POW/MIA Flag is Racist?

2015-08-11T21:45:47-04:00

One columnist of a major news periodical thinks so.

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You know that racist flag? The one that supposedly honors history but actually spreads a pernicious myth? And is useful only to venal right-wing politicians who wish to exploit hatred by calling it heritage? It’s past time to pull it down.

Oh, wait. You thought I was referring to the Confederate flag. Actually, I’m talking about the POW/MIA flag.

I told the story in the first chapter of my 2014 book The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan: how Richard Nixon invented the cult of the “POW/MIA” in order to justify the carnage in Vietnam in a way that rendered the United States as its sole victim.

It began, as cultural historian H. Bruce Franklin has documented, with an opportunistic shift in terminology. Downed pilots whose bodies were not recovered—which, in the dense jungle of a place like Vietnam meant most pilots—had once been classified “Killed in Action/Body Unrecovered.”

During the Nixon years, the Pentagon moved them into a newly invented “Missing in Action” column. That proved convenient, for, after years of playing down the existence of American prisoners in Vietnam, in 1969, the new president suddenly decided to play them up.

He declared their treatment, and the enemy’s refusal to provide a list of their names, violations of the Geneva Conventions—the better to paint the North Vietnamese as uniquely cruel and inhumane. He also demanded the release of American prisoners as a precondition to ending the war.

This was bullshit four times over: first, because in every other conflict in human history, the release of prisoners had been something settled at the close of a war; second, because these prisoners only existed because of America’s antecedent violations of the Geneva Conventions in bombing civilians in an undeclared war; third, because, as bad as their torture of prisoners was, rather than representing some species of Oriental despotism, the Vietnam Communists were only borrowing techniques practiced on them by their French colonists (and incidentally paid forward by us in places like Abu Ghraib): see this as-told-to memoir by POW and future senator Jeremiah Denton. And finally, our South Vietnamese allies’ treatment of their prisoners, who lived manacled to the floors in crippling underground bamboo “tiger cages” in prison camps built by us, was far worse than the torture our personnel suffered.

(Time magazine quoted one South Vietnamese official who was confronted with stories of released prisoners moving “like crabs, skittering across the floor on buttocks and palms,” and responded with incredulity that such survivors even existed: “No one ever comes from the tiger cages alive.”)

Be that as it may: It worked. American citizens enacted a bizarre psychic reversal. A man from Virginia Beach, Virginia, described to a reporter the supposed treatment of American prisoners in North Vietnam: “They just dig holes in the ground and drop them in. They throw food down to them, and let them live there in their own waste.” In fact, that was how prisoners were treated in South Vietnam—as recently revealed in a shocking Life magazine exposé.

Children began wearing “POW bracelets,” drivers sported “POWs NEVER HAVE A NICE DAY” bumper stickers. As the late Jonathan Schell of The New Yorker memorably wrote during the war, the Americans were acting “as though the North Vietnamese had kidnapped 400 Americans and the United States had gone to war to retrieve them.”

Actually, it was worse: Whenever Nixon or one of his minions talked about the problem, they tended to use the number 1,400. The number of actual prisoners, was about 550. The number of downed, missing pilots were spoken of, prima facia, as if they were missing, too, although almost all of them were certainly dead.

And in 1971 that damned flag went up.

The flag was the creation of the National League of Families of Prisoners of War, later the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, a fascinating part of the story in itself.

The organization was founded by POW wife Sybil Stockdale, during the Johnson administration, in an effort to embarrass LBJ and challenge his line that all in Vietnam was going swell. Johnson tried to silence them; Nixon’s people, however, spying opportunity, coopted the group, sometimes inventing chapters outright, to fan the propaganda flames.

Then the war ended, the POWs (yes, all the POWs) were repatriated to great fanfare, one of them declaring: “I want you to remember that we walked out of Hanoi as winners”—a declaration that seemed to suggest, almost, that by surviving, the POWs had won the Vietnam War.

The moral confusion was abetted by the flag: the barbed-wire misery of that stark white figure, emblazoned in black.

It memorializes Americans as the preeminent victims of the Vietnam War, a notion seared into the nation’s visual unconscious by the Oscar-nominated 1978 film The Deer Hunter, which depicts acts of sadism, which were documented to have been carried out by our South Vietnamese allies, as acts committed by our North Vietnamese enemies, including the famous scene pictured on The Deer Hunter poster: a pistol pointed at the American prisoner’s head at exactly the same angle of the gun in the famous photograph of the summary execution in the middle of the street of an alleged Communist spy by a South Vietnamese official.

By then, the league and its flag had become the Pentagon’s own Frankenstein’s monster. You can read about the mess that resulted in the definitive book on the subject: Until the Last Man Comes Home: POWs, MIAs, and the Unending Vietnam War by Northwestern University’s Michael J. Allen.

Allen describes how Vietnam’s “refusal” to “account for” a thousand phantoms became an impediment to reconciliation and diplomatic recognition between the two nations. (How bizarre, how insulting, how counterproductive this must have been to a nation that must have suffered missing corpses in the thousands upon thousands?)

A delegation led by Congressman Gillespie “Sonny” Montgomery (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Missing in Action in Southeast Asia, traveled to Vietnam in 1975, convinced of the Nixon administration’s deception that hundreds of “MIAs actually” existed.

The members of Congress returned home, having found their Communist hosts warm and accommodating, doubting there were any missing at all. In hearings, a CIA pilot captured there in 1965 testified: “If you take a wallet-full of money over there, you can buy all the information you want on POWs on the streets.”

The House committee also produced evidence that China had manufactured stories of MIA in Vietnamese prison camps in order to keep the U.S. from normalizing relations with China’s Asian rival. No matter that the flag’s promoters were abetting an actual, real-live Communist conspiracy, from its original sightings above VFW and American Legion posts, the “You Are Not Forgotten” flag became as common as kudzu.

Midwifing an entire metastasizing Pentagon bureaucracy, the League of Families would also become an irritant to every future president. By 1993, 17 Americans were stationed in Hanoi in charge of searching for the missing and working to repatriate remains. They were provided a budget of $100 million a year, “over 30 times the value of U.S. humanitarian aid paid to Vietnam,” Allen writes.

It would have been evidence of Ronald Reagan’s old saw that the closest thing to eternal life is a government program—if Reagan were not a prime culprit: In 1988, he became the first president to fly the flag over the White House. The next year, Congress installed the flag in the Capitol rotunda.

In 1990, it was designated “a symbol of our nation’s concern and commitment to restoring and resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.” Thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the nation.

The League of Families also still exists, and “continues to work at keeping the pressure on both Washington and Hanoi to bring complete resolution to this issue on behalf of each family with a loved one still missing in Vietnam.” My own state of Illinois holds a ceremony every year to honor the “66 Illinoisans listed as MIA or POW in Southeast Asia.”

And Bernie Sanders posted an image of the POW/MIA flag on Facebook in response to Donald Trump’s insult against John McCain. The message read: “They are all heroes.”

Actually, as I document in The Invisible Bridge, it’s more complicated than that: many of the prisoners were anti-war activists. One member of the “Peace Committee” within the POW camps, Abel Larry Kavanaugh, was harassed into suicide after his return to the U.S. by the likes of Admiral James Stockdale, who tried to get Peace Committee members hanged for treason.

Stockdale would become one of the nation’s most celebrated former POWs and a vice-presidential candidate. Kavanaugh took his life in his father in law’s basement in Commerce City, Colorado, in June 1973. Americans would agree that one of them—Stockdale or Kavanaugh—is not a hero—though they would disagree about which one is which.
That damned flag: It’s a shroud. It smothers the complexity, the reality, of what really happened in Vietnam.

We’ve come to our senses about that other banner of lies. It’s time to do the same with this.

https://archive.is/sVUot#selection-2277.0-2517.93

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 9:49 PM

2015-08-11T21:49:39-04:00

He only sees the flag while we military brothers and sisters have had these POW/MIA thoughts and prayers since the beginning of this nation. I am certain he built that article just to get a rise out of veterans. He isn't even worth the time or effort to talk to. Time to move on to more important issues. LOL.

Response by TSgt David L. made Aug 11 at 2015 9:49 PM

2015-08-11T21:49:53-04:00

It seems like the whole country is pissed off about EVERYTHING so far this year. The author is trying to bait Vets into a reaction. I can't stand it...

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 9:50 PM

2015-08-11T21:50:34-04:00

What the F? Seriously?? This crap is getting old now.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Aug 11 at 2015 9:54 PM

2015-08-11T21:54:03-04:00

It is not. It honors all our POW /MIA

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Aug 11 at 2015 9:58 PM

2015-08-11T21:58:33-04:00

I just read it and went....you have GOT to be freaking kidding me....

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Aug 11 at 2015 9:58 PM

2015-08-11T21:58:35-04:00

WOW .. That's a stretch!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 10:02 PM

2015-08-11T22:02:24-04:00

I got nothing on this. This is just stupid to try and counter.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 10:06 PM

2015-08-11T22:06:25-04:00

No.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 10:15 PM

2015-08-11T22:15:21-04:00

Really? I guess I better have my son take his pirate flag down too, somehow it might be offensive to someone.

Response by PO1 Shahida Marmol made Aug 11 at 2015 10:24 PM

2015-08-11T22:24:59-04:00

I tried to read the article. I couldn't. I think tomorrow I'm going to write an article on how people with dusty boots offend me.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 11 at 2015 10:25 PM

2015-08-11T22:25:48-04:00

2015. The year of the weenie (or surgical removal thereof)...lol

Response by SSG Ray Strenkowski made Aug 11 at 2015 10:33 PM

2015-08-11T22:33:27-04:00

I'm sure he thinks he's pretty smart and clever. He probably even thinks he's right, or that he understands what it means.

He's wrong of course, but are any of us surprised that this former Rolling Stone columnist and University of Chicago graduate thinks? Not really - He doesn't know what sacrifice is, and likely doesn't care to. He only cares about himself and this article truly shows that.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Aug 11 at 2015 10:35 PM

2015-08-11T22:35:03-04:00

We really need more idiots,the ones we have now can't come up with anything original.

Response by SrA Jonathan Carbonaro made Aug 11 at 2015 10:37 PM

2015-08-11T22:37:08-04:00

If you want to piss off the most dangerous segment of society go ahead. The POW Flag is a reminder that we still have Brothers and Sisters out there that haven't been brought home. I don't care about its "origins and why it might have been created" I care about what it stands for NOW.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Aug 11 at 2015 10:40 PM

2015-08-11T22:40:51-04:00

Nah.

Response by 1SG Frank Rocha made Aug 12 at 2015 12:06 AM

2015-08-12T00:06:25-04:00

this guy seems to be into revisionist history. change things around and sprinkle a true fact here and there to make his lies seem legit. I can name one other public figure that bought hook line and sinker into notions like this. Its all done to demonize the military, conservatism, and American society. this guy is crazy as a bag of cats and deserves to go straight to the blazes.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:12 AM

2015-08-12T00:12:10-04:00

This is the progressive left. I have come to expect this from them and it no longer shocks me. What shocks me is the support I see from several in the military and veterans who actually feel obliged to support the left.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:12 AM

2015-08-12T00:12:27-04:00

Okay he's offended, hates the Vietnam war, hates Nixon, Reagan, conservatives and the whole damn world. Enough already! We are not interested in yor idiotic, stupid, childish rant. Be gone with you!

Response by SFC Joseph James made Aug 12 at 2015 12:19 AM

2015-08-12T00:19:04-04:00

Stupid liberal article about something they dont understand. No point in arguing with them, common sense is short in supply!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:20 AM

2015-08-12T00:20:08-04:00

I occassionally fly my POW/MIA flag outside my house. I'm already anti social with my neighbors, now they just think more so.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:39 AM

2015-08-12T00:39:25-04:00

First off, that was a stinking pile of revisionist history manure.
I know, I know. Lefty guy with Liberal Arts Degree, the USA is the bad guy and we should be eternally sorry for everything we ever did to everyone.
Well, Lefty who is ever so quick to forget that the world's history is full of bad things happening to good people, and the ones you so idolize commit injustices ever so small in relation to the giant monstrosities the United States commits - continue to bask in the freedom that POW/MIA and all those who serve provide you.
You conveniently forget that the very countries you think we invaded ever so unfairly would happily throw you in their darkest hole for similar comments. Ah, the Constitution that you would like to see dismantled, shrouds you in a protective cloak from which you can spew this BS.
Your miserable commentary is one of the many things we who wear the uniform are willing to die for. Something you will likely never understand nor experience. I envy you that you will never have to kiss your little girl goodbye for the third time in her young life, knowing you may not come home.

It is sad that you can't find something to be outraged about in current events that matter. Used to be responsible journalists kept a runaway government in check by informing the population of their transgressions. Not if you drink the Kool-Aid. It couldn't possibly be that JFK and LBJ were responsible for the war you currently decry. Nope, had to be Nixon. What a crock.
Why don't you write about the $10 Trillion dollars in debt that we've run up the past six years, for little or no gain? Maybe that a current Presidential candidate flaunts security regulations. Maybe the dismembering of unborn children for profit? Ongoing issues in Furguson?
No. Not when we have flags to be mad at.
You suck.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 12 at 2015 2:18 AM

2015-08-12T02:18:17-04:00

TSgt Hunter Logan , This is when I say GTFO!

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Aug 12 at 2015 2:22 AM

2015-08-12T02:22:54-04:00

What type of people are going to stand up and protest, the type of people who aren't strong enough to defend themselves?

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Aug 12 at 2015 2:47 AM

2015-08-12T02:47:43-04:00

What the hell did I just read? I usually try to be generous and understanding, but yeah, I got nothin'. I think I just got dumber.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 2:59 AM

2015-08-12T02:59:51-04:00

How on Gods green Earth is this flag racist? the last time I checked, it was a flag to remember those who never made it home from war, either MIA or POW, it wasn't about race or religion or any other cultural indifference we as Americans share. I REFUSE to take mine down and will fly it until they all come home.. next thing you know, R.E.D. Fridays and wearing red shirts will be deemed as racist too... Some people need to get their heads out of their fourth point of contact!!

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 12 at 2015 3:04 AM

2015-08-12T03:04:47-04:00

I believe this boy either ate the lead based paint off the walls growing up or spent too much time squeezing the Charmin. This is some serious lefty hippy commie poopie.

Response by CPT Maria Burns made Aug 12 at 2015 4:09 AM

2015-08-12T04:09:00-04:00

I skimmed that article. The title seems to have been thought up in order to attract readers. Also, it's illustrative of "journalism" these days. The objective isn't to inform people, it's to sensationalize, titillate and market.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Aug 12 at 2015 4:33 AM

2015-08-12T04:33:24-04:00

WTF is this guy smoking?

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Aug 12 at 2015 6:45 AM

2015-08-12T06:45:58-04:00

One delusional man's writings who seeks his 15 minutes of fame does not make it worthy of my outrage or attention, ,, Attention which this man actually seeks...therefore i will not give.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 7:14 AM

2015-08-12T07:14:22-04:00

It was a decade ago my great uncles remains were discovered and flown back from Korea, and he was laid to rest in Arlington. I grew up looking at the plaque on my grandfathers wall that had his picture and purple heart. After all those years he made it home; he made it home because our nation didn't forget, and our nation will not forget!

Screw this guy.

Response by SGT Christopher Churilla made Aug 12 at 2015 7:32 AM

2015-08-12T07:32:11-04:00

Racist? In what way? In the article, the author makes that claim, but doesn't back it up; most of the article is spent in an argument that the flag is more of a propaganda tool (author's claim, not mine).

Response by SGT William Howell made Aug 12 at 2015 8:10 AM

2015-08-12T08:10:04-04:00

What a nut AND NEWSWEEK PRINTED IT! I guess not enough race driven news this week so they have to make some shit up. Well not that I read Newsweek much anyway, but they are now on my list of never read again material. I encourage you all to do the same.

Response by Sgt Spencer Sikder made Aug 12 at 2015 8:23 AM

2015-08-12T08:23:48-04:00

Newsweek was floundering before, let's see to it that no veteran supports this rag.

Response by SPC Nathan Freeman made Aug 12 at 2015 8:38 AM

2015-08-12T08:38:43-04:00

I couldn't read the original article because the link kept taking me to other websites trying to get me to download useless apps. Pretty much anything from Newsweek is liberal propoganda.

Response by CMSgt Mark Schubert made Aug 12 at 2015 8:57 AM

2015-08-12T08:57:45-04:00

This is a prime example that if you want attention, it's possible to do by writing about something extremely stupid - and having some jack-wagon publish it! (that's the part that gets me!)

Response by CAPT Gary Foster made Aug 12 at 2015 9:05 AM

2015-08-12T09:05:52-04:00

Moron.....

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Aug 12 at 2015 9:13 AM

2015-08-12T09:13:09-04:00

I do not get where he came up with the "racist" or the "hate". I read the article, hard as it was. Don't get his point.

But then, he is an asshat. That is 5 minutes of my life that I do not get back. That this article was published blows my mind. This is the kind of idiot who will wind up influencing other young idiots toward the Yellow Brick Road of Moron-isy.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Aug 12 at 2015 9:28 AM

2015-08-12T09:28:04-04:00

Total garbage.

This and Hillary Clinton's bra size have what to do with the Iran Nuclear deal and the price of Columbian coffee?? Bu-bye!

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Aug 12 at 2015 9:46 AM

2015-08-12T09:46:09-04:00

I read about this on Newsweek.com and thought it was the most ignorant crap I read all day. I have two braincells and burned four of them reading that. If having a constant reminder that we leave no one behind offends anyone, well lets take you somewhere and leave you and see how long it takes before you come calling for someone, anyone to come get you.

Response by Lt Col Brad Hamant made Aug 12 at 2015 9:47 AM

2015-08-12T09:47:58-04:00

There's no question the Vietnam War was much more complex than today's view of the POW-MIA flag. You can argue all day about the decisions made in the 60's, including the origins of this banner, but today's connotation is simple and respectful. The logic behind this author's comparison of the POW-MIA flag to the "stars-and-bars" is backwards. The confederate battle flag had simple origins during the Civil War but later got complicated when it was resurrected as a symbol of hate and defiance. How can anyone be so disrespectful to MIA families?! Shameful ... and borderline sociopathic. Maybe it was a slow news day.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 10:18 AM

2015-08-12T10:18:38-04:00

You are kidding, Right?
I guess it does discriminate against the non-POW/MIA.

Maybe to appease the liberals we need a deserter flag too.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 10:29 AM

2015-08-12T10:29:09-04:00

I read their column. They seem to have tied it into the Confederate Flag debate purely for shock value. Aside from a cursory connection in the introduction, the article raises an interesting point about how many "Killed in Action/Body Unrecovered" should really be considered "Prisoners of War/Missing in Action." However, there really isn't even a coherent theme throughout the article. It bounces back and forth between a half dozen political maneuvers in the 1960s and you're left wondering exactly what their point was.

Response by SFC Terry Fortune made Aug 12 at 2015 10:41 AM

2015-08-12T10:41:23-04:00

I agree this person is idiot. I guess he don't care what folks have done for this country to say that that MIA/POW flag is offensive. He needs to get a life.

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Aug 12 at 2015 11:24 AM

2015-08-12T11:24:16-04:00

Well... you guys cant say you really didnt see this one coming can you??? Someone will find something to bitch about in any situation its human nature. The real problem lies in our government actually allowing morons like this to succeed in bs like this...thats the real issue here I would say. Crap like this should have been nipped in the bud years ago. We have a POW flag displayed in the Salt Lake VA Hospital portraying a man man with pronounced lips and an afro, should I go demand they take it down????? GET REAL PEOPLE !!!!!!

Response by MSgt Darum Danford made Aug 12 at 2015 11:39 AM

2015-08-12T11:39:39-04:00

Complete nonsense. I couldn't even read the entire thing.

Response by A1C Charles D Wilson made Aug 12 at 2015 12:16 PM

2015-08-12T12:16:21-04:00

Hey ISIS/ISIL here is a nut you can have for free. Anyone want to pitch in for a free ticket with a last meal? SMH some people have it some don't.

Response by MAJ George Buzby made Aug 12 at 2015 12:26 PM

2015-08-12T12:26:00-04:00

Left-wing, not right wing...

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:27 PM

2015-08-12T12:27:27-04:00

This article was terrible and didn't even focus on the flag, it focused on all the politicians the author hates.

I am all about getting everyone's opinions, but wish I hadn't read this.

