To the editor:

Ending the Military Draft was the largest contributor to ending what this nation knew as true patriotism. From World War II we found this new era of patriots and heroes whose sacrifices contributed not only to the continued protection of our nation’s freedoms, but also to saving our world from tyrannical powers trying to overtake our freedom.

The Korean War introduced this new communism in Asia that chose to take over that part of the world. Again, our U.S. service men and women made the sacrifice to stop this disease from spreading to the free world. Our young service men and women, though their sacrifices, created a stop gap of containment in this Forgotten War.

After this Forgotten War our nation’s service men and women continued in peacetime to protect our allies around the world and our freedoms within our shores. Whether watching over the threats at the Berlin Wall or stopping the threat of nuclear arms in Cuba from the Cuban Missile Crisis, a new group of patriots were in the United States. Even if your name was Elvis Presley you answered the call to serve your country when drafted.

With the Vietnam War, our nation drafted this cadre of young men coupled with those volunteers in giving back to our nation what their forefathers gave before them. Again communism would raise it’s ugly head in a small Southeast Asia country that we had seen several years earlier in Korea. Thousands of innocent Vietnamese lives were lost to the murderous surge from the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. Our nation’s administration under Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson and his executive staff handled this conflict poorly in protecting a small nation in Southeast Asia. Not only contributing to the loss of so many innocent South Vietnamese lives, but also contributing to the loss of so many of our young American heroes. Many politicians fell prey to threats within our shores by allowing these rouge so-called peaceful protests — burning of draft cards, burning college and university administration buildings and spitting and condemning those who returned from the horrors of war, whose cause was to preserve the freedom and safety of the South Vietnamese People. Many of these snotty-nose protestors ran to Canada to evade the draft and turn their back on the country whose sacrifices over the years gave them the comfort of freedom. Only later to be pardoned for their felonious acts by another Democratic President (Jimmy Carter), further sticking a sharp stick in the eyes of our true heroes and patriots whose sacrifice went unrecognized. Years later many of these protestors would claim to be Vietnam veterans when running for political offices. The threat to patriotism began in this era when a nation turned its back on their true heroes and opened the door to the first draft-dodging, favor-seeking, uncharged federal felon to serve as President of the United States, Bill Clinton.

The 1980 election brought in the new Republican Reagan Administration who brought home the long overdue hostages from the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran, was responsible for taking down the Berlin Wall and provided the long overdue “WELCOME HOME” and recognition for the sacrifices of our Vietnam veterans. Patriotism again began to surge with this welcome home and the promise from every Vietnam veteran with the mantra “That Never Again Will One Generation of Veterans Abandon Another.”

With this new surge of patriotism many of these snotty- nose draft dodgers from Christmas Past now were laying claim to being heroic Vietnam veterans for gain, whether it be for political or other. A later study showed that over 12 million Americans claimed to be Vietnam veterans, when in actuality only approximately 2.7 million service men and women had ever served or touched ground in Vietnam. Later claims were made by certain movements that the Black population was disproportionately serving in Vietnam as compared to the white population. Again totally false. With the white population during the era being about 88.6% and the young Black male population being about 11%, the numbers are very proportionate: 88.4% total troops serving in Vietnam were white, 10.6% were Black.

The all volunteer military produced a new era of patriots, but left behind this new generation of critics (draft dodgers from Christmas Past) that far outnumbered the next generation of our true American patriots. Hence creating a generation of movements that only ask, “WHAT can my country do for me, NOT what can I do for my country.”

Patriotism and honoring the sacrifices of these Americans who wrote this blank check to the United States, for up to and including their lives has now taken a back seat to these movements that expect something for nothing. Many veterans receiving less help from the nation they sacrificed for, than those who were afforded instant citizenship by stepping on U.S. soil under the “wet foot, dry foot policy” put in place by President Bill Clinton in 1995. Less help than those illegally within our borders seeking asylum under the guise of persecution. And, less help than those receiving generational welfare benefits without questions. We see this new socialism creating a HAND OUT rather then providing an avenue of respect and help through a HAND UP. A policy developed to supporting those who give the least as opposed to supporting those who gave the most. Another movement and political move not designed to end poverty, but designed to control those under these programs.

My America, as it moves toward socialism by criticizing capitalism and hard work, now attack those who encourage hard work and family structure. Most politicians, (career or other) who criticize my America never sacrificed in the building of My America. Yet, they lay claim to making America better as they become millionaires on their non-millionaire salaries. Movements make claim along with some of these politicians that opportunities don’t exist for all. Yet, these movements and some of our politicians being around for more than a half of decade seemed to suppress these opportunities. Giving handouts provide much more control over political reelection and movement financial gains then providing an avenue of hand ups for those seeking opportunity. The key word for this is control. Review the problems in our inner cities like Detroit, Baltimore, Chicago, St Louis, etc. for more than 56 years since the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 80% of Republicans voted for this passage when only 63% of Democrats for this passage. One would think that after 56 years these Democratic cities would create opportunity over control and corruption.

In the end, the Military Draft not only produced a nation of true patriots, it also was the greatest movement in the nation for introducing civil rights for all. All races, religions and ethnic groups were together as one cohesive military with the same goal of protecting the freedoms of our nation. Education opportunities acquired through their military training coupled with education benefits after leaving the military was greatest provider for equal opportunity for all who may not have been afforded these educational opportunities without their military service.

We as a nation have lost this goal when we allowed those career politicians and movements the opportunity to control this nation through increased socialistic generational programs for their own personal gain that suppress opportunity instead of affording opportunity.

So before you so-called Americans put a pen to the paper criticizing My America, please supply along with that criticism how your own personal contributions and sacrifices provided to our nation building. And, please do not include your Dad or Uncle Joe’s sacrifices. You wannabe heroes and patriots are the one’s putting the pen to the paper with your criticisms in talking about

“MY AMERICA and MY HEROES.”

God Bless my heroes and patriots that afforded to me a free nation.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

Jack Wagner

Cape Coral