At ASM on Wednesday, Prateek Kumar ’07 stood up to introduce two speakers in honor of Veterans Day, the time of year when we honor all those who served in the Armed Forces. Kumar discussed the importance of this holiday as a commemoration of America’s servicemen and women that should remain devoid of partisanship. Unfortunately, the first speaker, Captain John Doherty (Ret.) ’59, politicized the day, failed to assist his own cause and unabashedly assailed the left wing of the political spectrum in this nation. The first speech was laden with blatant attacks on liberals and others who agree with their stance on various issues. Of particular ire was Doherty’s verbal tirade against John Kerry (D-MA) as an allegedly terrible soldier with equally bad grades. Not only were Mr. Doherty’s attacks insensitive and distasteful, for he was attacking a fellow serviceman, but they were also completely partisan. There has been debate from both sides of the political aisle as to the validity of John Kerry’s war record, but a Veterans Day speech at Andover is neither the time nor the place to raise this as an issue. What John Kerry did or did not do thirty years ago has nothing to do with the thousands of other military personnel who served this country. For every controversy surrounding a soldier’s war record, there are one hundred other soldiers who served without question and who deserve our respect. The discussion by Mr. Doherty about the negative attitudes towards troops was a valid point, yet he would do better to discuss part of the reason why such tension exists. Being upset at the insults and disrespect of leftist radicals is understandable, but we can also never forget the atrocities of My Lai, the indiscriminate firebombing of civilians in Dresden, Germany at the close of WWII, American use of napalm and Agent Orange, the numerous accounts of rape, or more recently, the horrors of Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and the slaughter of innocent Iraqis by a few soldiers. The conduct of soldiers abroad is not squeaky clean, and in an unnecessary war, they mar the public image of soldiers. At the same time, we cannot damn an entire group of people, whether they are leftists of the 1960’s or soldiers, simply because of the appalling actions of a few. No group can be judged by its most radical and fringe elements. Surely Mr. Doherty would not want us to judge the United States military by the actions of those soldiers at Abu Ghraib. It seems odd to use a reference from Ann Coulter here, but it is also appropriate. In her book “Godless: The Church of Liberalism,” she attacked the “Jersey Girls,” a group of women widowed on 9/11, for supposedly using their status to further a partisan agenda. The same applies here: the military uniform cannot be reason to silence criticism and denounce without fear of reprisal. If a soldier commits a crime, he should be held to the same standards, if not higher ones, than any other citizen. The military uniform represents the principles of the United States of America and we should hold this uniform and the people who wear it to the same high standards to which we hold our country and our values. Mr. Doherty, instead of spending so much time attacking a few radicals and a United States Senator, could have rather asked far more meaningful and relevant questions. Why do so few Andover students go on to serve in the military? Why has a disconnect formed between the supposed “educated elite” of Andover and the military? And why do people so often blame the soldiers rather than the policies and those who make them? We should have been challenged to end this cycle and rebuild the once great ties between the Andover and the Armed Forces. Veterans Day is not only a day to recognize and appreciate the tremendous service our soldiers have done for us, but also to remember why we are so proud and appreciative of them. Let us not only remember the service of our soldiers, but also continue the military tradition of making our servicemen some of the finest and most honorable in the world. Thankfully, the first steps in this direction were taken by the second speaker, Brig. Gen. John Carlson (Ret.), who, in very eloquent terms, highlighted the heroism of our armed forces in the retreat during the Battle of the Chosin Basin. These are the types of heroes who should be remembered on this day, and it was in this spirit that we should have left. The goal of bringing speakers to campus to highlight the sacrifice men in the armed services of this nation have made is an admirable goal. It would just be better if the speakers had consistently maintained Kumar’s stated intention of honoring the troops. Such blatant attacks serve no goal and politicize the time we should spend honoring our heroes. Every other day is filled with partisan attacks and mudslinging, but for this one day, let us leave all politics and feuds at the door and remember and thank all of our servicemen and women for their tremendous duty to this country.