And no, it's not racist by any stretch of the imagination.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:29 PM

2015-08-12T12:29:29-04:00

I am not sure what I find more shocking; the fact that someone believes this way and actually wrote this article, or the fact that newsweek published it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 12:36 PM

2015-08-12T12:36:42-04:00

Did you guys read the article? Maybe i'll reread it but I saw nothing about race. He bitched about it reminding us of the Vietnam war. Guess what there are POWs/MIA today. That being said I feel we judge based on whom we're fighting against. We fight to free part of a populous but end up hating them as a whole. We're not a white or black nation we are a nation of everything and that is what we fight to defend. We have a new generation of soldiers scared if they see a women in a burka when we have our own "typical" Americans fighting each other here on our own soul. Garbage like this man put out only perpetuates it. Let us not forget who we are fighting for.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Aug 12 at 2015 12:45 PM

2015-08-12T12:45:42-04:00

This is ludicrous TSgt Joshua Copeland.
If the black and white POW/MIA flag is racist then I suppose the design of the piano keys is racists since the major keys are white and minor keys are black :-)
The Piano keys represent harmony of the major and minor keys. So many other black and white images from art, photographs, and even Movies and TV used black, white and shades of gray to convey amazingly beautiful images in black and white.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs, LTC Stephen C., LTC Bink Romanick, CPT L S, SGM Steve Wettstein, SFC James Sczymanski, SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", SGT Robert Hawks, SGT Forrest Stewart, PO3 Steven Sherrill SPC Private RallyPoint Member, SPC Margaret Higgins

Response by CSM Chuck Stafford made Aug 12 at 2015 12:51 PM

2015-08-12T12:51:39-04:00

Rick Perlstein-- On behalf of the men and women who are represented by that flag, you are welcome for the freedom to exercise your rights to speech.

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt."

...and now we know...

Response by CPO Jon Campbell made Aug 12 at 2015 12:57 PM

2015-08-12T12:57:51-04:00

My father used to tell a story about what he called the worst advice he ever received in seminary. A guest speaker who was a prominent preacher told the students that if they wanted to build a big congregation and have a sucessful church they should find something to get against. He then pulled out a ball point pen and said "Get against ball point pens!" (Those were new back in the 1950's) The tactic is great for drawing people in and getting attendance numbers up, but it is no basis for building anything substantial and it is certainly no basis for religous doctrine. We see this same tactic of getting against something used everyday by politicians and protesters. Instead of being against a symbol, a statue, the name of a building, a flag, or some other inanimate object, we should be FOR something. We should be for an ideal, a mission, or a goal. "Raising awareness" is a shaby goal, and that is all too often the only goal any protesters have. Tearing down a symbol of anything only has significance when it is done by the people who used to place some value on that symbol. If the symbol is removed by people who don't like it, those to whom it has meaning will become even further entrenched in their ideals. There are no shortcuts to racial equality. Progress is made slowly through hard work addressing real issues that take decades to solve.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 1:06 PM

2015-08-12T13:06:29-04:00

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Aug 12 at 2015 1:09 PM

2015-08-12T13:09:37-04:00

If people knew the full history of the POW/MIA flag they would be less likely to fly it on the same pole with the American Flag if at all; and it has nothing to do with racism.

In short, the origin of the POW/MIA flag is the National League of POW/MIA families, an organization that represents the family of POWs and MIAs from the Vietnam War. The flag was intended to convey the message that Vietnam continued to hold live Americans following Homecoming in 1973. A claim for which there has never been any credible evidence and which has been thoroughly investigated for years by Congress, the Federal Government and objective independent investigators. Between the end of the Vietnam War and The beginning of the Reagan Administration, the Carter Administration contributed to the myth by not reaching out to the NLF and sharing classified intelligence with them. When president Reagan came to office he made resolving the POW/MIA issue a top priority and reached out to the NLF, conceding to many of their demands and requests. With this came the acceptance of their NFL flag.

In 1992 and 1993, when I was the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA affairs, at the behest of the Senate Select Committee for POW/MIA Affairs, President George H.W. Bush directed the declassification of "all" Vietnam era classified documents regardless of classification. My office reviewed millions of documents and declassified them, redacting only sources and methods information. This extensive process and two years of Senate Hearings chaired by Senators John Kerry and Bob Smith resulted in no evidence that Vietnam retained live POWs/MIAs. In other words the symbolism was there for political purposes--to promote the NLF's agenda.

Don't get me wrong, I worked directly with the leadership and members of the NFL during my tenure and have great respect for them because of the visibility they brought to the issue. Given all the false information flying around at the time, they had good reason to believe that Vietnam may be holding live POWs. Nevertheless, I question the appropriateness of the images in the flag today. Remains of more than 80,000 remain unrecovered from WWII and subsequent wars. Live POWs from the Gulf War and subsequent wars have all been known and accounted for. Now if you want real controversy a good look at POWs and MIAs from the Korean War have never been adequately investigated.

http://ewross.com/the_pow_mia_dilemma.htm

http://ewross.com/John_McCain.html

THE POW/MIA DILEMMA - EWRoss.com

The Pentagon’s activities to account for over 80,000 Americans missing in action from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War were back in the news last week. This time it was about an internal report by Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) employee Paul Cole. In it, Cole asserts that DoD’s POW/MIA accounting is so inept, mismanaged and wasteful that it risks descending from “dysfunctional to total failure.” When I...

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Aug 12 at 2015 1:17 PM

2015-08-12T13:17:13-04:00

This knucklehead is not worth a response. The sad thing is people like him profit from the sacrifices that the rest of us make.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 1:17 PM

2015-08-12T13:17:31-04:00

2015- The year America was offended by literally everything.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Aug 12 at 2015 1:24 PM

2015-08-12T13:24:58-04:00

Clearly, here's a guy who's definitely a couple of french fries short of a happy meal. Think I'll save my words, this time, for a more worthy cause... For instance, capturing, on film, the off season mating habits of the duck-billed platypus during the winter months when there is an unusual warm snap. That has to be more interesting than what this moron has to say...

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Aug 12 at 2015 2:06 PM

2015-08-12T14:06:17-04:00

FWIW...I'm writing to "News-Weak" to ask them if they actually paid this gent for writing this article, or, if it's the other way around.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 12 at 2015 2:16 PM

2015-08-12T14:16:29-04:00

What a crock. The twisted minds on the left are a thing to behold.

Response by PO2 Seth Carron made Aug 12 at 2015 2:47 PM

2015-08-12T14:47:14-04:00

This gave me Forrest Whitaker eye.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 2:49 PM

2015-08-12T14:49:03-04:00

well it's time to never come out of my house for fear of offending some small minded idiot.... wait some people may say that me not coming out of my house is offensive. I really just want people to stop using their a$$ as a hat and just live and let live. if someone wants to do something that isn't doing harm to another person or infringing on their life in an unwanted way, who cares. I don't really care what you order at subway just don't spit in my sandwich, that's the life we should be living.

Response by PO1 Michael G. made Aug 12 at 2015 2:58 PM

2015-08-12T14:58:28-04:00

So, I get that there were certainly political incentives to for certain people involved (none of which I find objectionable out of hand) but I cannot find any implications of racism in the article. Literally, the only mention of racism seems to be as a hook. Am I the only one?

Response by Sgt Jay Jones made Aug 12 at 2015 3:04 PM

2015-08-12T15:04:28-04:00

This guy has been sipping Kool-Aid from Jonestown! What an idiot!

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Aug 12 at 2015 3:18 PM

2015-08-12T15:18:50-04:00

When things like this pop up, it is time to look at what is happening. These "controversies" are stirred up when there is something nefarious happening that the media doesn't want to advertise to the American Public.

As for the flag itself, it doesn't matter what its origins are. It has become symbolic of the military principle that no one gets left behind. Dead or alive every one comes home. That is all that matters. Anyone who says that, that message is not worthy can fuck off and die.

LTC Stephen F. I don't know if I should thank you for showing me this or not just because it pisses me off that people are so easily offended by their surroundings. I am offended by idiots, but I can't just kill them. That would still be murder.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Aug 12 at 2015 3:21 PM

2015-08-12T15:21:35-04:00

I already responded to this BS elsewhere today.
....I repeat, prime candidate for a molten lead enema, out.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 4:01 PM

2015-08-12T16:01:10-04:00

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 4:07 PM

2015-08-12T16:07:58-04:00

I do not think I have ever read such unmitigated bullshit in my entire life!!

Response by LTC Marc King made Aug 12 at 2015 4:18 PM

2015-08-12T16:18:11-04:00

This left wing ideolog was BORN in 1969 when many of us were in the jungles of Viet Nam - another subject matter expert, the better part of which ran down his fathers leg. He was not there does not know and could not care about the truth --- just prattle's on rewriting history to show America was wrong yet again. I reject him, his narrative and all of his ilk who tarnish the service of those who did more then just sit at a keyboard and reap the benefits of this country. There is honor and rememberence in the POW/MIA Flag - there is nothing racist about it.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Aug 12 at 2015 4:26 PM

2015-08-12T16:26:45-04:00

Here, let me check...

Response by SFC Rollie Hubbard made Aug 12 at 2015 4:30 PM

2015-08-12T16:30:03-04:00

I say take down that Gay flag it offends me lol

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 4:46 PM

2015-08-12T16:46:02-04:00

Political Correctness has gone way too far......by that logic I guess my car is racist since it is all white, and me being a white male I am racist for driving a white car.......

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 4:46 PM

2015-08-12T16:46:51-04:00

I think we're all misinterpreting the accusation here. To me it's obvious that the article writer is talking about the Asian man in the watchtower. The flag is OBVIOUSLY racist towards Asians. They are not spiteful overlords, as this flag would have you believe...

There, did you giggle a bit? Just trying to bring a little light-heartedness to a heavy conversation. :)

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 12 at 2015 5:30 PM

2015-08-12T17:30:32-04:00

Why is our nation so consumed by hate now? This is a damned if you do, and damned if you don't do scenario.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 5:33 PM

2015-08-12T17:33:14-04:00

" "

That's all the comments "this" deserves.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Aug 12 at 2015 5:46 PM

2015-08-12T17:46:02-04:00

The IQ of the entire universe dropped a full point when this clown picked up a pen.

Response by MSgt Marvin Kinderknecht made Aug 12 at 2015 5:59 PM

2015-08-12T17:59:56-04:00

Well, maybe it will sell books. Who knows, who cares. we have a LOT more important things to do. Personally, I think all flags mean something to everybody. I vote for the PIRATE FLAG. .Cross bones!! YAH.

Response by SGT Roberto Mendoza-Diaz made Aug 12 at 2015 6:55 PM

2015-08-12T18:55:23-04:00

Somehow I knew some asshole would come up with the idea of taking down the POW/MIA flag. Bunch of stupid liberals. Why everything has to be politically-f$&@ing-correct?

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 7:39 PM

2015-08-12T19:39:52-04:00

I think this moronic asshat deserves a very special vacation to Gitmo where he can enjoy various sports such as water boarding.

Response by SPC Tony Tarone made Aug 12 at 2015 7:43 PM

2015-08-12T19:43:42-04:00

Just another programmed moon bat. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Response by SSgt Charles Edwards made Aug 12 at 2015 7:51 PM

2015-08-12T19:51:42-04:00

This is quite possibly the most stupidest thing I've ever heard...and I've seen/heard some stuff in my 34 years on this rock. I'd like to find that writer, kick him in the nuts and ask what the hell he was thinking when he wrote that piece of s***.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 8:07 PM

2015-08-12T20:07:47-04:00

"During the Nixon years, the Pentagon moved them into a newly invented “Missing in Action” column."

My Great Grandma would disagree with this statement based on the Western Union Telegram she received in 1944.

Response by SGT Glenn E Moody made Aug 12 at 2015 8:11 PM

2015-08-12T20:11:38-04:00

first go fuck your self. sorry to my fellow veterans. but is this shit for real i have gave funds. and saw them work. i went to a service for a air force Major that got shot down in Vietnam in 1968 i was only 7 years old. i put on my class A uniform and went to his service in my home town of Quincy MA. i didn't know him or his family. but just like all of you who have put on that uniform you all are my brothers & sisters so i say to you long live the POW/MIA till we bring them home from ware ever they are.....

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 12 at 2015 8:54 PM

2015-08-12T20:54:01-04:00

Response by Sgt David Hesser made Aug 12 at 2015 9:21 PM

2015-08-12T21:21:03-04:00

he thinks he is still back in the sixty,s or seventies , what the idiot does not realize is he no longer has an audience.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 10:42 PM

2015-08-12T22:42:53-04:00

This flag SH!T just got out of hand. Whomever or whatever group is saying this flag is racist has just really P!$$ED me off.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 11:39 PM

2015-08-12T23:39:09-04:00

The POW/MIA Flag is not political scheme you worthless sack of shit. I hope a bald eagle flies up to you and gives you a testicular freedom headbutt. I've read some dumb shit before, but my rank just jumped down two grades after reading this dumb shit

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 12:29 AM

2015-08-13T00:29:39-04:00

Just another idiot drooling his idiocy for all to see, ignoring that the very freedom he is entitled to, has come with great sacrifices from the very few.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Aug 13 at 2015 12:46 AM

2015-08-13T00:46:50-04:00

That's insanity

Response by LCpl Mark Lefler made Aug 13 at 2015 1:48 AM

2015-08-13T01:48:06-04:00

I'll put it this way .. this is stupid shit.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Aug 13 at 2015 3:20 AM

2015-08-13T03:20:43-04:00

Just idiots taking the opportunity to be offended by something in light of the current situation. One can agree that the majority of the United States does not feel that it is a racist symbol. (As if that's obvious)

Response by SGT Frank Leonardo made Aug 13 at 2015 3:35 AM

2015-08-13T03:35:18-04:00

I found the post to be dumb and that guy should be taken out taught a lesson by a veteran. I have always flown the red white and blue and POW/MIA still do. When serving We had to remove flags off the walls in our barracks room I had both and refused to take them because I was serving the the red white and blue. Never got in trouble and stood my ground. I think this guy needs rearranged. Racist Flag NOPE!

Response by Capt Christian D. Orr made Aug 13 at 2015 4:17 AM

2015-08-13T04:17:30-04:00

To re-iterate what I said on Facebook, "So now the POW/MIA flag is "racist???" F*cking mainstream media, f*cking Newsweek, and f*cking ivory tower academics....prime examples of scumbag f*cktards who are still alive only because it's illegal to kill them. And because it's illegal to kill them, these slimy Thought Police continue to get off scot-free as they slowly but surely trample our 1st Amendment rights under their jackboot of Political Correctness. Disgusting.

Response by MAJ Ron Peery made Aug 13 at 2015 7:03 AM

2015-08-13T07:03:09-04:00

Rick Perlstein, aka, "Jody". This is the guy you all sing about at PT. And that's enough time to be spent on him. Need another cup of coffee before starting the day.

Response by 1SG Eric Rice made Aug 13 at 2015 7:06 AM

2015-08-13T07:06:54-04:00

It is disgraceful to dishonor POWs and MIAs from any war. There are troops out there now still searching and conducting recovery missions of remains throughout the Pacific region to hopefully bring closure to their families. Stating the POW/MIA Flag is racist and hurtful is completely uncalled for. The enemy does not discriminate on who they captured based off of race, religion, or personal backgrounds. They were captured simply because they were American. The same goes for MIAs as well. The U.S. Armed Forces as a whole is the most diverse workforce in the world and the least racist and/or prejudice in my humble opinion. Although we all raised our right hand to support and defend the Constitution which includes this knucklehead's right to free speech does not mean we have to like what he says.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 13 at 2015 7:20 AM

2015-08-13T07:20:48-04:00

Does this mean I'm going to have to remove the POW/MIA patch from my motorcycle vest?

I think not!

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Aug 13 at 2015 9:27 AM

2015-08-13T09:27:45-04:00

The solution is simple... boycott any company that advertises with Newsweek until they pull the advertising.

Enjoy your 1st amendment right to print inflammatory crap boys.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Aug 13 at 2015 9:52 AM

2015-08-13T09:52:44-04:00

TSgt Joshua Copeland The news columnist is an idiot and we can say that because this is a free country with free speech. Maybe we should ship him over to Afghanistan or Iraq and let him sit in a prisoner of war cell for about year. Maybe he would change his tune a little or put him out in one of the forward operating bases for about year and let him fend for himself and defend himself and then maybe he might get a clue what this flag represents. Its idiots like this that show us how little man have expanded their human brain capabilities over time. This individual is only using 2 percent while the rest of are using 10% of our capacity. I don't even acknowledge idiots like this!

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 9:56 AM

2015-08-13T09:56:38-04:00

This is just some prick trying to gain attention, and he knows he has the power to do so. It isn't always popular opinion, but a large audience that gets a "news writer" started. Personally, I'd fly the American Flag, POW/MIA flag, and (if it were ever a part of my heritage) the Confederate Flag. I guarantee sooner rather than later someone's going to make big news on trying to take down the American Flag, and I can no longer say I'm confident this country will try to keep it up. But I will always fly it.

Response by SGT Timothy Stroud made Aug 13 at 2015 10:22 AM

2015-08-13T10:22:20-04:00

Not only is it a worthy tribute to our warriors who never came home, on August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the League’s POW/MIA flag and designated it “as the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation”.

http://www.pow-miafamilies.org/history-of-the-powmia-flag/

History of the POW/MIA Flag

In 1970, Mrs. Michael Hoff, an MIA wife and member of the National League of Families, recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIAs. Prompted by an article in the Jacksonville, Florida, TIMES-UNION, Mrs. Hoff contacted Norman Rivkees, Vice President of Annin & Company which had made a banner for the newest member of the United Nations, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as a part of their policy to provide flags to all United Nations...

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Aug 13 at 2015 10:37 AM

2015-08-13T10:37:54-04:00

I kept reading the article, waiting to see where the claim of racism would come. It never arrived. Uber fail. I guess he didn't like the Vietnam war...well he's only 45 years late, give the guy a break, he's "intelligence-challenged".

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Aug 13 at 2015 10:38 AM

2015-08-13T10:38:49-04:00

What isn't racist. Even my under ware is white

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Aug 13 at 2015 10:40 AM

2015-08-13T10:40:01-04:00

Normally, as some of you know, I'm all for the counter argument to things. Heck there are times on here where I present the counter but this article just throws my head around. The POW/MIA flag means a lot to so many people. While it started in the clouds around the Vietnam War, it has grown to taken on more meaning than just those that never came home from Vietnam.

Does the author bring up some good talking points? Yes but they are lost in all the rest of the craziness. Sure, historically speaking, prisoners were exchanged following the end of fighting. Yes, everyone, including the United States, has practiced some crazy things when it comes to drawing out information from the enemy. Again, war is raw, uncensored and unapologetic. No one is excused from accounting for their actions either here or at where ever you feel you go after you stop breathing. But the POW/MIA flag isn't just meant for that. It represents the men and women lost to time that were never taken home. To this day, we are seeing the flag covered coffins of men and women returning from places like Vietnam. The flag stands for the all the graves marked with "Unknown Soldier" that dot the landscape across the US. This piece of cloth, with a simple image, stands for so much more than what it was originally designed for.

And with everything else going on in the world, there are bigger things that we should be focusing on thoughts on rather than the out of left field view this guy has. I think we should maintain our thoughts on the men and women that this flag flies for. Until they all come home. Lest we forget.

Response by MSgt Brian Welch made Aug 13 at 2015 11:24 AM

2015-08-13T11:24:57-04:00

I suppose I was a racist for having worn an MIA bracelet... I hope he chokes on the silver-spoon-of freedom he's used all these years.

Response by PO2 Kevin Peine made Aug 13 at 2015 12:28 PM

2015-08-13T12:28:31-04:00

can i kick this guy in the junk

Response by MSG Gerry Poe made Aug 13 at 2015 3:27 PM

2015-08-13T15:27:53-04:00

Just another lost soul who is trolling to get people fired up. Shame on the media for publicizing his ignorance, but whatever it takes to get the views!!! News is no better than Mad Magazine!

