40 years too late) I replaced
them so my kids will have something to remind them that
Dad wasn't crazy, just wounded.

As long as the medals/ribbons are listed on your DD214 they can be replaced.
( http://www.medalsofamerica.com/ )
I suspect that many of today's protesters will do the same as they age and mellow.

[coalition_unwilling]

8. Your post made me tear up. I hope that you

have been able to find a measure of peace in the years since.

[The River]

10. I Have, Thank You

After 2 years of weekly counseling I've learned what triggers my negative
responses and how to deal with them, although sometimes I feel I would
be better off if I were just another name on the Wall.

What really breaks my heart is seeing all the young kids lining up for help now.
Thank goodness they are being treated early. The rest of their lives will be better for it.

[bigtree]

12. never better off

. . . to be a 'name on the Wall,' TR. I'm very glad you're here.

[coalition_unwilling]

13. I heard Ron Kovic (of "Born on the 4th of July" fame) speak at Occupy Los Angeles and

he said (words to this effect and far more eloquently) that more veterans came home with wounds we don't see than with wounds we do see.

I wish there were no names on that Wall, not yours or anyone else's.

[pinboy3niner]

14. I hear you, brother!

And I'm glad you're not another name on the Wall. I'm really glad you made it.

The epilogue from Platoon said it well...

Those of us who did make it have an obligation to build again. To teach to others what we know. And to try with what's left of our lives, to find a goodness and a meaning to this life.

Sounds to me like you've already taken those words to heart...

[JayhawkSD]

11. The chicken hawks pose for pictures

and bleat about "supporting the troops."

Those who risked and lost, throw away their medals and weep in misplaced remorse. The blame is not theirs, not theirs.

[gratuitous]

21. Standing in opposition to a violent society is heroic

The danger imminent from opposing the High Church of Redemptive Violence (our national religion) is real, no matter who or where you are. I've had enough friends who never had to go off to war to figure out what a horror and a scam it is. They've also paid the price in any number of ways from loss of livelihood, threats, and infliction of violence. It takes a certain courage to admit that you were fooled by the wehrmacht and its relentless hype. These men can look forward to similar treatment, and if the past is any indicator, the charge against them will begin with rhetoric, waged by the acolytes of the High Church, policy-makers who are far too important to risk their own necks.