Word: vietnames
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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However, those petty grievances were put aside when the critics realized that a display of Vietnam War pride was an achievement not to be obscured by intramural squabbling. Rather, it should be a signal to Americans--both friends and foes of the war--to put aside intellectual battles of more than a decade ago and begin to realize that the war left real people who would like some real support...
THOUGH ACCEPTANCE by their fellow citizens has to be the vets' first goal, help from the government must follow. It was a nice gesture to have Caspar W. Weinberger '38 at the dedication ceremonies, questioning the intensity of the U.S commitment to win the Vietnam War, but actively helping those veterans who suffered from that half-speed effort is another matter. President Reagan in the ceremony praised Vietnam veterans for fighting in "a just cause," but he and his administration have showed little willingness to investigate the possible health hazards to veterans...
...more concrete level, the Federal government must begin authoritative testing of Agent Orange, a lethal defoliant which was aerially sprayed on the Vietnamese jungle during the war. The deadly toxin dioxin, the active ingredient of Agent Orange, has been linked to cancer in Vietnam vets and birth defects among their children. In addition, some have argued that Agent Orange has been responsible for Delayed Stress Syndrome, a mental disturbance many vets have faced since the war. Efforts must be made along federal and state level's to see whether Agent Orange is indeed as dangerous as feared...
Another constructive show of support for Vietnam veterans would be to take a fresh look at the Veterans Administration (VA) and the responsiveness of the government to Vietnam veterans in general Robert V. Nimmo, who just resigned as director of the VA, had been widely considered a disaster, but Vietnam veterans' groups have also complained that VA job training and rehabilitation funds have been underreported and misdirected by the VA's overburdened bureaucracy. Since Vietnam vets as a group have little pull as a constituency, politicians who are vets themselves--such as Sen. Larry Pressler (R.S.D.) and State Representative Thomas...
...building of the monument, though a step forward, demonstrates the same problem. Vietnam vets made the plans, raised the money, organized the parade, and eventually oversaw the dedication themselves. No one else would do it for them. It is time, however, for someone else--namely the U.S. public and government--to do a little for Vietnam veterans...