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 3:34 PM

2015-08-13T15:34:18-04:00

Interesting concepts, despite some data presented as fact that remains speculative. There is an error in fact regarding exchanges of prisoners; through the US Civil War prisoner exchanges were common, paroles were also common during Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and even during WWI, where there is a famous case of a British officer released by the Germans for a limited time who returned to captivity as he promised. We are not aware of any such exchanges during WWII. We are aware of such exchanges during the Cold War, but we won't count that since it is not a declared war. Oh, nor was Vietnam. Certainly, South VN treatment of POWs was less than stellar. It turns out, that the entire Vietnam ERROR (not just Era) is also somewhat of a propagandized myth.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 5:42 PM

2015-08-13T17:42:29-04:00

Propaganda is necessarily nationalist, but not necessarily racist. And for this person to suggest that North Vietnam did not torture prisoners is beyond insane; our POWs returned broken and starving, many of them having died in the camps. What a jackass.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 6:06 PM

2015-08-13T18:06:29-04:00

Hmmm....POW (Prisoner of War) / MIA (Missing in Action) .... I don't get it. Alas, this guy is just one of many that we protect so he can come out with something stupid, because it is his right. Can't fix stupid and I don't even want to try. The more he is ignored, the faster he will go away.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 7:34 PM

2015-08-13T19:34:27-04:00

I can't believe this guy. He must live a very lonely life. I just wasted my time reading his stupid article.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 7:40 PM

2015-08-13T19:40:33-04:00

Addendum From " This Ain't Hell "
Stupidity, thy name is this article titled “It’s Time to Haul Down Another Flag of Racist Hate.”

I don’t know if this guy is honestly this dumb, this insane, or crafty enough to have written a piece of drek so stupid that people can’t help but click and read it. My assumption is the third, that he said something provocative and asinine in order to get people to click and read it. Unfortunately, it’s going to work this time, because it truly is so reprehensible and sophomoric that it almost begs me to discuss it.

So let us begin with the Magnum Opus of the venerable Rick Perlstein, obviously the predicted Ubermensch of Frederich Neitzsche:

You know that racist flag? The one that supposedly honors history but actually spreads a pernicious myth? And is useful only to venal right-wing politicians who wish to exploit hatred by calling it heritage? It’s past time to pull it down.

Oh, wait. You thought I was referring to the Confederate flag. Actually, I’m talking about the POW/MIA flag.

Ah yes, that symbol of hatred, malice and racism. Tell me more Rick, I stand ready to suckle at your overflowing teat of wisdom…
http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=61381&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thisainthell%2FnTMY+%28This+ain%27t+Hell%2C+but+you+can+see+it+from+here%29

Article claiming MIA POW flag is racist an easy favorite for dumbest thing ever written

Cross posted from paying gig. Stupidity, thy name is this article titled "It’s Time to Haul Down Another Flag of Racist Hate." I don't know if this

Response by TSgt Ronald Iniguez made Aug 13 at 2015 8:15 PM

2015-08-13T20:15:09-04:00

Not only no but, HELL NO!!!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 8:21 PM

2015-08-13T20:21:02-04:00

This is from This Ain't Hell. It's a statement from the site owner about his thoughts about the Iran deal. It's got some merit.
Monitoring Iran
Jonn Lilyea | August 13, 2015
I haven’t written anything about this upcoming deal with Iran over their nuclear program mostly because I haven’t had an opportunity to read it yet. However, there is something I do know – politicians. The Associated Press reports that the Obama Administration is confident that they’ll be able to keep track of the Iranians’ nuclear program;

The main reason, according to a classified joint intelligence assessment presented to Congress, is that the deal requires Iran to provide an unprecedented volume of information about nearly every aspect of its existing nuclear program, which Iran insists is peaceful. That data will make checking on compliance easier, officials say, because it will shrink Iran’s capacity to hide a covert weapons program.

“We will have far better insight (into) the industrial aspects of the Iranian nuclear program with this deal than what we have today,” James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, told an audience last month at the Aspen Security Forum.

I have no doubt that they’ll recognize when Iran is cheating, but my concern is will they be willing to do anything about it? I mean, they’ve known for more than a decade that Iran was supplying terrorists with stuff to kill our troops in Iraq during that war and they’ve done nothing about that. For years, we’ve been redrawing the line in the sand in regards to the Iranian nuclear program. Why would the Iranians take any threat seriously to restore the sanctions against them? Look how long it took to institute the sanctions in the first place.

Part of the deal with North Vietnam was that we’d send troops back to South Vietnam in the event that the North invaded the South, well, we know how that turned out. Once politicians sign on to a deal, they forget all about it as if just signing it makes everything better. Like they actually accomplished something. Then it’s all for the next president to worry about.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Aug 13 at 2015 8:27 PM

2015-08-13T20:27:28-04:00

No, I do not think so, but I have never heard that line of thinking before. I think I need to do some research. Sounds like conspiracy theory, and those theories surround every event in history. They only ones who really know if there are in fact real MIAs... in Vietnam... would be those were there.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 13 at 2015 9:10 PM

2015-08-13T21:10:55-04:00

He failed to make his point. Great history lesson...even though he spun some of the facts. Overall useless and a waste of time. The Confederate flag represented a time of slavery...that's obvious. He didn't convince me why the POW flag COULD be considered racist.

Conclusion: More of an Op Ed piece than a scholarly article.

Response by SPC Roy Stamps made Aug 14 at 2015 2:27 PM

2015-08-14T14:27:23-04:00

There is a movement in America by people who would divide us. This is nonsense and you know it. The POW flag is a symbol of our dying devotion to our missing veterans. They want us to forget them and we can not ever do that. This would break the morale of the soldiers serving and that can not be allowed to happen. In order to be successful that have to stop our military. These people need to be found and dealt with.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 14 at 2015 4:03 PM

2015-08-14T16:03:28-04:00

He is great with his vitriolic drivel. What if he had a father or relatives that were MIA in Vietnam?

Response by PO1 Mike Edgecomb made Aug 14 at 2015 4:20 PM

2015-08-14T16:20:27-04:00

Hope they don't make me cut my arm off!

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2015 6:59 PM

2015-08-16T18:59:03-04:00

Answer: No.

No, the flag is not racist, and the author of the article does not even appear to make any attempt to prove his allegation that it is. He rambles and rants about why he disagrees with it, with the U. S. Government, and with the Vietnam War overall, and he would most definitely make Hanoi Jane proud, but he doesn't offer even a shred of evidence to indicate it is racist. He used that word for two reasons that I can imagine: 1) Flaming liberals love to call anything they don't like "racist"; 2) He knew he could steal some confederate flag limelight and garner media attention by making such a ridiculous claim. I wonder if he even believes the drivel he spouts, or if he is just trying to grab another 15 minutes to sell more of his publications.

Frankly, I'm disgusted that he's even being discussed because his ignorant idiocy doesn't deserve any further attention.

Response by MSgt Barry Wilkins made Aug 27 at 2015 2:07 PM

2015-08-27T14:07:39-04:00

This flag is about as racist as a bushel of apples. I have no idea where this idiot came up with this idea, but he had to stay up all night working on it.

I do agree with LCpl Mark Lefler that those on the right have some morons as well. but this idiot.takes the cake.

Response by TSgt Ronald Iniguez made Sep 3 at 2015 8:53 PM

2015-09-03T20:53:21-04:00

In a word........? NO! Mine will fly until every POW/MIA comes home!!

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Apr 30 at 2018 11:50 AM

2018-04-30T11:50:32-04:00

If it's racist, those saying it is are dope smoking idiots.

Response by CH (LTC) Robert Leroe made Apr 30 at 2018 9:13 PM

2018-04-30T21:13:39-04:00

Nowadays, it seems EVERYTHING is racist!

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made May 1 at 2018 6:37 PM

2018-05-01T18:37:40-04:00

So who’s needling the vets? The author or the poster?

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made May 1 at 2018 7:13 PM

2018-05-01T19:13:25-04:00

The story is a crock- N.K returned damn few POW's, cause we are still at war with them[ many they shipped to USSR for interrogation. The USSR never returned many folks the quarantined during WWII- our sailors, airmen, etc. The writer is an idiot!

Response by SSgt Donald Libby made May 2 at 2018 10:31 AM

2018-05-02T10:31:12-04:00

Once again those who served and sacrificed in Vietnam come under attack from the anti-war left. They distort facts and work at promoting themselves as serious writer/reporters. In one section the author writes that when the war endedt ..."he POWs (yes, all the POWs) were repatriated to great fanfare, one of them declaring: “I want you to remember that we walked out of Hanoi as winners”—a declaration that seemed to suggest, almost, that by surviving, the POWs had won the Vietnam War."
Washington Spectator is a rag paper that allows for the support of the left and disenfranchised who will take up any cause that is not to their thinking. The best that can be said about it is nothing.

Response by Sgt Raymond Mirabile made May 7 at 2018 2:27 AM

2018-05-07T02:27:14-04:00

This guy is a lying piece of human debris! It has again become fashionable to slam the Vietnam war...these pigs never let go. They can't berate the New soldier as America has finally embraced them. He makes unsubstantiated claims and expects us to fall for it. Read the interview with North Vietnamese Colonel Bui Tin. He tells WHY we blew it. It was due to scum like this writer. The spineless politicians, the left wing academics and mush headed students in the streets that convinced the NV to fight on. They were going to throw in the towel in 1968-69. We had won. Scum like this guy have the blood of every war related death since then on their heads....He revised history and lies.
R.L. Mirabile former Sgt. USMC 1969.

Response by Sgt Raymond Mirabile made May 7 at 2018 2:42 AM

2018-05-07T02:42:17-04:00

Read the NVA COLONEL Bui Tin interview. Puts the lies of this piece of human debris front and center. It appears that bashing the Vietnam War has become popular again because the scumbags can't bash the modern Soldier because America has finally embraced its Warriors. The guys a revisionist liar. And makes statements that are not backed with anything other than his big mouth! It's dirtbags like him that caused the spineless politicians to pull out of Vietnam after we had won. The North Vietnamese we're going to throw in the towel in 1968 and 1969. After we decimated them during the Tet offensive which that liar Walter Cronkite said we lost. But they saw the mush heads in the streets the college students, brainwashed by left-wing academics and gutless politicians and knew that they could win the war politically because they lost it already militarily. The blood of every war related death after 1969 can be laid at the feet of scumbags like this.
Former Sgt. R.L. Mirabile USMC 1969

Response by MSgt Mike Ash made May 8 at 2018 1:19 PM

2018-05-08T13:19:00-04:00

You're a real piece of work. Did your parents have any children that lived?

Response by SPC Ramon Urias made May 8 at 2018 3:51 PM

2018-05-08T15:51:24-04:00

This is just another America-bashing idiot living under the First Amendment we all served to protect, although he would never research the true meaning of that.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2018 4:55 PM

2018-05-08T16:55:17-04:00

We all know this article is just a bunch of crap; not fact. However, we must all remain vigilant to call out those like this so-called reporter who wish to rewrite our history. In this world of people who get their news from social media without ever questioning its veracity or taking the time to fact check, really fact check an issue, we must provide them the education of the opposing (correct by fact) view point. Let's all feel sorry for the poor NVA and Viet Cong who held our American brethren as prisoners of war and treated them only as well as their Southern brothers, because that is what you do. Treat others only the way that they treat you. Give me a break! Do not let people like this try to rewrite our history. When they tell their lies long enough, they themselves as well as others will begin to believe them. Stand up against the lies and tell the truth that the facts so readily reveal. How this war was started, escalated, fought and ended will always be subjects for debate, but never let them debate it with lies. Thank you to all our Viet Nam brethren who participated in any way during this very difficult time in our history. I will never forget those who are still "missing" from this war or any other conflict and that is what this flag represents to me. Never forget!

Response by SSG Robert Perrotto made May 8 at 2018 5:11 PM

2018-05-08T17:11:00-04:00

this is going to be an unpopular opinion - but I support his right to write this and am Glad that he did - people like this retard need to be able to speak and be heard in order for people like us to utilize our critical thinking and analysis skills in order to come up with some creative scathing witty mockery of him and his work - its people like him and the Richard Spencers of the world that make you wonder if the dog really did lick the brain parts of the semen that conceived them off of their mother's leg after their drug addicted dad nutted - I know - crude - but in this case very appropriate.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2018 6:24 PM

2018-05-08T18:24:31-04:00

The devil is a liar.

Response by CPO John Bishop made May 9 at 2018 8:19 PM

2018-05-09T20:19:10-04:00

Rick Perlstein, the author of this (2015) article, is a racist..............................

Ok, how does it fell to be arbitrarily called a racist?! I for one am sick of everything being identified as such. I'm not going to rant too long here because it would be giving credence to the article, when it doesn't deserve it.

Let's be real here. This article is garbage and offered by an idiot. I have nothing more. Out!

Response by 1SG Patrick Sims made May 10 at 2018 12:12 PM

2018-05-10T12:12:31-04:00

I'm not going to waste my time writing an E-mail to such a bigoted asshole. Let me just say this---GO PISS UO A ROPE.

Response by SPC Willie N Joy Durazo made May 10 at 2018 7:58 PM

2018-05-10T19:58:26-04:00

How the hell did Planed Parenthood miss you? 1969 was a banner year!

Response by PO1 Mike Washburne made May 14 at 2018 6:16 PM

2018-05-14T18:16:31-04:00

BMFS!

Response by PO3 Phyllis Maynard made May 20 at 2018 10:16 PM

2018-05-20T22:16:31-04:00

Well we know the issue of Vietnam, POW/MIA has always had layers of facts, disinformation, misinformation, policy, etc. I will still honor the POW/MIA flag as the symbol I was taught in basic training. Destroying Confederate monuments, taking prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance out of school, innocent deaths in school shootings, I'm just tired of US citizens tearing down the country and every symbol that makes the country what it used to be.

Response by MAJ James Woods made May 29 at 2018 12:06 PM

2018-05-29T12:06:07-04:00

So where is the racism? I don't even see how this article is even implying racism is embedded in the POW/MIA flag. Does the creation of the flag to justify the carnage and countless loss of American lives an attempt to paint a racist image of the Vietnamese, Chinese and other allies of the Communist N. Vietnamese government? That seems like a huge stretch.
The politics behind the flag in regards to whether the Nixon and LBJ Admin had accurate numbers of POWs, MIAs, and KIAs is interesting.

Response by SPC Ed Mazan made May 29 at 2018 6:34 PM

2018-05-29T18:34:15-04:00

who wrote this Jane Fonda?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 30 at 2018 8:33 PM

2018-05-30T20:33:32-04:00

At no point did the author of this article claim the POW/MIA flag is racist. Author claims it was created as a propaganda tool. Author also claims our allies committed terrible atrocities that were, at the very least, on par with Communist atrocities in prosecuting a “police action .”

If you read that and though “HE SAID THE FLAG IS RACIST” might I recommend a remedial 3rd grade reading course?

Response by SFC Carlos Cruz made May 31 at 2018 7:55 PM

2018-05-31T19:55:56-04:00

TSgt Joshua Copeland, you are one BIG idiot, I am sending you the web where you can educate yourself about POW/MIA.

http://www.dpaa.mil/

This will help your Brain since you are not understanding the meaning of our POW/MIA.
I am a member off Rolling Thunder, as I become a member I definitely educated my self to understand their objective & why they are today still protesting. Omg wake up this are our Soldiers who gave all for our country.

Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)

Official U.S. Government website for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Our mission is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation.

Response by MSG Danny Mathers made May 31 at 2018 8:20 PM

2018-05-31T20:20:37-04:00

Give me a friggen break! Why, because the flag is black and white???? This racism labling has gone too far! I could give a rat's ass what a Liberal Columist thinks.

Response by TSgt Gary McPherson made May 31 at 2018 11:55 PM

2018-05-31T23:55:16-04:00

If this is racist then the MIA bracelets must be also.Who in the world could call this flag racist?

Response by TSgt Gary McPherson made May 31 at 2018 11:58 PM

2018-05-31T23:58:51-04:00

Are we REALLY sure that ALL POWs returned?Many still think Not.

Response by SFC Ignacio Floresd made Jun 1 at 2018 12:27 PM

2018-06-01T12:27:23-04:00

How can these retards call it racist, when this flag STANDS for ALL regardless of your race ! Bunch of idiots ! That's all they are !

Response by PO1 Robert George made Jun 3 at 2018 1:42 AM

2018-06-03T01:42:47-04:00

another case of an idiot journalist re-writing the narrative to suit his own brand of bullshit.

Response by PO2 Killashandra Leigh made Jun 4 at 2018 3:16 AM

2018-06-04T03:16:34-04:00

You know? I just took a look at the basic outline of this book, and I have just ONE question. HOW in the hell does a book about the Holocaust have ANYTHING to do with Viet Nam POWs and MIAs? This stupid cow is barking up the WRONG tree!

Response by PO2 Bill Ries made Jun 4 at 2018 7:23 AM

2018-06-04T07:23:30-04:00

Just because politicians abuse an issue to serve their own ends, doesn't make the issue or it's symbol is negative.

Response by SPC Joseph Wojcik made Jun 4 at 2018 7:28 AM

2018-06-04T07:28:46-04:00

So, we're letting rich WASPs decide what's racist now? I grew up poor, I ain't got time for first world problems or the opinions of elites.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2018 2:07 PM

2018-06-05T14:07:12-04:00

This seems to be a convoluted piece of garbage. I've participated in several POW/MIA ceremonies, and it is a very sacred and solemn thing. We all have ways to remember our brethren who died overseas and their remains were returned. This is for those who are unaccounted for, in any conflict.

Response by TSgt Jim Brown made Jun 5 at 2018 8:02 PM

2018-06-05T20:02:33-04:00

Flying outside my home

Response by PO2 Vince Walsh made Jun 6 at 2018 4:20 AM

2018-06-06T04:20:39-04:00

Here's proof that you can educate someone well past their ability to understand. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Consider this "the likes of" Adm Stockdale won a MOH for the manner in which he conducted himself as the senior officer confined in that location, if not in all of Vietnam. The man crushed bones in his own face with a stool to avoid making a propaganda film. He fought the enemies of his country and he did so with distinction. There are still some standup guys around who have been known to become irate and even violent when "the likes of" Adm Stockdale are insulted.

Response by PO2 Vince Walsh made Jun 6 at 2018 5:16 AM

2018-06-06T05:16:58-04:00

If anyone can explain to me how in the name of God one might compare "the likes of" Adm Stockdale and an embarrassment to the Marine Corps who not only collaborated with the enemy, but when it came time to pick up the tab for his disgraceful conduct, he once again took the path of a pussy and blew his feeble little brain out. Cpl kavanaugh was a candyass communist coward, I believe he is burning in the deepest pit in hell. Either way, he should never be mentioned in the same sentence with Adm Stockdale.

Response by LtCol William Tehan made Jun 6 at 2018 5:41 PM

2018-06-06T17:41:19-04:00

I know inpolite discourse one is not supposed to call others names. In this case though there are only several words that can describe the person who asserts the POW/MIA flag as racist. Those words are ignorant, inane, and stupid.

Response by SSG David Bray made Jun 6 at 2018 9:47 PM

2018-06-06T21:47:16-04:00

actually, that term has been around since the Civil War...

Response by MAJ Doug Mattox made Jun 11 at 2018 2:34 PM

2018-06-11T14:34:04-04:00

Though I do not have to really respond to this article, I think most see it for what it is. However I do have this one thought that has stuck with me through the years. I remember my wife and I had the opportunity to visit Lexington and Concord. As I stood at the bridge I saw a grave of a British Soldier. He was buried right after the battle and was honored for what he was, a soldier. I remember thinking then and commenting to my wife how there was honor among soldiers. Here was the citizens of the Colonies struggling to become a nation and there was time to bury a British Soldier who was struggling to take away the freedoms we so dearly wanted. I am not naive enough to think that atrocities did not happen during our battle for Independence or any struggle in which we have participated. However I do know we are more aware of how we should treat prisoners of war or soldiers we capture. In OBC (I am not sure what it is called now) we spent a good amount of time in class working out different scenarios on how it should be handled. I saw several relieved of duty at the NTC for not handling the prisoners right.

My question also becomes, where did this author get his information? Was he there and did he see how the Vietnamese were treated or is he just going by stories told by a journalist? My guess he was not there. He is just someone who likes to hear his own voice and has never walked the mile.

Response by Capt Robert Jakubowski made Jun 12 at 2018 7:57 PM

2018-06-12T19:57:55-04:00

I feel dumber for reading this article and only wish I could get that time added back to my life.

Response by SPC Andy Burd made Jun 14 at 2018 4:19 PM

2018-06-14T16:19:00-04:00

what is a good cleanser for getting bile out of the carpet, and off the walls,, and the cieling,,, my shirt, the cat, and out of my computer?

Response by PO1 Robert Johnson made Jun 16 at 2018 1:50 PM

2018-06-16T13:50:38-04:00

?????Where did this guy come from, Pluto? He certainly was long winded, probably practicing to be a politician. In all that blather, I didn't find a clear scrap of evidence to support his claim that the POW/MIA flag is racist. Could it have been because it is black and white rather than full color? When I see that flag it is as clear and simple that there are people missing; dead, deserted or still imprisoned; missing.

