I am surprised at how many people still defend the Vietnam War. Although it is usually people who never fought there and may never have even been in the military, some Vietnam vets have written me expressing pride in the fact that they fought against communists trying to take over a country. Although that is a very simplictic way to look at what happened in Vietnam, I can only say: Not on my dime.

If you want to go to any country and help Party A fight against Party B then fine, go ahead. You may in fact be fighting in a noble, just cause. But don’t except me to pay for it. And don’t expect the U.S. government to send you there and force a bunch of others to go who don’t want to. Go on your own dime and I will admire you for it. And please don’t tell me that anyone in Vietnam was any threat to the United States or our freedoms.

The Best of Laurence M. Vance