LIVE BY THE LIE, DIE BY THE LIE
For months, there have been pro-peace and support the troops/president (or, if you prefer, pro- and anti-war) demonstrations in my city's downtown. One of the main organizers of the "support the troops" rallies has been a guy claiming to be a Korean War veteran. Yesterday, the local paper revealed that the organizer had in fact lied about his military service. The Army unit which he claimed to have served with was inactive from 1947-1963.

He in fact served in the National Guard, which he seemingly dissed. He was quoted, "You think those combat veterans would follow a National Guardsman? National Guardsmen were homefront guys, they weren't combat soldiers then. They were like a Boy Scout group."

So instead, he lied. Judging from what I know about my brother, a Marine veteran, telling bald-face lies doesn't seem to be part of what most people associate with military honor. Why did he do then?

The paper explained [Name] said he didn't think his efforts would be noticed if he had not served in the military.

I've heard and read countless comments implying that only military veterans have a right to an opinion on this issue. And even then, somehow military veterans who oppose the war have less of a right to their opinion than those who support the war.

It is unfortunate that this guy felt the only way he could be taken seriously was to lie. However, this is a direct result of the bullying tactics some in the pro-war camp have used. They have suggested that only those who've served in the military have "earned' the right to be taken seriously. Saying you've served has become like an innoculation. You can make ridiculous statements like, "We must enforce UN resolutions" or "We're invading to uphold international law" but once you say you're a veteran, you get a free pass. They don't really deal well with veterans who are against the war.


This organizer was apparently a victim of this bullying. But he wasn't the only victim. Many anti-war demonstraters have trouble being taken seriously as well. Those anti-warriors who make similiarly ridiculous statements don't get the same free pass. Those who make intelligent, substantive arguments usually don't get heard. Guess which one gets more air time on TV.

The difference is that, in our community anyways, none of the leaders of the anti-war protests have lied about their military service to get favorable PR. (At least not that we know of)

So how did this gentleman react, with typical gracelessness. His kill-the-messenger comment was, "I guess someone don't [sic] like me doing these rallies and they're trying to discredit me personally." Well, sir, if you TELL THE TRUTH, then you don't have to worry about someone discovering your dirty little secret.

He added, "My personal life has nothing to do with the rallies." And he's right. He could've just as easily done those rallies without evoking his imaginary military service. But, he chose OF HIS OWN FREE WILL to inject his (fictious) personal life into and now he's whining that someone called his bluff. If his personal life has nothing to do with the rallies, then why did he inject his personal life into the rallies in the first place?

But people in my area must have a thing for guys who exagerrate their military service. Our former congressman, the late Rep. Gerald Solomon, saw his political career skyrocket. Somehow, it got out that Solomon was a combat veteran. Many people assumed this because of his strong advocacy for veterans and his ferocious defense of all military spending (while decrying others' "pork"). The belief in Solomon's role as a combat veteran was widespread, yet Solomon was more than happy to let this myth flourish, never countering it. Solomon had in fact served in the Marines, but as a domestic MP.

[Solomon was another to play fast and loose with the truth. He once said in a House debate that his wife needed to have an assault weapon because she "lives alone five days a week in a rural area in upstate New York." I've passed their house countless times and it's in a swanky suburban neighborhood about 3/4 of a mile from the busiest traffic intersection from Albany, NY to Montreal]

I've crosswed swords, metaphorically, with the lying pro-war organizer before. He had said at one of his rallies that anti-war people were "responsible for our troops getting killed over there." I had a letter to the paper published criticizing him for this slander.

I'm glad this guy got exposed. He shouldn't have felt the need to lie in the first place. But if it means the discrediting of the disturbing, un-American principle of "only veterans have a right to an opinion," then it might be for the best.