Response by LT GatorScientist . made Jun 17 at 2018 2:04 PM

2018-06-17T14:04:49-04:00

Not enough cloth in the world to make a B.S. flag for this article.

Response by CAPT Jim Murphy made Jun 19 at 2018 2:51 PM

2018-06-19T14:51:09-04:00

Is this from the Onion?

Response by LCDR William Maslanka made Jun 20 at 2018 11:29 AM

2018-06-20T11:29:55-04:00

"POW flag is racist"? I've always heard the first person to bring up race is the racist. I guess the author of this intellectually vacant, and politically ignorant piece proves that point!

Response by Amn Daniel Gonzales made Jun 22 at 2018 7:39 PM

2018-06-22T19:39:06-04:00

Ridiculous liberal left whiner BS!

Response by MAJ Kevin Baxter made Jun 25 at 2018 12:50 AM

2018-06-25T00:50:47-04:00

The title of this article is so outrageous I shall not waste my time reading it.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2018 6:49 AM

2018-06-25T06:49:02-04:00

The author is a dumbass.

Response by SGM Ronald Naujelis made Jun 27 at 2018 1:11 PM

2018-06-27T13:11:36-04:00

I never heard of such Bullshit, of course from someone who never served. When you think it can’t get any lower than this it does.

Response by Sgt Dennis Olsen made Jun 29 at 2018 8:46 AM

2018-06-29T08:46:21-04:00

Why would you even reprint this garbage?

Response by Sgt Michael Sayles made Jul 1 at 2018 5:31 PM

2018-07-01T17:31:49-04:00

Time magazine let us down long ago, in the early eighty's they called anyone who believed POW/MIA's still existed in Vietnam as stupid redneck Rambo type's. Haven't soiled my hands on that magazine since.

Response by SPC Edward Robinson made Jul 5 at 2018 10:18 PM

2018-07-05T22:18:03-04:00

The boy wrote this article August 11, 2015 three years ago. He was born September 3, 1969 Milwaukee, Wisconsin neither he nor his father or his two brothers/sister served in the U. S. Military. He is just another fool that went to the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan.

He reminds me of a guy who I served with in Germany in 1970 – 1972 who was also from the Chicago area. My brothers and I were raised on a farm out west where we were up before the sun to do chores before school. The guy from Chicago and I never saw eye to eye one day in the mess hall in Kaiserslautern, Germany on Kleber Kaserne he asked me what I thought of Jews told him I had never meet one since we were farmers and ranchers near a small town. He then informed me that he was a “Reform Jew” and that I must now hate all Jews because I didn’t like him. My reply to him was “I will never hate a whole race of people or judge others of the Jewish Faith or Israelis by one asshole from Chicago since you don’t really represent the Jewish people or their religion.”

What I gather about the man who wrote the article or what ever he claims he is he surely isn’t a man but he is full of himself. No wonder he supported that imposter from Chicago who was in our White House during the last eight years the one who sealed all of his records. This is a photo of the leftist freak from Chicago that wrote the article….

Where is Al Capone when we need him?

Response by SPC Dejan Smaic made Jul 8 at 2018 7:23 AM

2018-07-08T07:23:18-04:00

You wasted my time by reading this dissertation of gibberish.

Response by PO2 John Driskill made Jul 9 at 2018 12:05 PM

2018-07-09T12:05:19-04:00

Much ado about nothing. Every thing these days pisses someone off some where. The USA has become a nation of cry babies offended by every thing.

Response by 1SG Dale Cantrell made Jul 9 at 2018 4:52 PM

2018-07-09T16:52:57-04:00

It is not the color, it is the state of mind, you can call any color that if you chose

Response by SGT Donald Croswhite made Jul 9 at 2018 5:08 PM

2018-07-09T17:08:14-04:00

Ignore these people.

Response by PO2 Chef Patrick made Jul 15 at 2018 5:56 PM

2018-07-15T17:56:21-04:00

A sense of nausea consumes me after reading this article

Response by MGySgt Jerry Suarez made Jul 16 at 2018 4:25 AM

2018-07-16T04:25:43-04:00

I'm not sure what I just read but 1st if your saying the flag is racist how so...if you were a POW or someone that may have a family member or loved one who is MIA correct me if I'm wrong those two categories are not a race. Second here is someone again throwing out the race card, just like the Confederate flag, the us flag, a Chevy truck or a 5 story home none of those items are racists because they are not a race nor have the power or ability to think or feel. So if I read these article correctly who ever wrote it is a morron!!

Response by PFC Rickey Cook made Jul 17 at 2018 9:28 PM

2018-07-17T21:28:30-04:00

Did this clown just have a manor fubar brainfart?????

Response by PFC Rickey Cook made Jul 17 at 2018 9:30 PM

2018-07-17T21:30:09-04:00

What a flipping moron this guys no true vet ,cant be musta been in the rear with the gear

Response by SrA David Clay made Jul 18 at 2018 10:57 AM

2018-07-18T10:57:43-04:00

What surprised me was that he mainly bashed Nixon. This flag has become a symbol of ALL P.O.W 's. How was this racist. Oh no. Right or wrong. The soldiers did what was ordered. The politics of it all is IRRELEVANT to what this flag stands for. Wonder if this guy has ever been deployed gone to a war zone ( oh wait. "CONFLICT" zone) .

Final thought.... WOW! GROW UP!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2018 3:52 PM

2018-07-20T15:52:31-04:00

So.... tell me again....how does this flag imply racism?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2018 9:14 AM

2018-07-22T09:14:26-04:00

Is this person related to Jane Fonda? If you younger guys don't know her, this is the same shit she spilled out of her communist mouth during the Vietnam war.

Response by CDR William Kempner made Jul 28 at 2018 11:45 AM

2018-07-28T11:45:59-04:00

I read this, and I wondered "How old is this author?" While the VietNam War will always be controversial, there can be no denying of the use of the POWs as leverage by the North Vietnamese. (The fact that the North Koreans JUST returned the remains of 55 US servicemen from the Korean War YESTERDAY, July 27, 2018, after almost 65 years gives one a take on their mindset, which the North Vietnamese observed and followed.) To compare the POW-MIA flag to the Confederate flag is ludicrous. While I respect and admire the soldiers of the Confederacy, that flag belongs in a museum, or to be displayed in a historical context-reenactors, Memorials, etc. I get it, and I think knocking down memorials is AT BEST idiotic and wrongheaded. The POW-MIA flag is unofficial, but a reminder of those who have served and were imprisoned/went MIA, etc. The author is just another guy with an opinion, and shouldn't be paid any heed.

Response by PO2 Leo Anderson made Jul 30 at 2018 2:08 PM

2018-07-30T14:08:34-04:00

Trying to make a name for himself with shock value and obviously sell books. He's a gnat. Something you swat away from your face.

Response by 1SG Brian Emmert made Jul 30 at 2018 3:08 PM

2018-07-30T15:08:09-04:00

No it is not. It is a symbol, to true Americans, of all service personnel who served and endured as prisoners or never came back. It is there to help families remember and cope and to remind everyone the world over that we will not forget or forgive any mistreatment of POWs and that there is eternal hope that the missing will return, or be returned, to their family. That is my opinion.

Response by PO2 Lawrence Damon made Aug 7 at 2018 3:45 PM

2018-08-07T15:45:20-04:00

wow! when is the Lefts madness going to stop! you call yourself an American how can you classify this Flag Racist? it's for all the missing! please Don't write any more?

Response by SGT Mark Rhodes made Aug 10 at 2018 4:42 PM

2018-08-10T16:42:51-04:00

I’m blown away. Speechless

Response by CPT William Jones made Aug 20 at 2018 1:17 AM

2018-08-20T01:17:38-04:00

While I am aware the flag had its origins out of the Vietnam war, personally, it has always been representative of all POW-MIAs, from WWI to Iraq/Afghanistan and forward. This notion the flag is anything more is rediculous. For service members, IMHO, it’s important to us that no one is ever forgotten, and this flag reminds us of that simple truth everyday.

Response by SGT Venice Collins made Aug 21 at 2018 10:07 AM

2018-08-21T10:07:36-04:00

WTF dude is LSD trippin

Response by CPL Billy Justice made Aug 22 at 2018 1:02 PM

2018-08-22T13:02:57-04:00

Mother f what.

Response by CPO William A. Bullard Jr. made Aug 28 at 2018 4:55 AM

2018-08-28T04:55:24-04:00

I'm no hero, just an old brown water Sailor; operated wih Marines, did gun ship and flotillas, resupply and every other thing that was not glamorous, then served onboard a Cruiser [IGFS] after reenlisting. I'm just a nobody. But, this nobody reenlisted for the last time in 1992 in front of the WALL. I promised all 58,000+ of those names that nobody gets to lie anymore about us, nobody gets to forget conveniently, nobody gets to spin...friend, foe, stranger, or family; I will take no prisoners; and, if it means that I am "the" only man to come to my funreal I can live with that. What is as read here, what is as printred here is the exact same way we were betrayed in VietNam, one small little cut at a time. This guy is a God Damned lying sonofabitch and if he ever ran his mouth like that at TienSha Ammo piers Acie-Ducie [after we cleaned the mud off our selves and had our knives taken away from us at the door] he'd get his ass kicked in spades. Do not let this go on; call the sonofabitch out, and if you can in public. It's the same old shit from a new crowd. The arguments are always the same: Race, Class, Gender, the Oppressed and the Oppressor in a never ending circle. Nothing changes in their playbook.

Response by COL Mark Crowley made Aug 28 at 2018 11:37 AM

2018-08-28T11:37:48-04:00

Racist? How so? please major publication please define, or if you can't, are we looking for just about any excuse to call something racist? In my humble opinion, those lame stream supposed journalists will call racism or islamophobia if they want to make someone look bad. Remember these people will raise controversy by stating the serious nature of the charges justifies their snit fit.

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made Aug 30 at 2018 5:57 AM

2018-08-30T05:57:06-04:00

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made Aug 30 at 2018 5:57 AM

2018-08-30T05:57:53-04:00

Response by PO2 William Kennison made Sep 2 at 2018 2:20 AM

2018-09-02T02:20:34-04:00

The thing that bolsters the 550 POWs to 1400 POW/MIA is the inclusion and overlooking those that just walked away from the war. They weren't publicly considered deserters, they became MIA for the same the military inflated kill ratios.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Sep 2 at 2018 5:28 AM

2018-09-02T05:28:25-04:00

Just how is remembering our POWs and MIAs racist ? Well its NOT ! Let us not forget those that were either captured or never returned at all. We have a chair We place within the seating at our American Legion Post 208, Millis, MA each post meeting with a POW-MIA banner backing on it and it sits among our seats of the living Veterans in attendance. Their spirit is still among us and We make sure to remember then with both a moment of silence and a salute to our POW-MIA fellow veterans each and every post meeting.

Response by SSgt John Carter made Sep 2 at 2018 7:58 AM

2018-09-02T07:58:00-04:00

Response by SSG Hank Ortega made Sep 7 at 2018 9:39 AM

2018-09-07T09:39:23-04:00

OK> Basic basic concept of the Radical Left (who puts this stuff out) Is to call EVERYTHING "Racist". the technique is not unknown to the Military: "Always keep your enemy on the defensive". The goal here is to always having YOU defending everything, on all sides. If you respond to this, you waste your time defending and justifying that flag (or other object, concept or belief) that really doesn't even belong in any conversation about "racism". While you are tied up in an argument with an idiot, the "real Agenda" is being pushed forward on other fronts. It is a "distractor".
The Agenda of course is the Destruction of America. The slogan (that is the 4th or 5th characteristic of the Left, "they are sloganized") is "The issue is not the Issue, The Issue is always the Agenda".

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 8 at 2018 5:35 AM

2018-09-08T05:35:03-04:00

I thing this agenda of making or calling everything racist takes away from real Racist things. The Left has pushed all of this way to far now if you don't like something or disagree with some one just says its racist. Lets all grow up

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 8 at 2018 4:41 PM

2018-09-08T16:41:45-04:00

No it isn't racist. The columnist is a "butt-nugget".

Response by MAJ Bob Firth made Sep 9 at 2018 2:53 PM

2018-09-09T14:53:02-04:00

This is another example of raging liberals who are deliberately authoring inflammatory articles to cause a reaction. He has nothing to say so I will not comment.

Response by MSgt Michael Smith made Sep 10 at 2018 2:54 PM

2018-09-10T14:54:49-04:00

While I get what the author is trying to say I completely disagree with his point. All he saying is that the issue of POW/MIAs in the 1970s and 1980s was highly politicized. POWs were used as political pawns by multiple administrations. That much is true and accurate. Much like Jessica Lynch and that American Taliban guy, presidents have always used POWs (and for that matter the entire military) for their own political ends. Just look at this administration and you will find all the evidence you need.
However, the flag itself has grown to symbolize far more than the simple meaning this author tries to convey. It has become a symbol unto itself, transcending politics altogether and standing for faith, honor, and kinship. In fact I would call the POW flag one of the most non-political symbols America has right now. It symbolizes keeping the faith, and remembering the lost. It might have at first been designed as a political symbol, but it certainly isn't that anymore.

Response by CPT Tom Rethard made Sep 10 at 2018 9:17 PM

2018-09-10T21:17:52-04:00

Gen Honore said it best: “Don’t get stuck on stupid!” Apparently, she ignored his advice. Too bad you can’t fix it with duct tape.

Response by SPC Ted Ronayne made Sep 16 at 2018 3:31 AM

2018-09-16T03:31:12-04:00

I swear I spend most of my time as a history major educating turds/reds like this about their genocidal ideology... Most anyone who gives this crap a serious consideration usually has a smelly deuce where their brain should be.

Response by MSgt Allen Chandler made Sep 17 at 2018 10:27 AM

2018-09-17T10:27:13-04:00

I have done some research on this subject and think they’re about 95% of what you said is correct I don’t understand how that becomes racist

Response by SPC William Fitzgerald made Sep 20 at 2018 6:44 AM

2018-09-20T06:44:34-04:00

No, it's not racist. I wouldn't share things that would be politically bias without any hard evidence to back it up.

Response by SMSgt Sheila Berg made Sep 20 at 2018 9:08 PM

2018-09-20T21:08:59-04:00

What! Rambling dribble.

Response by SFC Doug Harvey made Sep 21 at 2018 11:00 AM

2018-09-21T11:00:30-04:00

That is pure left wing bull shit.......

Response by SSG K Johnson made Sep 24 at 2018 9:52 AM

2018-09-24T09:52:18-04:00

What the hell is that? butthurt liberals.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2018 10:56 AM

2018-09-30T10:56:37-04:00

Appears the poster didn't write this, rather posted something that apparently was written by someone promoting a book. Click bait.

Response by SGT Ronald Hearn made Oct 6 at 2018 3:40 AM

2018-10-06T03:40:00-04:00

I call bs if you did not live it or had family set foot in country you have no say either way I call bs for a Father with inoperable cancer from Agent Orange sprayed everywhere, I just wish ungrateful Idiots like you would die off at the same rate as men and women that served !!!

Response by PO2 Jon Pyzel made Oct 6 at 2018 9:44 PM

2018-10-06T21:44:37-04:00

Looks like the silhouette of a soldier to me.

Response by PO2 Jon Pyzel made Oct 6 at 2018 9:46 PM

2018-10-06T21:46:44-04:00

It looks to me like the silhouette of a soldier. How can a 'shadow' of a person be racist. He does not have a blown outfro, nor the traditional ponytails of the Native Americans, so....piss off hater.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2018 1:39 AM

2018-10-07T01:39:03-04:00

As dumb as this article is, there is nothing that backs up the title as previously mentioned. I can only assume you used the title to get people reading but only talk about how the flag was used as "propaganda" which I think is BS but clearly you just wanted a reaction.

Response by SFC John Wright made Oct 8 at 2018 1:30 PM

2018-10-08T13:30:46-04:00

This whole story is pure bullshit. A fictitious "look at me, I need attention" contrived BS story with half-truths and a punk ass caveat .."I'm offended that they call the POW/MIA flag racist". Never heard anybody, anywhere, at anytime...use that word in the same sentence with the POW/MIA flag. Do like other Jews kid, and write another book about Lincoln. This site isn't provocative....it's pitiful and childish. Own it.

Response by Cpl Michael Forner made Oct 8 at 2018 2:12 PM

2018-10-08T14:12:04-04:00

I am getting sick and tired of these one person or small group statements which first make no sense. Last time I checked we live and fight for democracy, meaning a conscious of people who can make an informed decision on fact’s; not looking for opportunities to be offended. As a Marine, I am sickened to the point that individuals who have never had to make a life-altering decision are being taken seriously. This is all I have to say about this without crossing the line of offensive, crude or attempting to match dumb with dumb.
Oh, what the hell is a social justice warrior. If someone can explain this to me, I would be grateful.

Response by SrA Steve Frey made Oct 11 at 2018 6:52 PM

2018-10-11T18:52:02-04:00

WTF!!!!?????

Response by SGT Nicholas Chiruck made Oct 14 at 2018 8:13 AM

2018-10-14T08:13:32-04:00

Nice troll. 7/10.

Sad part is you're gonna catch some fish anyway.

Response by SMSgt Clayton Cortinas made Oct 19 at 2018 10:12 AM

2018-10-19T10:12:36-04:00

What a surprise! Official Vietnamese government conducted tour where they take you by the nose and feed you positive information that fits your narrative. I'm shocked! I'm stunned and surprised by the author's blinded stupidity. Have another cup of Kool Ade my friend, everything's going to be just fine!!

Response by SSgt J McCurdy made Oct 19 at 2018 1:02 PM

2018-10-19T13:02:12-04:00

Bull Shit!

Response by SrA John Monette made Oct 19 at 2018 3:44 PM

2018-10-19T15:44:05-04:00

I thought you were going to say the POW/MIA flag is racist because the silhouette is of a white man. it could also be considered sexist, because there is not a woman depicted.

Response by LTC Stephan Porter made Oct 20 at 2018 2:09 AM

2018-10-20T02:09:58-04:00

Oh please...everything is just NOT racust

Response by SGT Terry Walton made Oct 26 at 2018 1:03 PM

2018-10-26T13:03:41-04:00

The article seems to imply that the POW/MIA issue was used by Nixon and Reagan for political reasons. Maybe it was, so what? The author also implies that our South Vietnamese allies were butchers but our North Vietnamese enemies were " warm and inviting." Both sides were extremely brutal as most civil wars tend to be. And as far as the Stockdale/ Kavanaugh issue the author seems to make Kavanaugh just against the war but if Kavanaugh helped the enemy it is treason. But unless we have been in the same situation we shouldn't judge anyone. Let the dead rest in peace and quit trying to create controversy.

Response by Amn Cassandra Lynn made Nov 7 at 2018 10:04 PM

2018-11-07T22:04:09-05:00

What an ignorant SOB!

Response by TSgt Jerry Clemens Jr made Nov 10 at 2018 8:25 AM

2018-11-10T08:25:46-05:00

That has GOT to be the most disrespectful thing I've heard of dealing with Vietnam. We even have Service Members missing and have been prisoners of (I'll just use the term "conflicts") sense then. How the F*ck is the POW/MIA flag Racist?! This flag honors the sacrifice... the ULTIMATE sacrifice that a Service Member gives. This also remembers and honors the families of those Service Members. The way I see it... it serves as a reminder to those of us left behind (including the politicians) to be sure about what we get involved in. That way we don't have these types of horrible conflicts. I think I'd rather be spit on than have the POW/MIA flag done away with. It's NOT RACIST, it's a solemn reminder. Never Forget!

Response by SSG(P) Brian Kliesen made Nov 10 at 2018 9:51 AM

2018-11-10T09:51:12-05:00

I think this is an example of creating racism where there is none. The flag is a symbol for those who did not return. Was it co-opted for political means, likely yes. But it has nothing to do with race, gender, military branch or service.

Response by Capt Sabrena Goldman made Nov 10 at 2018 6:31 PM

2018-11-10T18:31:26-05:00

What?

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Nov 10 at 2018 11:15 PM

2018-11-10T23:15:31-05:00

The article is clearly click-bate and it worked. The author came up with a radical title, wrote some nonsensical gibberish and boom...click, click, click. Probably to get word out about his books. Which by the way, if written like this article, are probably just as interesting to read as it is to watch grass grow.

