Simply sharing. Today is Vietnam Veterans Day. For years Vietnam veterans were ignored or passed aside by many. Those who understood truly did understand. Later it seems to me to have been convenient and appropriate by many to accept and honor the service of the Vietnam veteran. I think there is much group guilt and regret in that acceptance. I believe there are some groups which did not want the Vietnam veteran to join their ranks after separation from the military because they felt it was not politically correct at the time to accept them. Later those same groups wanted them to join partly because the ranks of those groups were falling off, World War II and Korean War veterans were getting much older. Of course, all of this is my opinion and everyone forms their own opinion on issues. That is part of the freedom we enjoy in the United States. I hold no animosity towards those groups, or any individual, concerning the Vietnam War or any issues relating to it. I wrote the poem below many years ago. If you read it, please do so with that space of time in mind. I hope that none of our veterans are ever ignored or forgotten regardless of when or where they serve or have served. BUT YOU DIDNT GIVE US A PARADE Cheers for the Gulf heroes, But you didnt give us a parade. Wave the flags, you gave us zeroes, But you didnt give us a parade. Many came back not in light, but shade, But you didnt give us a parade. The best weve sent, Farewell you bade, But you didnt give us a parade. The youth of America in glory stand, But you didnt give us a parade. Millions came back, expecting a band, But you didnt give us a parade. We suffered in silence, and cried at the TV, But you didnt give us a parade. They hear the cheer, we say, Why you, not we? But you didnt give us a parade. Flowers are thrown, and they deserve every bit, But you didnt give us a parade. When thrown at us it was bottles or shit, But you didnt give us a parade. We gave as much, all we could do, But you didnt give us a parade. We gave it all, and gave it for you, But you didnt give us a parade.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 17:32:52 +0000