Nation's policies led to Bergdahl's situation

Nation's policies led to Bergdahl's situation

Regarding Robert E. Davis' "Slap in veterans' faces" letter from Nov. 8: He should be (almost) ashamed to be a veteran, but not because of Bowe Bergdahl.

Bergdahl enlisted into the U.S. Army after a mental discharge from the U.S. Coast Guard, and was only qualified per orders originating at the White House level through the Department of Defense to U.S. Army Recruiting Command, to lower enlistment standards to provide "cannon fodder" for two wars America was, at best, stalemated in, and, at worst, losing. You will note he was stuck in combat arms?

Do not blame U.S. Army Recruiting Command for that. Blame the president. The casualties suffered by his fellow soldiers searching for him are a direct result of that order. If you take in mental cases or criminals, you pay the price. But we always need a scapegoat. This is America.

Now, all you Vietnam vets still holding your parades to honor 58,000 of America's youth who paid the ultimate price for American arrogance and pride, or who were still fighting World War II in the 60s, and all you current "TV commandos" playing with your AR-15s, and all you "news journalists" who make your living in the safety of your living rooms screaming for Bergdahl's head, please act with honor and Google "My Lai massacre."

By God, we're proud of those All-American boys who murdered, raped, tortured, mutilated men, women, children, babies, old people (which no one was ever convicted of), but that mental case deserter Bergdahl done oughta (syntax intentional) be sentenced to death?

I do not care to know what unit Davis or Trump (a draft dodger) served with in Vietnam, but you obviously didn't serve in mine. I'm not upset by his letter; it is just another daily confirmation that the vast majority of patriotic, flag-waving Americans just don't get it.

War, and the consequences of it, is the butchery of human beings by human beings, often necessary, but nothing to take pride in. Just a dirty job that has to be done. Davis can go back to your righteous indignation now, sir. I'm going back to mine.

Rick Herron

Gentry

Prayers needed for Congress, the NRA

If you are driving the get-away car in a bank robbery, you are complicit in the robbery; you are a party to the wrongdoing. The driver is just as guilty as the people who robbed the bank.

Members of Congress who refuse to pass meaningful and rational laws about gun control are complicit, that is, they are a party to the wrongdoing of others who use guns to kill people. The NRA is complicit in that it contributes money to the re-election campaigns of members of Congress, so that those members would not be a party to any meaningful gun control. The NRA and the Congress are complicit by enabling individuals to murder people.

It is has become a cliché when we have another mass shooting that someone calls us to pray for the victims. I am all for that. Maybe now is the time to also pray for those who are the enablers of the victimizers. Men and women of good will, now is the time to pray that God will open the hearts of the members of Congress and the leadership of the NRA to the truth and lead them to repent of their complicity in these mass shootings?

Charles E. Walling

Fayetteville