Response by SSgt Tony Basile made Nov 16 at 2018 8:23 AM

2018-11-16T08:23:18-05:00

this recant of events that occurred during the Vietnam War may be the author's way of venting his frustrations over something that happened long ago and far away all under the watchful eye of the military-industrial deep state, but WTF has racism got to do with the freakin' POW-MIA flag! I doubt if POW wife Sybil Stockdale had any such malcontent at all when she designed the flag. Obviously, the author has issues as do many who survived this war but apparently his issues are not all war related.Some people will manage to find the container of a dozen eggs as a racism symbol! Their circus, not mine.

Response by CAPT Hiram Patterson made Nov 17 at 2018 11:23 PM

2018-11-17T23:23:13-05:00

What a bunch of leftist hate America drivel!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2018 5:57 PM

2018-11-18T17:57:31-05:00

So is the flag racist because it is mainly black with some white on it??

I think I would have found this lecture more credible if you would have left your opinion out. It's hard to not read past it.

Response by CPL Steve Freeman made Nov 19 at 2018 9:03 AM

2018-11-19T09:03:21-05:00

Doesn't even deserve a response. Everything is racist to racist people.

Response by SPC Jesse Davis made Nov 20 at 2018 3:34 PM

2018-11-20T15:34:37-05:00

"One columnist of a major news periodical thinks so."
You know it's desperate when you have to link an archive of a page that no longer exists or expresses the stated opinion, having been clarified and corrected within 48 hours. Nevermind that it's just some old and edgy opinion piece that didn't get much traction.

Come on now, conservatives. This is just desperate.

https://www.newsweek.com/its-time-haul-down-another-flag-racist-hate-361929

The Story Behind the POW/MIA Flag

What began as a protest against the Vietnam War became a symbol of deceit and hatred.

Response by A1C Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 28 at 2018 8:56 AM

2018-11-28T08:56:11-05:00

This is honestly the dumbest thing I've heard, the POW flag is about so much more than Vietnam. This article is a joke. You can tell the writter put too much personal feelings into this, and that's not how you even write an article. You need to show both sides and prove why yours is better. This is honestly unbelievable that you'd even remotely bring racism into this discussion.

Response by MSgt Jim Craig made Nov 28 at 2018 3:34 PM

2018-11-28T15:34:48-05:00

You have to be kidding! The writer must be totally daft.

Response by MSgt Jim Craig made Nov 28 at 2018 3:36 PM

2018-11-28T15:36:07-05:00

You must be kidding! The writer is totally daft and really misses the point.

Response by SFC Brion Wood made Nov 28 at 2018 6:00 PM

2018-11-28T18:00:06-05:00

This is another attempt the Liberals are making to destroy any and all history that our country has. I think the word "racist" has been so distorted in the last couple years that our younger population doesn't know the true meaning anymore. Society needs to grow a thicker skin and look beyond a color. Many Blacks and Whites fought side by side in some of the most hellacious of conditions in Vietnam. This flag is a symbol of those who have not yet returned from there. It has nothing to do with race, despite the colors on the flag.

Response by SFC Michael Krogmann made Nov 28 at 2018 8:18 PM

2018-11-28T20:18:20-05:00

The loonie left progressives are destroying America! They need to get the £_&- over themselves and grow thicker skin

Response by SrA Zach Litgen made Nov 29 at 2018 3:51 PM

2018-11-29T15:51:13-05:00

A lot of fluff in this one. A long reach and missing the point of the flag and the families it stands for....

Response by 1SG Kenneth Talkington Sr made Nov 29 at 2018 5:39 PM

2018-11-29T17:39:43-05:00

Copeland, why is the flag racist? Ia it because it is black and white? If that is the reason then you are the racist. Are you one of the people who has to depend on the who has to use racism as a crutch. I truly believe you are an idiot.

Response by CW5 Dennis Stewart made Nov 30 at 2018 8:30 AM

2018-11-30T08:30:10-05:00

the left has gone to far on this one. It is not racist in any way.

Response by PO2 Bill Kuiper made Nov 30 at 2018 8:05 PM

2018-11-30T20:05:02-05:00

I am friends with a survivor of 7 years as a POW. None of them consider themselves victims, and that flag reminds me of not only the price of war but the price of possibly the most mis-managed war in our history; which is what happens when you let a PHd in accounting run it.

Response by SFC Scott Parkhurst made Nov 30 at 2018 11:04 PM

2018-11-30T23:04:56-05:00

OMG....I'm either super slow (and yes I've had a few TBI's from military service), but this takes the cake. I have always looked at the POW Flag as that...POW please bring them home. Simple as that. I never realized nor knew the "whole" back story nor did I think I needed too? If "they" this down/away....I'm done.....

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 2 at 2018 10:57 AM

2018-12-02T10:57:06-05:00

They are trying to make everything about race, Another way to reduce the Military to nothing and all who served.

Response by CPO John Burgess made Dec 2 at 2018 11:24 AM

2018-12-02T11:24:36-05:00

I need some aspirin after reading this.

Response by SGT Ronald Audas made Dec 3 at 2018 10:44 AM

2018-12-03T10:44:09-05:00

Another educated beyond his intelligence.Sorry Air Force,but you would never see an article like this written by an Army or Marine veteran. When we pledged to leave no man behind we meant it. Not all could be returned,so we use this flag to never forget. Labeling everything racist is the new way to be noticed.Driving a white truck sleeping on white sheets,and writing on white paper does not make me a racist. Your article wouldn't have made a Jr.High paper If not for the race card. Not hard to tell I'm really tired of hearing that race is the cause of all troubles.

Response by SSG Shawn Mcfadden made Dec 4 at 2018 8:26 AM

2018-12-04T08:26:26-05:00

WHO THE HELL CAME UP WITH THIS ONE?!?!

Response by SSgt Christopher Clinton made Dec 4 at 2018 7:28 PM

2018-12-04T19:28:49-05:00

Lots of interesting history there. Politicians spinning their propaganda then, as they do now...taking advantage of the general ignorance of citizens.... Bumper stickers and bands marketed for profit...taking advantage of similar sentiment shown by citizens after 9-11 and the beginning of the "war on terror".

Regardless, the POW flag seems to symbolize an important reverence for POWs which may be more important than its sorted past. Sometimes cultures and people can take back, or turn such a thing into something redeeming.

The US flag is stained with rape, racism, genocide and greed...the two great wars took back our flag and united our country as no other time in history did. Who says we can't take it back again from our current state of divided egos and superficial self-destructive affairs?

I do agree that no one should forget this history if only for the sake of avoiding it in the future.

Response by SFC Domingo M. made Dec 4 at 2018 8:22 PM

2018-12-04T20:22:47-05:00

This Sounds more like something the likes of what a John Kerry would write for attention or self-relevancy.

Response by PO3 Anthony Nichols made Dec 5 at 2018 4:58 AM

2018-12-05T04:58:30-05:00

You will be alright.

Response by SGT William Jackson made Dec 5 at 2018 5:10 AM

2018-12-05T05:10:07-05:00

This guy knows shit about VN, all he talks about is America's violations and such, I was there, the NVA and VC did more inhuman things that could be named, this was not a civil war, the South was invaded by the North, period! SVN was a recognized country as was NVN, most of this is just twisted BS as is this magazine. Take it from someone who was there, this story is full of misleading half truths, like most libtards produce, file 13 it, it is junk!!!

Response by CPL Christopher Thomas made Dec 5 at 2018 12:54 PM

2018-12-05T12:54:49-05:00

What kind of bullshit is this and why is it on Rally Point? I fully support the 1st Amendment but this is completely FUBAR

Response by SGT Don White made Dec 6 at 2018 10:09 AM

2018-12-06T10:09:31-05:00

That's an angry writer, that's for sure. Pissed all the way through. Probably less than 30 years old.

Response by LTC Gary Earls made Dec 7 at 2018 11:37 AM

2018-12-07T11:37:24-05:00

Some one needs to take that POS out for a counselling session. How can a POW flag be racist?? He needs to come tell me that I can't wear my POW bracelet for one of the members of my unit in Viet Nam. I'll counsel him.

Response by SPC William DuFour made Dec 8 at 2018 10:27 AM

2018-12-08T10:27:08-05:00

No!

Response by CPT Mike Sims made Dec 8 at 2018 5:24 PM

2018-12-08T17:24:21-05:00

Not for sure what the intent of this heading is, regardless of the story, some things are sacred and regardless of the politics or racial B.S. of the day - troops and Veterans will not play into civilians attempts to divide us in an attempt to force us to abandon who and what we honor.

Response by CPO Charles Mabry made Dec 9 at 2018 2:05 PM

2018-12-09T14:05:35-05:00

Ya know...this article is so "out there" that I think this is probably planted by a bot (Russian or otherwise) just to stir up people. There is just no basis for this. Richard Nixon and the "cult" of the POW/MIA is just pure fantasy.

Response by CPT Larry Hudson made Dec 9 at 2018 8:01 PM

2018-12-09T20:01:20-05:00

Society is just going to have to ignore these all things visible raciest. Facist , socialist, communist and MSM have nothing to offer constructive to society any longer. Politics based upon hate and destruction of the morals and ethical acceptable standards is doomed to the dung heap of history.

Response by PO3 Don Goracke made Dec 10 at 2018 9:45 AM

2018-12-10T09:45:59-05:00

They really do hate everything American

Response by SSgt David Whitaker made Dec 10 at 2018 3:58 PM

2018-12-10T15:58:09-05:00

POW/MIA flag + "Baby it's cold outside" = PC ppl head explosions

Usless article only to stir up anger.

Response by SSG Bill Marthers made Dec 10 at 2018 5:05 PM

2018-12-10T17:05:34-05:00

No way, shape, or form!

Response by SFC Olivero Rodriguez made Dec 10 at 2018 6:40 PM

2018-12-10T18:40:13-05:00

this goes with the same thing that the planet is flat. There are people that should stay underground for the rest of their stupid life. I have friends that were in vietnam, they will not want to read something like this.

Response by SFC Kevin Davis made Dec 10 at 2018 9:11 PM

2018-12-10T21:11:06-05:00

As a former msgt in the army and enlisting during operation homecoming i have to say wtf is wrong with people remembering the mia's? In the total time of nam only 596 prisoners? Numbers dont add up. We NEED to remember the ones who didnt return. Those were the hostages held for reparations. People bitch about the geneva convention and how we broke it but what gives the right to hold hostages back for money?

Response by SPC Andrew Nelson made Dec 11 at 2018 9:37 AM

2018-12-11T09:37:54-05:00

Uh yeah what the hell did I just read? I must agree with others posting here, I've just got a bit dummer reading this article. MIA has a term used long before the Vietnam conflict. Also wasn't it a democratic Congress that refused to pay respiration to Vietnam and in response the Vietnamese held onto some POWs??

Response by MSgt Walter Thomason made Dec 12 at 2018 3:24 AM

2018-12-12T03:24:28-05:00

Let's be honest. The word racist is the modern way of Nazi's making Jew's as evil. I'm writing this knowing that I'll never be able to run for a public office or do anything else that will be in the public eye. But the truth is that we are seeing the very danger of a one-party rule developing before our very eyes. If I even disagree with climate change, I'm uneducated and ignorant even though I had a love for the science since I was 10 years old, I was trained on how the equipment works and I spent a lot of time reading and asking questions to observers and forecasters. I'm ostracized by my relatives because I'm accused, of voting for Trump, which I didn't, I've written in whom I believe should President since 2000. I heard a cousin say, I shouldn't even be in this room. So in other words, I don't have a right of choice. I don't have the right of presumed innocence. The only thing needed is the accusation. Sounds like the old Puritan days to me where someone only had to accuse you of being a witch. I'm seeing more and more where people are being led to honor justice and humanity instead of flag and anthem. The flag and anthem represent our nation, our nation is made up each individual born or immigrated into it. If anything we need to adhere to the last words of the pledge of allegiance... "With liberty and justice for all." Politically those words are disastrous. If those words ever ran true, then the power of politicians diminishes. You can't champion a cause if everyone is treated the same. Plus, you can't legislate the perceived injustice (you can't legislate a person's heart anyway but it looks good in before the people) if all things are equal. Since I'm being honest, bias still exists in this country and it doesn't matter what race, creed or color. For some, and I don't know how many, bias still exists.

Coming back to this subject, the author of what I've read has mixed fact with a baseless conclusion in order to confuse people into believing the story. I can't say thesis because there is no relevance to truth. In the face of bringing home remains of MIA's the person had the gall to write this hoping to catch sensibility to racism and destroy another facet of what ties us together as American veterans. I'm simply not falling for it.

Response by Cpl Stan Long made Dec 13 at 2018 6:40 PM

2018-12-13T18:40:46-05:00

What a pile of bull. The flag brings this to light not cover it up and is still a symbol of those lost in WWII Korea Vietnam a d now the mid east. Dropped the hate speech and look for bringing us together.

Response by PO2 Boatswain Mate made Dec 13 at 2018 9:56 PM

2018-12-13T21:56:26-05:00

What the fuck did I just read?

Response by Maj Charles Porter made Dec 14 at 2018 12:50 AM

2018-12-14T00:50:10-05:00

This is 1984 "New Speak" the problem is people are still alive who remember the truth.

Response by SFC Joseph Dunphy made Dec 15 at 2018 7:01 PM

2018-12-15T19:01:39-05:00

What is tortured here is the line of argument. The flag is an inanimate object. Symbols can be misused, and this article is a case in point. As in, say, kneeling during the National Anthem, because one s attempt to keep from being fired for poor athletic performance took on a life of it's own, and one felt compelled to keep up the charade.

Response by MSgt Thelbert (Whitey) Roark made Dec 16 at 2018 11:16 AM

2018-12-16T11:16:16-05:00

And I suppose this idiot/author thinks the remains recently repatriated from North Korea don't fall under the mantle of the flag either. This is the first time I've heard this asinine theory. I hope it's the last.

Response by Sgt Donald Daugherty made Dec 16 at 2018 11:21 AM

2018-12-16T11:21:38-05:00

Yup.... Black Friday is racist too. What can we do to please all the left wingers?

Wear pink pussy hats and pet kittens? Those pussy hats and kittens won't save your sorry liberal asses when calamity comes our way! The best offense is a strong defense!

Response by Sgt Donald Daugherty made Dec 16 at 2018 11:23 AM

2018-12-16T11:23:04-05:00

WTF is wrong with all of these liberal ass wipes!!??

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 16 at 2018 1:53 PM

2018-12-16T13:53:56-05:00

Anything the left doesn't like will be labeled racist, sexist, etc because that I the strongest tool they have in their political toolbox. They said the same thing about the Gadsden flag (Don't tread on me).
The fastest way to get something publicly ostracized is to give it a label, and even if there isn't any truth to it people's mob reaction is to break out the pitchforks and torches.

Response by SSG Jeffrey Leake made Dec 16 at 2018 6:54 PM

2018-12-16T18:54:45-05:00

So sick and tired of hearing and reading that just about everything I grew up with is now considered racist. Flags, songs, books, signs, the color of my skin. This is beyond ridiculous. People keep giving in to these ridiculous claims,and it needs to stop. These people need to grow up and find something constructive to do in this country, instead of destructive.

Response by Sgt Anthony Leverington made Dec 17 at 2018 9:42 AM

2018-12-17T09:42:06-05:00

That is one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard of. That's kinda like saying Black Friday is racist simply because of the word "black".

Response by LTC Mark Beattie made Dec 17 at 2018 10:33 AM

2018-12-17T10:33:18-05:00

This Newsweek article is pure political crap, dishonors all POWs, and further soils the reputation of a publication I once respected, but which I despise today!

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 17 at 2018 10:41 AM

2018-12-17T10:41:47-05:00

UPDATED:
A Writer’s Apology

I sincerely regret the use of the word “racist” to describe how the POW/MIA flag distorts the history of the Vietnam War. The word was over the top and not called for.
I’m deeply sorry it hurt people—especially people who’ve selflessly served their country. Most of all, I’m sorry because many of the people offended by the word “racist” are the same people who were hurt when the experiences and feelings of common soldiers and veterans were manipulated to serve the powerful interests and individuals who blithely and perennially send men and women to war, then don’t take care of them when they return home. And, of course, I regret the pain caused to the families of those who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country in Southeast Asia.
I would ask the people I angered to consider carefully reading the article, which explains, for example, that the Chinese Communists cynically leaked lies about the existence of live POWs in the years after the war in order to harm their rival Vietnam.
Most of all, I wish to express my regrets. Other than that, I stand by my article. —Rick Perlstein

The Editor’s Response

We published Rick Perlstein’s article on the POW/MIA flag, because it insightfully examines the cynical manipulation of public opinion at the expense of the downed pilots and foot soldiers the creators of the MIA movement claimed to represent. Perlstein is an accomplished historian who has spent years researching the Nixon and Reagan years. He knows this material. Our prolonged national discussion of the tragic Southeast Asian war that extended beyond Vietnam is often framed in what can be reasonably described as racist terms. The defenders of an Asian country that was invaded, bombed, defoliated and savaged (see: Kill Anything that Moves by Nick Turse) are vilified, while the invaders are beatified. Neither position is correct or fair. It was a persistent yet perhaps understandable disregard for the “other” victims of a war, beyond our own nation’s tragic losses, that informed the piece.
Nowhere is it suggested, nor do we imply, that individuals who remain devoted to the POW/MIA flag are racist. And it was neither Mr. Perlstein’s intent, nor ours, to dishonor those who served in Vietnam, although based on comments of readers, many were offended. A more careful editor would have moved the term “racist” lower in the body of the story and kept it out of the headline, where it was an unintended red flag that provoked the understandable ire of many readers. —Lou Dubose

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Dec 17 at 2018 12:23 PM

2018-12-17T12:23:04-05:00

This came to my attention today---Rick Perlstein--This "author" who "chronicles" the 1960's and 70's was born in 1969--all of his research and opinions are taken from sources that were expressing their own opinions and sensationalizing anything they could to get recognized as journalist.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2018 5:54 AM

2018-12-18T05:54:37-05:00

Wow this is one of the most ignorant and hateful posts I have ever read. While it is true POW/MIA should not denote someone as a hero, it is certainly also true that they are servicemembers who deserve recognition. POW/MIA was not nor is it now a fictitious invention made to superimpose a valorous station for war criminals. As far as someone’s political views on Vietnam, it’s an opinion not a fact that it was an unnecessary involvement of US Forces. Was it poorly fought? Sure you could argue that, but to say civilians were systematically targeted in an urban gurilla warfare environment? This article only stands to show how truly ignorant and poorly educated you are on way a war or this nature is fought. There are direct links to the war on ISIS/ISIL, and the other Middle Eastern Muslim terror combat engagements. If the so called “civilians,” are carrying assault weapons and explosive devices they aren’t civilians anymore, they are enemy combatants.
Pathetic and ignorant articles and I’m sure your not-so great book prove to harm sevicemembers through hurtful rhetoric and salacious ideas that waste energy on attacking the people who believe socialism and communism are bad. As far as the Peace Committee is concerned, they were ready to die for their belief in allowing communism to spread and many of them did at the hands of the VC. For those that came back, they are given their freedom by those who they went to Vietnam to protest.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2018 9:19 AM

2018-12-18T09:19:04-05:00

This is a simple fix. Stop giving an audience to nonsense like this. Articles these days seem to be written to get a reaction instead of information. Let ignorance make itself stupid. Don’t entertain it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2018 11:44 AM

2018-12-18T11:44:05-05:00

How stupid can things get. This flag represents those that fought for your rights and privileges. One in particular, Allen Duane Christensen from my home town. Allen went missing in Vietnam Nam April 2, 1972 near Marble Mountain after departing Quang Tre by helicopter. Allen is still unaccounted for. I still visit with his sister and remember Allen by visiting his grave as he is presumed dead. For those that seem to forget or just don’t care, it is obvious that you don’t cherish life nor do you seem to care about those that sacrifice so much that we may live as free as we do. You don’t understand the anguish of the families not knowing the status of their loved ones. These families deserve to have their loved ones home to at a minimum, give a proper burial.

Response by PO3 Roy Schuelke made Dec 18 at 2018 2:28 PM

2018-12-18T14:28:44-05:00

I call BS on a lot of things in your post, which seems to say something over and over. you did not mention McCain that I could find. that traitor was a POW that made his millions stealing OUR money and waving that flag!

Response by MSG Dorsel Boyer made Dec 18 at 2018 10:20 PM

2018-12-18T22:20:57-05:00

Where is the downvote button?

Response by CPT Robert Boshears made Dec 18 at 2018 11:46 PM

2018-12-18T23:46:26-05:00

Yes, we were used as pawns by those we swore to defend. The day that flag comes down, there will be a lot of veterans in line to put it back... oh, that line will be the same one that will rearrange the physical features that those who insulted the men and women who went, and will throw a punch for those who this flag represents.

