Please listen America

Once up on a time, I was a softhearted person. I recall when South Vietnam fell to the North there went out an appeal for people here to take in members of the Vietnam armed forces into their homes and help them get a new start. They had been stationed here in San Antonio going to school to learn the way of the United States military. They could not go home. My wife and I said we would take in one and soon there was a Vietnamies in our home.

Sandra had painted the walls in the room as if it were part of a villiage in Vietnam. We though he would like that. However, this guy was strange, first he asked if we were going to offer him a job or help with funds. We told him, we were offering a place to sleep, food to eat and a place to call home. Well for 2 days he was on the phone and then left and didn't come back. But we had a hugh phone bill for calls all over the U.S. It seems he was looking for other friends, guess he found one and left to go with them. So much for helping. We did get a certificate saying thanks from a certain charity.

A year later my employer hired a young man from Vietnam. I talked to him and tried to be a friend. Then soon it was Tet. They were having a big party and the "certain charity" sent me an invite to a celabration to be held at a big church building. I told the young man about it and he said that he knew about it and was going. He asked me to go as his guest. So I did.

I knew I was not welcomed as soon as I got there. First a group of young vietnam guys stood to block the way but my friend told them I was his guest. So in I went. He took me to a table and sat me down next to some people. You should have heard the chatter that started. I could not understand what they were saying but I knew. I received looks that told me I should not have sat there. So my friend took me to a different table where his mom came sat wth me. I listen to some music and was looking around when his mom placed a plate in front of me. Told me it was special Tet treat. I saw everyone was enjoying it and I started to eat mine. Took one bite and tried to find a way to dispose of it without anyone seeing.

The mom leaned over and said, "you don't like it?". I answered no so she said that's ok and went and got me a piece of ham on a plate.

Then it was show time, lights dimmed, music started. Someone was talking but I had no idea what was being said. Then something happened that really ticked me off. A person dressed as a vietcon came in carrying a vietcong flag. Everyone stood up and cheered. Then more people came in wearing black PJ with coolie hats and wearing sandles make of old tires, (vietcong uniform) and carrying rifles and things made to look like RPG. That was enough for me. I got up and walked out wondering if I would make it back to my car. As I left they were waving vietcon flags and singing songs I never heard or understood. No one was outside so I made it to my car and left.

I know that I will not take anyone into my home again. Nor will I go to parties held by refuge groups. We should have learned that if someone will not fight for their own country, expecting others to fight for them, it will fail.

Now as an older man I see Afgans more concerned about power then about freedom. Iraq people fight over who will rule there instead of working together to built a free country. Well, let them fight it out themselfs. Enough American blood as been spent. I recall the words of President Johnson, something like "I will not send American boys to do a job Asian boy should be doing." He forgot his own words. I hope we will remember them