Response by CMSgt Randy Beck made Dec 19 at 2018 8:34 AM

2018-12-19T08:34:13-05:00

I have no idea who this person is who wrote this, but I would suggest he or she take a trip to Hawaii and visit the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and tour the facility and then try to convince me or anyone else who has served this country that years ago "The members of Congress returned home, having found their Communist hosts warm and accommodating, doubting there were any missing at all." As long as there is one person missing or unaccounted for anywhere in the world, that flag needs to keep flying as a reminder that no matter whether war is justified or not, someone decided to defend this nation with their life, and we will never leave a person behind until they are found and brought home to rest.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 19 at 2018 9:04 AM

2018-12-19T09:04:19-05:00

What a crock of s**t from this columnist about that flag, The POW/MIA represents those true patriots and heros who have given their all for this great country and those who have never returned but are remembered none the less

Response by LCpl Loyd Phillips made Dec 19 at 2018 12:41 PM

2018-12-19T12:41:25-05:00

Now If That Isn't A Special Kind Of STUPID From Someone That Knows Not What They Are Talking About And Needs To Learn Some History.

Response by FN Shawn Watkins made Dec 19 at 2018 1:42 PM

2018-12-19T13:42:51-05:00

I'm fine with taking down that flag, just as soon as the remains of every American is repatriated, and not one moment before.

Response by Cpl John Cogswell made Dec 19 at 2018 4:10 PM

2018-12-19T16:10:29-05:00

I wouldn't give this a shred more attention than any that I give to RT, Infowars, or any other spurious purveyor of propaganda.

Have a good one, brothers and sisters, and save your powder for shots within range.

Response by SPC Robin Krauth made Dec 20 at 2018 9:39 AM

2018-12-20T09:39:32-05:00

WTH? I’m so sick of people saying oh “this racist or that is racist “ it’s CALLED HISTORY! Fucking get over it! Ain’t my problem that your own countrymen sold your relatives into slavery. There are more whites & Asians right now in slavery and I don’t hear them whining like a bitch.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 20 at 2018 10:12 AM

2018-12-20T10:12:51-05:00

This article is completely and utterly misguided in order to fuel a political agenda. The author Rick Perlstein has written 3 books about the Vietnam War era and post Vietnam War era. All with a skewed perspective which is anti-American at best. As sad as it may be that there is an American who feels this way we must remember that it is our duty to protect his rights, first amendment included.

Response by SPC Daniel Rankin made Dec 21 at 2018 2:50 AM

2018-12-21T02:50:12-05:00

How ignorant that writer is. That flag not only stand for those who are still missing in action but for those they fought for in nam and in other wars. We still have a few missing in action from the Gulf war you idiot. I need a new one and do not know where to get one. My old one is made of nylon and it is shredded to bits. I would like to get a black one like that one. Tell that author I wonder if his book ever sold, because I am an avid reader and i never heard about it. You sir are the racist.

Response by SGT Gary Heffner made Dec 21 at 2018 10:14 AM

2018-12-21T10:14:38-05:00

Since I can't record a "thumbs down" because I don't have enough "influence points" (what the crap is that?!), let me record my displeasure this way: rewriting history does not make it so. There were legitimate reasons to go into Vietnam but Democrat Presidents rarely fight wars well so it quickly devolved into chaos. Ending a war without a victory is always a mistake. It could have been done in Vietnam and it could have been done in Iraq but politics drives politicians who are more interested in appeasing people like the author. He's wrong about many things and VERY wrong about the flag!

Response by SGT Gary Heffner made Dec 21 at 2018 10:21 AM

2018-12-21T10:21:03-05:00

When Hell was in Session by Jeremiah Denton has been in print for a long time. Perhaps the author could look it up!

Response by SSG Ralph Watkins made Dec 21 at 2018 11:30 AM

2018-12-21T11:30:03-05:00

The old saying is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In this case, it's racism is in the heart of the accuser. It's like these people have some neurotic delusion that they have the impression of racism, bigotry, & other forms of hate in everyday objects. There is a personality disorder called borderline personality disorder. These people are the ones who drive everybody else nuts. We don't need to cater to them. They need therapy & anti-psychotics.

Response by SGT Don Gillespie made Dec 21 at 2018 2:47 PM

2018-12-21T14:47:32-05:00

Why do these douche bags get a soap box? That's the only requirement anymore, whine and act like a douche. Sad state of our country and the intolerant left.

Response by Sgt Roger Castle made Dec 22 at 2018 12:58 PM

2018-12-22T12:58:35-05:00

I wonder of Hanoi Jane Fonda has anything to do with this BS. It sounds like something she would be involved in.

Response by SPC William Weedman made Dec 22 at 2018 1:33 PM

2018-12-22T13:33:48-05:00

SFC Lawrence J Englander and I strongly disagree with this article. SFC Engandler has been in my right wrist since 1989 (in 4 bracelets). SFC Lawrence J Englander US Army Special Forces, MIA since 2 May 1968 in South Vietnam. He was leading a indigenous group and was trapped in an ambush. The indigenous troops saw him take several bullets including what they thought was a head shot. The indigenous troops withdrew returned the next and could not find any sign of SFC Englander. I have read lots of speculation about SFC Englander, some of which is Bigfoot level (grainy photos and questionable information). I doubt he is alive, but to have a body to bring to his family would be nice. I guess I’m the hugest racist in town as my bracelet and POW pin on my veteran hat are not coming off.

Response by SGT Michael Hardy made Dec 22 at 2018 9:33 PM

2018-12-22T21:33:22-05:00

What the hell that is so racist BS. I am from the south and I have seen and read better articles out of trucking magazines. Nothing against those periodicals but that moron needs to check what gives him freedom to write crap like that. I have one thing that’s comes to mind a bumper sticker I read a while back it said something to the fact of do you read or speak German well thank a veteran.

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Dec 23 at 2018 3:18 AM

2018-12-23T03:18:04-05:00

Will some one please shut this dumb assed anti American so called reporter up. The POW-MIA flag racist! So POTUS Nixon co-oped the National League of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action. It was Henry Kissing the butts of the North Vietnamese Kissinger, who didn't really fight for all the POWs and MIAs at the Paris Peace Talks. He also left out the POWs and MIAs in Laos and Cambodia. This flag still flies today so we will remember those POWs and MIAs from all wars past and God forbid the future wars. I ask, were you a Vietnam War vet sir? Did you report any battles in person? Better to take down any column you write than the POW/MIA flag. You REMF.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2018 11:01 AM

2018-12-23T11:01:22-05:00

I remember a time when the term “racist” actually meant something terrible and we made a conscious effort to avoid, even run from, behaviors and people who we associated with these bahaviors. I’m recent times the term racist, racism, discriminatory, prejudice and the such have been have been perverted by today’s HYPERINCLUSIVE culture that they have lost all credibility or relative association to the terms of the past. “Racism” has been thrown around and so overused without any substantiation that I for one have disregarded it as fact. It has become a joke. It has become a term to throw at anyone who disagrees with a religion, an orientation, a type of food, a color, a
Cosmic term and has become a “racist” term itself. The term has become exclusive and does not include all “races”. It has been used as a social justice tool to create special classes of people creating special exceptions, rules, laws, protections, ideologies and the such for certain demographics, treating them like “endangered species” having a greater value than others. That in itself is racist.

Response by SFC Dave Nutter made Dec 23 at 2018 11:50 AM

2018-12-23T11:50:34-05:00

Wtf over?

Response by Maj Earl Tilford made Dec 23 at 2018 4:33 PM

2018-12-23T16:33:19-05:00

I don't think the Confederate battle flag is racist either! Do you know how many African slaves were bought to this country under a ship flying any Confederate banner? ZERO! Important African slaves into the Confederacy was a capital offense from day one! Do you know what flag every swinging slaver flew? The Stars and Stripes of the United States of America. Why? The Treaty of Ghent, signed by England in 1814, forbade the Royal Navy from boarding any ship flying the flag of the United States. A people who forget their history defile the present and destroy the future!

Response by SPC Steven Nihipali made Dec 23 at 2018 7:21 PM

2018-12-23T19:21:29-05:00

So im racist too then. I just hate everyone equally

Response by PFC Rickey Cook made Dec 23 at 2018 9:50 PM

2018-12-23T21:50:47-05:00

Wow I'm really reading this shit shot ??? We that serve fly it to honor the lost and missing now and then where it came from in your eyes is a vile concept of bigotry and hatred Democrats fanned the flames fed the public lies just as today they do and sent more black men to their own deaths than the vc did in combat by poisoning with agent orange and experimental drugs for disease cures not proven

Response by SMSgt Tom Burns made Dec 23 at 2018 10:26 PM

2018-12-23T22:26:29-05:00

WTF, are you out of your mind? Grow UP

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2018 11:03 PM

2018-12-23T23:03:32-05:00

Um, what? The only thing I gather out of this is that it’s a flag that symbolizes racism. I may have a West Virginian education but I’m pretty sure Charlie Brown, B-17 Pilot during World War Two, Chuck Yeager, Louis Zamperini, and men who fought through Normandy, Belgium, the Ardennes Forest, The Hürtgen Forest, and all the way across the country to the island hopping marines and pilot Captain Jerry Yellin would love to read this article.

Response by MSG David King made Dec 24 at 2018 10:29 AM

2018-12-24T10:29:31-05:00

The flaming jackass who wrote this article Mr Rick Perlstein was born in 1969. His opinion is worthless.

Response by PO2 Marty Sharpe made Dec 24 at 2018 10:50 AM

2018-12-24T10:50:02-05:00

MIA has been around much longer than Vietnam.

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Dec 24 at 2018 6:07 PM

2018-12-24T18:07:34-05:00

I think I just wanted about 5 minutes of my time that I won't get back. Whoever thinks it is, I feel sorry for them.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2018 7:10 PM

2018-12-24T19:10:44-05:00

I stop reading and is soo stupid blah blah blah

Response by Sgt Chris Mcginty made Dec 25 at 2018 12:48 AM

2018-12-25T00:48:57-05:00

This has got to be some of the biggest propaganda writing I have ever read.total bullshit.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2018 7:03 AM

2018-12-25T07:03:42-05:00

No matter how the flag was started, it is what it stands for today that matters. You are the epitome of what is wrong with people today

Response by SGT Bob Whitworth made Dec 25 at 2018 11:46 AM

2018-12-25T11:46:10-05:00

If you read the book” Americas amnesia” It it will greatly clarify what happened to end the VN war.
The person that wrote this Article has his head where the Sun doesn’t Sine.

Response by Lt Col Leon McLin made Dec 25 at 2018 12:07 PM

2018-12-25T12:07:01-05:00

Flag is not racist, and this article is an insult to military members.

Response by SGM Thomas Adderley made Dec 25 at 2018 12:07 PM

2018-12-25T12:07:48-05:00

I do not know who this Copeland is or where he has been but it is obvious to me that he needs an attitude adjustment and a reeducation especially in the realm of logic, history and the combining/twisting of facts to meet a desired conclusion. TSgt, with an attitude like that which expresses a hatred for our (military) history and its soldiers I would doubt you go higher.

Response by PO1 Henry Hawley made Dec 25 at 2018 1:04 PM

2018-12-25T13:04:58-05:00

Pathetic freaking drivel from another piece of crap, leftist college educated asshole! My POW-MIA flag flies just below my American Flag in my yard EVERYDAY!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2018 3:31 PM

2018-12-25T15:31:24-05:00

What dumbass of a major publication wrote that?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2018 9:32 PM

2018-12-25T21:32:53-05:00

"Major News Periodical" my ass. Key words here are "One columnist". Stop looking for reasons to be offended and you will have a happier life.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2018 5:48 AM

2018-12-26T05:48:34-05:00

The “author” fails, in this article, to draw a clear linkage to “racism” in any way. There is a lot of political one-sidedness that discusses how the then-executive leadership may have politicized the POW/MIAs but there is virtually nothing about the flag itself or any justification for the charge of “racism”. This is a flag that was intentionally placed in the public domain and open for free use. This fact and the story or its creator should have been told here but were overlooked fully.

The author seems to want to make a political statement about Vietnam and our country’s role in that history but the author relies on the overdone theme of linking their idea to inflammatory remarks and headline-grabbing titles while providing no substance. If this were a product, it would be false advertising, like when the salesman pitches that their product will cure baldness but what they are really selling is running shoes - no connection to the hook at all...

This is why people hate the media more every day.

Response by PO1 Robert George made Dec 26 at 2018 4:25 PM

2018-12-26T16:25:58-05:00

Can't fix stupid!

Response by SFC Michael Huff made Dec 27 at 2018 2:11 PM

2018-12-27T14:11:58-05:00

When are we going to move past Right and/or Left and understand that something so STUPID could only be Russian propaganda, set to, Divide this Country. This is the Dumbest thing I've ever heard but reading some of these comments Are Too!!!! IJS

Response by MCPO Mark Burns made Dec 27 at 2018 6:15 PM

2018-12-27T18:15:19-05:00

Who writes this shytt?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2018 8:49 PM

2018-12-27T20:49:44-05:00

Please take down this garbage. This goes against our values as members of the United States military. We do not support Anti-American propaganda here. This article is divisive in its context.

Response by LTC Jaime Franco made Dec 28 at 2018 1:40 AM

2018-12-28T01:40:46-05:00

I’ve read a few Harry Norman Turtledove books none were as far fetched as this work of fiction.

Response by SPC Kade Bell made Dec 28 at 2018 11:07 AM

2018-12-28T11:07:02-05:00

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2018 5:30 PM

2018-12-28T17:30:43-05:00

This dumb shit hurts my head.

Response by PV2 Keith Rogers made Dec 28 at 2018 7:30 PM

2018-12-28T19:30:47-05:00

Should we have been there? No, it was all political. We're there terrible things done on both sides, yes, it was war, unfortunately that happens. But to drop this pile of manure on to of it, come on man, let's have a real objective look at the subject, not what your lib professor taught you. Sounds like Traitor Jane helped you write this.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2018 8:48 AM

2018-12-29T08:48:20-05:00

"One" columnist of a major news periodical... his has a right to his delusional opinion. Just goes to show you that the major networks will hire any liberal.

Response by Sgt William Collins made Dec 29 at 2018 10:02 AM

2018-12-29T10:02:07-05:00

Words fail me. It's impossible to respond to all this crap in the short space available. Imagine, "The Deer Hunter" as a serious film depicting America's Vietnam experience. Christopher Walken playing russian roulette as the ultimate rendition of the American soldier. Rubbish! Even Walken doesn't believe that.
I'll be brief. Sort of . . .
First, let's get things straight. President Kennedy started the war to shore up the South Vietnamese government's attempt to forestall North Vietnamese aggression encouraged and supplied by the Chinese in an effort to strengthen their influence in Southeast Asia.
Second, President Johnson enhanced the War by sending combat troops and preventing them from actually using their power to defeat the North Vietnamese. This set us up for failure.
Third, President Nixon ended the war by using American power to force the North Vietnamese and the Viet Congress to negotiate and sign the Paris "Accords.
Fourth, although it took years for the North to recruit and train enough soldiers to sweep south and capture Saigon, they did so in violation of the accords and congress and the rest of the administration did nothing to enforce the accords, thus betraying the South Vietnamese and 58000 young Americans who went there and died at their country's. behest.
Now along comes this clown to twist all the facts and label the POW flag racist. The war had nothing to do with racism, it had to do with stopping communist aggression. To a large extent it worked. Although South Vietnam was ultimately conquered, the slaughter later experienced in other parts of Southeast Asia, notably Cambodia, was avoided there because of world attention focussed by the United States' ultimately unsuccessful stand there. South Vietnam today is largely prospering and it's residents are friendly to Americans.
Where American and South Vietnamese prisoners were treated harshly, tortured and murdered, many being still missing and bones being eventually turned over were held for political purposes (and until their wounds disappeared due to decomposition), North Vietnamese and Vietcong prisoners were largely treated humanely in the full view of the press and all were released when the war ended through the Paris Accords.
Racism? The author just hasn't made the case for it. All he's done is to reinvent the usual lies about the Vietnam War in a new format, twisting the facts to suit his agenda.
There's enough of this crap festering in modern society pushing the view that everything comes down to racism. Don't let it penetrate the military.

Response by CPO Donald Crisp made Dec 29 at 2018 12:53 PM

2018-12-29T12:53:44-05:00

I'd like to say that I learned something new. I'd like to say that references were enclosed so that I can make an educated opinion. I'd like to say this rant was educational. Unfortunately, I can't say any of that. This is yet another attempt to rewrite American history to suit the vocal minority in order to make this country appear to be the "bad guys"s in yet another fact shattering attempt to tear down the fiber of our nation. I do not believe that this type of rant should appear in this forum.

Response by SGT Mac Walther made Dec 29 at 2018 12:55 PM

2018-12-29T12:55:44-05:00

This so call columnist is so full of shit he should wipe every time he opens his mouth. The POW MIA Flag is not a racist flag it is not about Vietnam it is a flag that spans all wars and actions the US Military has had lost of life or missing in action. In other words the flag stands as memorial to all Pow’s and Mia’s. I fly my POW MIA FLAG with pride to honor my fallen and missing brothers and sisters . I real wish he would come to my front door and call me a racist, first I would school him and then stomp the ever living crap out of him.

Response by MSgt Brian Williams made Dec 29 at 2018 1:14 PM

2018-12-29T13:14:22-05:00

Giving this the attention it deserves.

Response by CPL Guy Grafton made Dec 29 at 2018 4:46 PM

2018-12-29T16:46:31-05:00

Pathetic! Next thing will be changing our own flag from red & white to pink & green (we'll have to lobby the blue).

Response by PO2 George Frasier made Dec 29 at 2018 11:14 PM

2018-12-29T23:14:39-05:00

HOW can the POW/MIA flag be racist ? ALL colors of people (male & female) have been POW or MIA over the years. Only a racist would make that claim, because that is all they know, bellyache and complain about anything.

Response by SFC Michael Eisele made Dec 29 at 2018 11:28 PM

2018-12-29T23:28:54-05:00

I'm sorry, but I'm not letting you off as easy as everyone else. This type of bullshit only serves to divide this country more. You, in your dumb ass want-to-be white guilt, because you feel that remembering our fallen brothers and sister who never came home is racist. What a stupid ass concussion. Everyone who ever served in a combat job knows that there is the possibility that you won't come home. And also a good possibility that if you don't come home that there might not be enough of you to identify. Sorry, kids but it's something that might happen. But, I wouldn't expect some POG like you to understand that.
You want to think that remembering our POW/MIA is racist, Fine, everyone is entitled to there opinion, no matter how fucking ridicules it is. But, don't turn around hide behind your veteran status. You are a dumb ass. Plain and simple.

Response by Brad Miller made Dec 30 at 2018 2:01 AM

2018-12-30T02:01:32-05:00

Revisionist history at it's most nauseating! I've MET pilots who were listed as MIA, and were released at the end of the war.

Response by MSgt Tony Marlin made Dec 30 at 2018 12:49 PM

2018-12-30T12:49:19-05:00

Opinion heard. He's entitled to believe what he will, I'm entitled to believe whatever I want to also. Slamming his belief is just as "snowflake" and someone slamming mine. Although I see where the flag may have been used as a political tool, I don't see racism in it. Guess we don't agree on the basic definition of what racism is. Glad I live in a country where competing opinions can exist...

Response by 1SG Patrick Sims made Dec 30 at 2018 1:40 PM

2018-12-30T13:40:26-05:00

If the CRATS ever get control of everything again...it might be time to clean house and start fresh.

Response by CPT Katrina Brinkley made Dec 31 at 2018 4:03 PM

2018-12-31T16:03:35-05:00

Very interesting read. I don't find it to be racist, though. That word is overly used to the point that its meaning is changing right before our eyes.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2018 7:37 PM

2018-12-31T19:37:56-05:00

I blame it the fluoride in our water. How else has humanity regressed to such a state of stupidity?

Response by SGT Shane Larson made Jan 1 at 2019 4:15 PM

2019-01-01T16:15:27-05:00

Rick Perlstein needs to be held accountable for his BS. No violence but feel free to constructively reach out and talk to this ass hat. https://www.facebook.com/messages/t/rick.perlstein

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Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Jan 1 at 2019 4:25 PM

2019-01-01T16:25:13-05:00

I googled the writer that thought this and it came up with the thesaurus name idiot

Response by SGT Shane Larson made Jan 1 at 2019 4:31 PM

2019-01-01T16:31:16-05:00

PS I messaged him, politely and expressed some displeasure. He thanked me for my service, and he asked if I had read the whole thing. Admittedly I have not read the entire piece just whats here. Here is my response to him, it will be interesting to see if he responds again.
I read a good portion of what was shared on a military site. And though some portions of your talk are historically correct you don't seem to care what it has become a symbol for troops that were lost in War specifically Vietnam and the families it affected. Like conversation and words Icons and symbols can change. What POW/MIA flag means to many families is greatly different from the roots that may have generated it. Asking for it to be removed does a disservice for those all those POW's and families that have suffered. So maybe we need to acknowledge where things come from if they have a complicated or perhaps racist past but we also should not revise history or its icons to our own liking. And again I think you ignore what it has become a symbol off. I have been to places like Dauchau in Germany, I think one has to be real careful how much history is allowed to be forgotten so I think discourse like yours is important, as long as it is not biased with a slant to ignore things that have changed along the way. Removing POW/MIA flags would be a disgrace. Now maybe just maybe they should be updated and moved away from the area of which it started but then again you play with a symbol that is very important to some families. I am also guessing you got a fair amount of negativity over this article and seemed from the get go antagonistic and meant to be hype. If you truly believe in changing things you have to be mindful of the audience, and some of us pay attention when you muck about with symbols that some vets hold in high esteem. I am sorry I put click bait and shameful POW/MIA flag also means something to me. That being said I am surprised you took the time to respond, I hope this finds you in good heath, and hope that maybe some of how we view it as vets was adequately expressed by me in a constructive way.

Response by MSG Stan Hutchison made Jan 1 at 2019 4:35 PM

2019-01-01T16:35:44-05:00

"One columnist"????

Hell's bells, one columnist does not mean anything. I've read columnist that believe in invaders from space, others that write that all men are not created equal, etc, etc, etc.
Fortunately, we live in a country where a columnist can wrote whatever they wish.

Don't mean nothing.

Response by CPT Dr Elizabeth Pepe made Jan 1 at 2019 6:49 PM

2019-01-01T18:49:26-05:00

I am a FOUR GOLD STAR FAMILY MEMBER, as well as a former US Army Flight Surgeon. My grandfather on my mother's side, Colonel Frank Breziina ( fought in WW1 and WW2) died in the Shirakawa POW camp on Formosa (now Taiwan). My father Matteo Pepe (who is a Marine) lost two of his brothers, KIA, also in WW2. They were Joseph Michael Pepe (MM/2 on the USS Savannah near Sicily) and Thomas Michael Pepe (Lt USMC bomber pilot). My father was pulled out of the Pacific Theater because he was the sole surviving son. My brother-in-law Frank Cassin was KIA in Vietnam. So DAMN anyone who again practices REVISIONIST history, and tries to remove the POW/MIA flag.

Response by CSM Brian Fawcett made Jan 1 at 2019 8:29 PM

2019-01-01T20:29:38-05:00

I can not believe how incredibly stupid this journalist is, do you think the people who's loved ones were never accounted for in combat appreciate a symbol that keeps thier memmory alive is rasist, what has this guy ever done for this country? I'll bet nothing!

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 2 at 2019 5:50 PM

2019-01-02T17:50:21-05:00

WTH?!?!

Response by CCMSgt Joe Dehorty made Jan 4 at 2019 12:45 PM

2019-01-04T12:45:02-05:00

TSgt Joshua Copeland, I failed to see anything that refers to racism in the article. Its referring to the book "The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan: written by Rick Perlstein". Who was the columnist of a major news periodical that thinks so and where is the racist quote? The whole thing was a waste of time reading. What is the point?

Response by LTC Robert Hodges made Jan 19 at 2019 1:29 PM

2019-01-19T13:29:20-05:00

Wow- who wrote this crap- Jane Fonda? ( of course not she is too stupid to write this) or some other Kool -aid drinking liberal who wants his rewritten history to be politically correct and just plain wrong. While I appreciate and support the freedom of speech one has to recognize BS when you see it and that is what this is.

Response by CDR Michael Goldschmidt made Feb 4 at 2019 8:19 AM

2019-02-04T08:19:53-05:00

Maybe because the silhouette is black? SMH.

Response by SPC Joseph Underwood made Feb 9 at 2019 7:41 PM

2019-02-09T19:41:13-05:00

dude your insane

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2019 6:42 PM

2019-02-11T18:42:25-05:00

That is quite a reach in my book. However for someone who maybe never served in the military or had an immediate family member serve and who is younger and of a liberal sort of education it would not surprise me. Remember that only roughly 1% of the population has served in the military. I would imagine that before some in this country come to their senses that black SUVs and black pick-up trucks will be deemed racist as well and probably driven by evil capitalists who don't believe in global warming at all

Response by SSG Herman Bauman made Feb 19 at 2019 10:20 PM

2019-02-19T22:20:32-05:00

How is this flag supposed to be racist? When I see the POW/MIA flag, I don't think of any color, I think about my ost Brothers and usually shed a tear.

Response by PO1 Paul Godfrey made Feb 19 at 2019 10:56 PM

2019-02-19T22:56:25-05:00

I thought I had read some stupid articles in my life, still can't believe that how I wasted my time reading this one. I served this amazing country during the Vietnam conflict and for anyone to think the POW flag is racist is more stupid today than he was yesterday. This flag honors those that were POWs and the ones that never came home.
So to sum this up, you are full of crap!!!
American by birth, Southern by the grace of God!

Response by CWO3 Gary Parrott made Feb 20 at 2019 3:01 PM

2019-02-20T15:01:00-05:00

how the hell is that racist even the confederate flag isn't racist unless that's how you think it is due to your own racism

Response by SMSgt Tim Shuey made Feb 20 at 2019 3:39 PM

2019-02-20T15:39:51-05:00

The guy is an idiot, the flag represents all POW/MIA from all wars. The anti military movement is alive and well in the usual places, liberal enclaves who believe they are the moral conscience of the nation. Now the article is from August of 2015, and the radical liberal goons always feel empowered when we have a liberal President. For those of us who were in uniform during the Carter years we remember the treatment of military and veterans. Our standing will rise and fall depending on the leadership of the country, remember the Clinton years, we faced a growing anti military vibe, and that started with the Clinton treatment of military personnel.

Response by SSG John Harvey made Feb 20 at 2019 6:26 PM

2019-02-20T18:26:21-05:00

What periodical are you talking about? Who is the columnist? Without that information, I cannot determine whether this is real or just trolling.

Response by Sgt Nicholas Marshall made Feb 20 at 2019 6:51 PM

2019-02-20T18:51:03-05:00

Snoops.com try that before believe anything

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2019 9:30 PM

2019-02-20T21:30:50-05:00

Yet another incoherent rant by a leftist DB.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Feb 20 at 2019 11:09 PM

2019-02-20T23:09:13-05:00

Some folks hate America. Some other folks are too ignorant and stupid to realize it. The rest of us honor our venerable heroes. Heroes are born of sacrifice. The cowardly and moronic will never understand.

Response by LTC Gary Earls made Feb 21 at 2019 11:40 AM

2019-02-21T11:40:28-05:00

I think that columnist needs a "counseling session".

Response by SFC Harry H. made Feb 21 at 2019 11:50 AM

2019-02-21T11:50:12-05:00

POW MIA flag is the least of my concerns when it comes down to flags. What I find incorrect and everyone turns a blind eye to is the American Flag. When Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters put their thin blue or red line through it. BTW, I am LE and hate when I see guys on our dept display their flags as such. Or when LGBT makes the American Flag into a rainbow. Every alteration to the American flag beyond it's original red white and blue is technically against flag code. Or before sports games where they display the flag horizontally across the playing field held by whom ever on all sides. Per flag code, the flag should never be displayed horizontally and hung aloft and free. But no one wants to address these gentle issues. Just like every thing that is going on in America, like the left spending more time on convicting Pres Trump on something, anything. Tearing down monuments and statues. If they would focus that much attention on America and like these articles about the POW MIA flag and less time about things that they shouldn't. Then perhaps we could get America back on track.

Response by SGT Craig Northacker made Feb 21 at 2019 11:59 AM

2019-02-21T11:59:31-05:00

The statement that all POW's returned is up for debate. France did not pay the money to Vietnam promised in return for their POW's - so the Vietnamese held back half of the American POW's. Just in case Uncle Sam did not cough up the $ 4.5 billion as agreed to. The US did not. Efforts in Congress to examine the issues were always thwarted by someone. We have plenty of lies to debunk - do not dishonor the POW's left behind.

Response by SrA James Cannon made Feb 21 at 2019 3:54 PM

2019-02-21T15:54:32-05:00

Everything in American is being called racist these days. The word no longer has any actual meaning. Americans need to quit being pansies and realize that some things are going to offend them.

Response by Capt Joe Paolilli made Feb 21 at 2019 6:10 PM

2019-02-21T18:10:09-05:00

Well, the author won the “Goodreads Choice Award for Best Historial Fiction”. Given the fictional nature of the posted article, I’d say she deserves it.

Response by TSgt Daniel Jorge made Feb 21 at 2019 11:51 PM

2019-02-21T23:51:25-05:00

This columnist is full of bologna, I can't even get into how sacred the POW/MIA flag to those families. Why is it in the USA those people that never served always are experts on the military culture. This is stupid and he talked about the flag being racist when he didn't mention anything about racism. All he mentioned was how the south vietnamese and American forces mistreated the north vietnamese POWs, he might as well consider himself the male traitor bitch Fonda.its well documented how the Americans and coalition forces respected the Geneva convention as compared to the north vietnamese forces. My brother was MIA for 30 days after a long range reconnaissance patrol. He was found on the 31st day. It's best that this columnist uneducated media shut his big mouth.

Response by PV2 Deserie Sanders made Feb 22 at 2019 2:15 AM

2019-02-22T02:15:48-05:00

Everything is racist these days...so now having a flag in honor of our POW/MIA brothers and sisters is racist too? Give me a brake w/this shit already lol. I second Sgt. Brookins sentiment...I feel dumber after reading this, and I stopped after the 3rd paragraph. :(

Response by SSG Dwayne Wise made Feb 22 at 2019 5:25 AM

2019-02-22T05:25:04-05:00

The article appears to be well-grounded in facts and accurately concludes that Nixon, Johnson, and others repeatedly lied to Americans about what was happening in Vietnam. However, the sad fact is: America was founded on a lie, so lying, misrepresenting the facts, and keeping it's citizens confused about foreign affairs are baked into our psyche. And this article about the POW flag is just another example of how reality was twisted to fit an agenda of particular individuals who, appeared to care nothing about the lives being lost, and only wanted to "win".

Response by SPC Oscar Sessions made Feb 22 at 2019 10:48 PM

2019-02-22T22:48:05-05:00

What a horrible article. The content itself was unintelligible aside from being a conspiracy theory. It was also really badly written. That is one book ("The Invisible Bridge") I would definitely pass on.

Response by Cpl Brian Escobar made Feb 23 at 2019 9:54 AM

2019-02-23T09:54:26-05:00

What kind of bullshit did I just read? I don't know where to begin to critique some of the 'facts' depicted by some Leftist asshole hammering away on his keyboard all night smoking dope and mentally badmouthing his country. Look, I did live through Vietnam and I sure as hell wasn't there...but if the VC, the Chinese, the NVA, and there Leftist brethren, activists, academics, and journalist worked as hard to undermine and derail democracy and capitalism as vigorously as the Left is trying to do today in the United States, then as far as EVERYTHING IT COST Nixon, our Armed Forces, and America to fuck over the COMMIES trying to ruin us (as the Left and the Democrats are doing today) then I'm all for it!! War is hell, but we sure as hell didn't start it...then against foreign threats, and now against this domestic communist drivel...

Response by MAJ Arnold Strebe made Feb 24 at 2019 9:31 AM

2019-02-24T09:31:29-05:00

Everyone has an opinion. When I look at the flag without the history behind it, if it’s true since I doubt what
People write or post with suspicion. Especially what’s on TV, in magazines, newspapers or on social media. Sensationalism and twisted info seem to be the norm nowadays. I served for 20 years so that I and my fellow Americans could write and speak as they wish. So I can appreciate what the author has written. However, for me the flag is about not forgetting our POW’s and MIA’s. That’s what it represents to me. I’ve looked at that flag for years and have never thought of it as being racist. I would ask the author to make a recommendation on wha the flag should look like and should represents. So many folks don’t like this or that and yet they never bring forth solutions to solve what they perceive as a problem.

Response by SGT Robert Andrews made Feb 24 at 2019 2:53 PM

2019-02-24T14:53:03-05:00

Sounds like someone pinched their labia. Put on their big girl panties with a pad and move on. Seriously, what the hell is wrong with people.

Response by SGT Kurt Neumann made Feb 24 at 2019 5:42 PM

2019-02-24T17:42:44-05:00

Thought the lefties were leaving after the election?

Response by SPC Gary Watson made Feb 24 at 2019 6:08 PM

2019-02-24T18:08:30-05:00

WTH??? Well that's 10 minutes I'll never get back! And yes, I do believe I just got a lot dumber by that read...

Response by SGT Robert Andrews made Feb 24 at 2019 11:49 PM

2019-02-24T23:49:28-05:00

https://www.facebook.com/ [login to see] 86772/posts/ [login to see] 683959/ I think the columnists may have left this on their desk. Should be filled out and turned into to personnel

2507070222683959

Response by Sgt James Wells made Feb 25 at 2019 9:25 AM

2019-02-25T09:25:23-05:00

I'm in agreement with Sgt B, I'm a little dumber for reading that!

Response by Col Jeffrey Swegel made Feb 28 at 2019 4:29 AM

2019-02-28T04:29:54-05:00

Wow. What a moron

Response by Sgt Mark Tarte made Feb 28 at 2019 10:59 AM

2019-02-28T10:59:29-05:00

It's a 4 year old article written by the author of the book. It was free advertising for him and I'm sure Newsweek paid him handsomely to boot.

Response by SgtMaj Billy Zinnerman made Mar 10 at 2019 9:23 PM

2019-03-10T21:23:11-04:00

Who thought of this ?. They should be the Poster child for Birth control.

Response by MSG Pat SingR made Mar 10 at 2019 11:50 PM

2019-03-10T23:50:05-04:00

The saddest part is those think that flag is Racist --they are the one that needs to take a look at themselves. Think about it, people can make anything associate with race if they want to. Even I can call you if you use Black ink, Red ink, Blue ink or if you drive a car with American made, Japanese made or Korean made I can call you a racist --that's my point

Response by Col D S made Mar 11 at 2019 11:27 AM

2019-03-11T11:27:02-04:00

The flag is not racist. But the writer has some serious issues.

Response by 1SG James Matthews made Mar 11 at 2019 12:03 PM

2019-03-11T12:03:56-04:00

Was this idiot ever there ?????????????

Response by Darreld Studie made Mar 13 at 2019 10:12 PM

2019-03-13T22:12:26-04:00

I've never read such a bag full of historical BS in all my life outside of The Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf. This stupid lying idiot just packed an entire waste of time and effort into a non-historical piece of garbage.

Response by Darreld Studie made Mar 13 at 2019 10:19 PM

2019-03-13T22:19:34-04:00

The author of this complete pile of manure is as stupid and ignorant of history as he can be. This sounds like something Hanoi Jane Fonda would say. You remember her. She was over there in Vietnam committing treason, F***ing those little Viet Cong and spitting on our troops in their prison camps. The entire article is a load of leftist BS. Anyone who thinks this is even close to being true is insane. I've never seen anything so blatantly full of lies as this outside Mein Kamph and The Communist Manifesto.

Response by Capt Edward Hannan made Mar 14 at 2019 9:31 AM

2019-03-14T09:31:42-04:00

Having served as an artillery forward observer in the I Corps area in 1965, I became aware of "atrocities" committed by both sides, and there were already stories of Marine atrocities. When in the bush, I always carried either a spare grenade or a hidden pistol as I did not fancy the idea of being marched up North. our understanding was that officers would be kept for propaganda purposed while lower ranks would be tortured and killed on the spot. Considering that the VC and NVA thought of us as invaders, their attitude was understandable. It surprises me that as many of our aviators survived as did, considering they were captured by the people they had just bombed. I am not sure how a foreign aviator would fare if he crashed in a field near a farmhouse he had just bombed. All of this is just the reality of war which we humans seem too stupid to find a way to prevent. I never believed the NV kept any prisoners after we withdrew, simply because there would be no point in doing so. Any strays they found would be sent home or more likely just quietly killed and buried. AS for the POW flag, if it makes people feel better to fly it I am all in favor. If it is used to gin up hatred, we should ditch it.

Response by MSgt Wayne Owens made Mar 15 at 2019 10:37 PM

2019-03-15T22:37:49-04:00

Just how is the POW/MIA Flag Racist? You have written a documents that gives too much fault to Nixon and none to LBJ/McNamara, who really screwed it up. If there are no MIA's in Vietnam, where the hell are they?

Response by MSgt Ken Flood made Apr 8 at 2019 9:04 PM

2019-04-08T21:04:27-04:00

haven't seen this much Bull Shit since the last time I was at a Professional Bull Riders event, don't believe it look what a tinny bit of research recovered:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_in_action#Before_the_20th_centur

Missing_in_action%23Before_the_20th_centur

Response by SMSgt Alex Medina made Apr 12 at 2019 12:16 PM

2019-04-12T12:16:22-04:00

Just makes me want to go out and buy a POW flag!!!!!! This idiot was comparing apples to oranges!!!! He even contradicts himself several times!!!

Response by PO1 Kevin Dougherty made Apr 15 at 2019 12:37 AM

2019-04-15T00:37:19-04:00

Response by CSM Patrick Durr made Apr 23 at 2019 1:17 AM

2019-04-23T01:17:06-04:00

Total BS.

Response by PVT Mark Dorton made Apr 24 at 2019 1:29 AM

2019-04-24T01:29:52-04:00

What the hell is going on with a post like this? How is the outline of a head with a tower and wire Racist? The article didnt fly with me at all.

Response by SFC Tom Jones made Apr 26 at 2019 10:21 PM

2019-04-26T22:21:09-04:00

Well this has to take the cake on just about everything I have ever heard about a flag. All I can say to this is where in the hell did person get an idea that a flag can be racist, that's like how big is a foxhole? All I know is I lost some very good friends in NAM, and in Korea and I would like to invite that person to come to my home and explain to me how that flag is racist or even how it could be a shroud and last but least I would like too know if the person ever been in a SERE camp such dumb people but take some of their freedom and they sure would be crying

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2019 8:24 AM

2019-05-01T08:24:31-04:00

WTH!!! That flag is no where near racist its honoring the fallen heros that protect our country every day. The POWs and the MIAs I look up to them and doing my job better. I respect them whole heartedly. I have that flag and I will proudly put it on my flag pole.

Response by CSM John Butler made May 1 at 2019 11:50 AM

2019-05-01T11:50:10-04:00

I've found that the ones yelling racist to everything tend to be the most racist of all!

Response by CSM John Butler made May 1 at 2019 11:54 AM

2019-05-01T11:54:22-04:00

I've found over the last ten years and more so over the last three that those who yell racist to everything they do not like tend to be the most racist of all!

Response by PO1 Sam Martinez made May 1 at 2019 3:06 PM

2019-05-01T15:06:41-04:00

WTF! You're all over the place! Is it linked to Jimmy Hoffa's death as well? These aren't links as much as assumptions made by someone who clearly doesn't know what they're talking about. This is a load of hippy/liberal crap masked as credible info. Your book must be even more of this jiberish. The real question is, why post this on rally point? Another indication that you're an idiot. I will be forwarding to my Vietnam Vet buddies at the VA so expect more of this. MTF

Response by CPT Anthony Forstner made May 1 at 2019 4:43 PM

2019-05-01T16:43:04-04:00

Racist may not be the appropriate category, actually it flat out isn't but I see the point

Response by Emily Thomas made May 1 at 2019 5:30 PM

2019-05-01T17:30:37-04:00

So this article is from 2015 AND includes an apology from the writer for using the word "racist": https://www.newsweek.com/its-time-haul-down-another-flag-racist-hate-361929

A Writer’s Apology

I sincerely regret the use of the word “racist” to describe how the POW/MIA flag distorts the history of the Vietnam War. The word was over the top and not called for.

I’m deeply sorry it hurt people—especially people who’ve selflessly served their country. Most of all, I’m sorry because many of the people offended by the word “racist” are the same people who were hurt when the experiences and feelings of common soldiers and veterans were manipulated to serve the powerful interests and individuals who blithely and perennially send men and women to war, then don’t take care of them when they return home. And, of course, I regret the pain caused to the families of those who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country in Southeast Asia.

I would ask the people I angered to consider carefully reading the article, which explains, for example, that the Chinese Communists cynically leaked lies about the existence of live POWs in the years after the war in order to harm their rival Vietnam.

Most of all, I wish to express my regrets. Other than that, I stand by my article. —Rick Perlstein

The Editor’s Response

We published Rick Perlstein’s article on the POW/MIA flag, because it insightfully examines the cynical manipulation of public opinion at the expense of the downed pilots and foot soldiers the creators of the MIA movement claimed to represent. Perlstein is an accomplished historian who has spent years researching the Nixon and Reagan years. He knows this material. Our prolonged national discussion of the tragic Southeast Asian war that extended beyond Vietnam is often framed in what can be reasonably described as racist terms. The defenders of an Asian country that was invaded, bombed, defoliated and savaged (see: Kill Anything that Moves by Nick Turse) are vilified, while the invaders are beatified. Neither position is correct or fair. It was a persistent yet perhaps understandable disregard for the “other” victims of a war, beyond our own nation’s tragic losses, that informed the piece.

The Story Behind the POW/MIA Flag

What began as a protest against the Vietnam War became a symbol of deceit and hatred.

Response by SGT Kent Bredbenner made May 3 at 2019 1:35 AM

2019-05-03T01:35:51-04:00

I don't suppose you could expose who this columnist is? So we can write to them, thanking them for their insight.

Response by Sgt Michael Oberline made May 3 at 2019 10:28 AM

2019-05-03T10:28:40-04:00

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." People see what they want to see, not necessarily what is there. This nut job probably thinks black beans are racist. Maybe we should call them 'BEANS OF COLOR'. Waite a sec, that might offend Red Beans.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2019 2:51 PM

2019-05-03T14:51:41-04:00

The level of disrespect in this article smh

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2019 5:12 PM

2019-05-03T17:12:55-04:00

TL;DR..... Anyone who thinks POW/MIA is racist is a racist... since that seems to be the focus that they spend every iota of energy to search where it doesn't exist.

Response by CPL Fred Plocinski made May 3 at 2019 7:28 PM

2019-05-03T19:28:24-04:00

What a truly uneducated man wrote this article? Much of what is written is false. Obviously he hates the military and has no clue what he is talking about,

Response by CPT Alfred Smiley made May 3 at 2019 8:19 PM

2019-05-03T20:19:22-04:00

Definitely a phenomena of the Vietnam War and near and dear the hearts of Vietnam Vets. Other than the prospect of some very long-lived Korean War POWs, there hasn't been an American POW anywhere in the last 40+ years (SGT Bergdahl excepted). As for MIA (with the same caveat to the Korean War, which 65 years later is pretty improbable, given the way North Korea treats prisoners), any MIAs are long dead by now. Their remains are recovered from time to time and, thanks to DNA analysis, finally identified.
I don't buy into the myth that there are still American POWs being held in Vietnam or that they were later shipped off to China, Laos, or Cambodia and still alive somewhere.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2019 12:01 AM

2019-05-04T00:01:28-04:00

Well there it is, the dumbest thing I'll read today.

Response by Capt Robert Myers made May 4 at 2019 4:22 PM

2019-05-04T16:22:08-04:00

"They hated us then, and they hate us now." We answered our county's call and were treated and are treated like shit. Vietnam Era Veterans are proud of their service. Captain Robert T. "Bo" Myers, USMC

Response by SA Johnny Keffer made May 4 at 2019 7:02 PM

2019-05-04T19:02:06-04:00

How old are you prick?? You ever serve during Vietnam or ANY FKN WAR??? How the hell can you be so biased to state such a screwed up thing?? Are you so GD sure their arent POWs or MIAs in Vietnam?? Or were??? Stop trying to convince yourself of conspiracy theories and get a life!!!! IF I EVER find your book?!?! I WILL BURN IT!!!! F.O.PRICK!!!!!
Brothers....tell this pos how we should deal with this fkn pos!!!
Also...by just saying "racist", you are...either pro or con so get fkd!!

Response by PO2 John Fronza made May 5 at 2019 2:28 PM

2019-05-05T14:28:34-04:00

As a Vietnam Era Veteran, and having experienced being booed while in uniform by my own citizens, I thought that after 9/11 the country had a good brain enema and got rid of most of the unpatriotic lunatics. I can see by some of the stories and the comments that I was sadly mistaken. If the MIA flag is racist then I guess the Star's and Bar's should be considered a symbol of love, kindness and compassion for your fellow man.

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made May 5 at 2019 4:20 PM

2019-05-05T16:20:40-04:00

I'm trying to understand what idiot brought this one up. Otherwise, I got Nothing!

Response by SrA Brett Stratton made May 5 at 2019 4:43 PM

2019-05-05T16:43:44-04:00

Just a wannabe journalist looking to get some attention form the snowflake movement. Nothing to see here, people. Move along.

Response by Maj Joe Montana made May 5 at 2019 6:37 PM

2019-05-05T18:37:36-04:00

It was an opinion in Newsweek in 2015. Apparently, it has been ignored by almost everybody. A few little towns here in Texas fly 3 flags: US, Texas and MIA/POW on the city hall flag poles. No fuss from anybody about the MIA/POW flag.

Response by MSgt Peter Vatistas made May 6 at 2019 5:55 AM

2019-05-06T05:55:25-04:00

Most idiotic thing I've read in a long time.

Response by LCpl William Lediard made May 6 at 2019 8:32 AM

2019-05-06T08:32:28-04:00

I don't even want to read any more of this BS in my opinion that's all it is BS

Response by CMSgt Peter McDermott made May 6 at 2019 11:48 AM

2019-05-06T11:48:39-04:00

The following are not my words but this is how I remember this flag and how it came to be. The Prisoner Of War/Missing In Action symbol is one of the most distringuished designs in American history. It was formed to honor and give thanks for the brave men and women of the US military who have been captured and held by enemy forces in the times of battle.
During the Vietnam War, Mary Hoff, a wife of a Missing In Action soldier and member of the National League of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, decided that there was a great need for a symbol to honor the approximately 1,350 POWs and approximately 1,200 MIA soldiers who had been injured yet whose bodies had not been recovered. She contacted the Annin Flag company, the United States’ largest flag company, who in return contacted Newton “Newt” Heisly, an artist in the National League of Families to help with the design.
Newton Heisley was a former pilot in WWII and father of Jeffrey Heisly, a Marine soldier who eventually went, fought, and returned home from Vietnam. At the time of design, Jeffrey had just returned home from Basic Training before his departure for Vietnam and had been suffering from a case of hepatitis, emaciating his body and face. At the sight of his son, Newton imagined what the POWs overseas must look like. Jeffrey became the silohuette for Newton’s design. He then added a watch tower and barbed wire to the background which were characteristics of the many prisoner camps during Vietnam.
For the slogan “You Are Not Forgotten”, Newton remembered the feeling he had as he was flying a mission over the Southeast Pacific during World War II and thought that he could end up being “taken prisoner and being… forgotten”. He designed the slogan to let soldiers know that despite their circumstances, they were not forgotten and the National League of Families would dedicate their mission to the rescue and return of these heroes.
Newton had originally drawn the design out with pencil only and was going to add in color later, presumably a deep purple, but by the time he could get back to add it in, Annin had already begun printing and distributing the white and black designed flags. The black and white logo stuck and became the official design of the National League of Families.
The POW MIA flag has intentionally never been copyrighted due to Newt’s belief that it is everyone’s flag. It was designed to give thanks to the many men and women we may never see, many we may never be able to give thanks to, many we will forever be greatful for. It acts as a symbol of hope for soldiers, a symbol of dedication for civilians, and a symbol of duty for our government.
On September 16th, 1988 on POW/MIA Recognition Day, the flag was proudly flown over the White House for the first time ever. Later on March 9th, 1989, the same flag was raised on the Capitol’s Rotunda and is still the only flag every flown in the Rotunda.
Today, give thanks for the many Prisoners of War and soldiers of whose fate are unkown. Hope that their families heal and that time eases the pain. Be proud to be an American and don’t ever look at the POW/MIA flag without saying thank you for these sacrifices. From everyone at Flag expressions, we give thanks and salute all of our soldiers, POWs, MIAs, and families of these brave men and women.

Response by SPC Peter De Domenico, MBA made May 6 at 2019 4:15 PM

2019-05-06T16:15:47-04:00

This is complete idiotacracy,. I have to think that this "columnist" is just trying to be some kind of shock jock and say ridiculous things just so people would talk about him, giving himself undue popularity.

Response by SFC Cynthia Eyer made May 6 at 2019 6:26 PM

2019-05-06T18:26:38-04:00

We just ignore this ignorance and sense of not being enough. Jealousy is an ugly thing. When we don’t give “air” to ignorant hate it eventually flames out.

Response by PO2 Wendell Dick made May 6 at 2019 10:07 PM

2019-05-06T22:07:59-04:00

Hmmmm

Response by SFC Dewaine Holster made May 6 at 2019 10:43 PM

2019-05-06T22:43:41-04:00

POW Prisoner of War / MIA Missing in Action. WHERE IS THE PREJUDICE. The flag was meant to be a reminder. Another example of what this world has come too.

Response by SSG James N. made May 7 at 2019 1:35 PM

2019-05-07T13:35:41-04:00

As I read that, all I could think was ok, WWII and Korean vets are all dieing off. Vietnam vets are now 71 to about 61 depending on what year they were born or went there as an Adviser or other. In other words, all our Vietnam Vets are beginning to hit that final run on life. Soon, they too will be gone like our Civil War, and WWI vets, a faded memory and a flag which really, will only represent the dead and gone.
It pisses me off that this OP also mentioned confederate flag. As there were THREE versions, each containing the southern cross jack in the corner with red and white stripes, yeah, those are dead and gone too. Then there is that Southern Cross, the only real sign that young boys grabbed to say, I AM SOUTHERN, FUCK YA'ALL! Since my great great granny and great granny handed me those as a kid all I knew them for was meaning I am SOUTHERN, my kin are southern, from the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky, and a few down south in Alabama and a couple out Arkansas way.
Guess what? That southern cross still sits on barracks walls placed there by kids who look Asian, kids who look black, kids who look latino, and kids who are white as a simple identifier that says simply, and only, I am from the south, Fuck Ya'all! You ever look into the eyes of an Asian kid wearing PFC stripes as he says, Ah'm southern, from Tenn'ssee. Ah'm proud of who ah am, this is mah flag sahg. Can ah have permission to speak freely sahge?(Please do) Ah'm southern, fuck ya'all. Yes, I was supporting his rights which were trying to be violated by a butthurt female with a weave who said the kid was racist for his flag when he was cleaning one day with the door open. Guess who the racist really was?

Fuck Ya'all, ah'm southern!

Response by PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster made May 7 at 2019 5:47 PM

2019-05-07T17:47:21-04:00

Those of us who served and placed our lives over comfort, KNOW the price paid and we were willing to do this to protect those at home and aid those in front of us who ask. To be in the military IS selfless and not like those in Congress who dodged the draft, paid off others to NOT serve and hid from the responsibility to place self over service. The service member GOES WHERE TOLD by the government and can NOT question much of what we are told to do. The POW/MIA has more honor than many in the Halls of Congress.

This article is to me NOTHING but the rants of an ignorant bafoon who is too ignorant of American and World History to know the know facts. The lies are being told daily that you do not need to know how to write because of technology can do it all for you. Wrong! What if there is no power and you need to communicate and all you have is a pencil, or have to sign a Legally Binding contract? Printing a signature is NOT allowed-it is a signature for a reason. I can go on, but all of us here on RP is and are from an era where we learned first hand from our elders and if we wanted to can paralyze a generation with OUR knowledge of events and of intelligence and mindset that few possess.

We need to think for ourselves, gain and collect information to make informed decisions and NOT listen to one person. And the problem with removing the past is that the mistakes and lessons are forgotten and those actions are repeated with much more disastrous consequences due to ignorance.. The writer of that article, in my personal opinion, needs to dipped in tar and feathers and rode on a rail OUT of the area, until he receives a proper education into the meaning of sacrifice.

Response by SFC Michael W. made May 7 at 2019 5:49 PM

2019-05-07T17:49:38-04:00

Yeah, right...that flag is about as racist as the american flag I wore on my uniform!

Response by PO3 Paul Strauss made May 7 at 2019 9:13 PM

2019-05-07T21:13:54-04:00

The vast majority of formerly professional publications have been taken over by radical alt-left propagandists whose empty heads have largely been the playground for Marxist professors .

Response by PO3 David Clarke made May 7 at 2019 10:42 PM

2019-05-07T22:42:45-04:00

Are you kidding me? Are people that stupid to desecrate a sign of military honor for those who never came back! Give me a break. Leave the honor alone to those who we all remember!

Response by MAJ Stephen Barnard made May 8 at 2019 4:19 AM

2019-05-08T04:19:36-04:00

Newsweek, 2015 apparently. Whole lot of politically correct "Mea Culpa" going on here, pointing fingers, rewriting history, baiting the audience - but not prepared to be held accountable, even though, by association, the writer is.

Response by LTC Mike Kolbay made May 8 at 2019 8:32 AM

2019-05-08T08:32:31-04:00

Of course it isn't racist. But trying to start such a discussion looks to me like some butt-wipe's thinly veiled attempt to shill a book (which is probably equally lame).

Response by SP5 Dennis Dorsey made May 8 at 2019 2:33 PM

2019-05-08T14:33:51-04:00

This is an old discussion, dating back to August of 2015, but it is trash. After 51 years since my V.N. service, I will still fly the flag as my loyalty and honor to all that lost their lives over there.
Always honor those who gave their lives and never forget.

Response by PO3 James Bobiney made May 8 at 2019 2:34 PM

2019-05-08T14:34:57-04:00

Liberal Socialists trying to play the Victim card again is all.

Response by MGySgt Rick Tyrrell made May 8 at 2019 7:52 PM

2019-05-08T19:52:10-04:00

TSgt Copeland what makes the flag racial? My answer is simple “nothing”! I got it a couple people make it bad for all but the flag still stands alone.

Response by SGT Cory Blissitte made May 8 at 2019 10:28 PM

2019-05-08T22:28:32-04:00

I stopped reading at the mention of "because in every other conflict in human history, the release of prisoners had been something settled at the close of a war". That is incorrect. Prisoner exchange during the war has been a thing at least back to conflicts like the 30-years war in Europe. In fact, America engaged in this very thing in our Civil War, alot. The only time it stopped is when the Confederates balked at the idea of exchanging black soldiers back to the Union. POW exchanges have been a thing for hundreds of years during a war, and if this guy is going to blatantly assert otherwise, then I am just going to stop right there because the rest is likely misinformed too.

Response by SGT Carvel Puls made May 8 at 2019 11:33 PM

2019-05-08T23:33:11-04:00

F.U.

Response by TSgt Sam McGowan made May 9 at 2019 12:00 AM

2019-05-09T00:00:22-04:00

While the flag is not "racist," there is no doubt that the POWs were political pawns. In previous wars, POWs were just that, POWs, but Vietnam POWs were made out to be heroes. Yes, there were some POWs, young soldiers, who were not in favor of the war and were hounded because of their beliefs. Some of the senior officers wanted to court martial them. Sadly, for a time, there was a POW/MIA industry with people telling POW families lies for whatever reason. As a result, family members are still clinging to hope for men who've been dead for a half century.

Response by PV2 Glen Lewis made May 9 at 2019 12:40 AM

2019-05-09T00:40:04-04:00

WTF! Shit startin' moron.

Response by GySgt Cortez Liggins made May 9 at 2019 12:45 AM

2019-05-09T00:45:04-04:00

Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) "you are not forgotten". To me, it only means what it says. Contrary to any back story on its origins (which can be told about our American Flag also if you look back far enough), I see it as honoring all Prisoners of War and all Missing in Action military brothers and sisters. But that's just me. I don't speak for anyone else. Good history lesson though.

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made May 9 at 2019 1:00 AM

2019-05-09T01:00:39-04:00

This is a pile of garbage. I stopped reading in the first several paragraphs. This garbage is worse than click-bait.

Response by PO2 Michael Dowling made May 9 at 2019 4:10 AM

2019-05-09T04:10:59-04:00

Semantically comparing this flag to racism? What’s next ? The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is too Gender Specific.
I say to this Columnist “Relax FRANCIS, and don’t get your panties in a bunch”. You must not have sacrificed much, in your life.

Response by CPL James Hancock made May 9 at 2019 6:02 AM

2019-05-09T06:02:18-04:00

Who the hell is this dumb ass and what kind of shit is he trying to hand out.

Response by SGT John Chevalier made May 9 at 2019 8:45 AM

2019-05-09T08:45:05-04:00

Pedal your BS someplace else just to promote book!

Response by Cpl Frederick Monahan made May 9 at 2019 8:50 AM

2019-05-09T08:50:37-04:00

Don't waste your time. The POW/MIA flag will remain a symbol of American Patriotism and sacrifice for the rest of the 21st Century

Response by PO1 Phillip Finch made May 10 at 2019 8:48 AM

2019-05-10T08:48:26-04:00

How does this flag become racist? Is it because it is black? This clown does not have a clue of what this flag means to those that have a family member missing or unaccounted for. It means that we will not forget our Brothers and Sisters. Till they all come home.

Response by SPC Harold Denman made May 10 at 2019 9:18 AM

2019-05-10T09:18:28-04:00

The MIA/POW FLAG, ( IS NOT A RACIST FLAG). I'm a Viet Nam vet. I was not , Mia/ Pow. I fly the Flag in HONOR OF THOSE WHO DID NOT COME HOME. IT IS IN THEIR "HONOR ". That we remember the Veterans of ALL wars. We all GAVE SOME , THERE ARE THOSE WHO GAVE ALL.

Response by Sgt William Ahlers made May 11 at 2019 7:15 AM

2019-05-11T07:15:20-04:00

Reading this just gave me cancer.

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made May 12 at 2019 11:45 PM

2019-05-12T23:45:41-04:00

I wish the name of this hack publistish was included in this question. This hack calls the POW/MIA racist. He/she does not even know that this flag was created by a coalition of families whose military spouses were concerned about their wealfare and fate. This hack is saying former POTUS Richard M. Nixon "started a cult of the POW/MIA, to justify the carnage in Vietnam". To say something like that makes this hack writer sound like a democrat socialist draft dodging bull shit artist. Does this hack even know the not only were there white POW/MIAs, but black, hispanic and asians too. The rest of this article is just to insulting for any veteran of any war to read.

Response by PO3 Rod Arnold made May 13 at 2019 12:24 AM

2019-05-13T00:24:04-04:00

Let him say that face to face instead of hiding behind his desk!!

Response by SFC Joseph Dunphy made May 20 at 2019 8:46 PM

2019-05-20T20:46:18-04:00

That is referred to as a Section 8 question. Merely by asking it, you are classified as Section 8.

Response by SFC James William Bolt [ 40 Yards ] made May 24 at 2019 9:32 AM

2019-05-24T09:32:46-04:00

That BLACK tell me that they rest in places that is know only to GOD ,Sign 40 yards

Response by TSgt Gary Garvin made May 24 at 2019 12:05 PM

2019-05-24T12:05:03-04:00

What a dumb article. Racist my rear end! POWs and MIAs should be honored!

Response by SFC Lamont Womack made Jun 2 at 2019 2:29 PM

2019-06-02T14:29:38-04:00

I question the validity of this article and the reason it was written. Nowhere in the article other than the displayed headline does it mention race.

It's just another BS propaganda piece used to get the reaction it is getting on this post; more division and reinforcement of racial resentment. I'm not falling for it. This has nothing to do with race in anyway. To say this flag is racist is stupid. No person who actually has experienced racism would think this flag is racist or even associate it with race. Nothing worth reading in this article. More propaganda to separate us.

Response by SP5 Jeannie Carle made Jun 3 at 2019 2:15 AM

2019-06-03T02:15:41-04:00

This is ................................ I don't even have a word :-/

Response by Sgt Robert Gardner made Jun 9 at 2019 1:08 PM

2019-06-09T13:08:41-04:00

If you think the POW/MIA flag is racist you're nothing more than a liberal progressive jackass. The flag has nothing to do with race, it's about our missing brothers and sisters and nothing more. Ridiculous comparisons to race are absurd but that's what we've come to expect from the left, if you don't agree with them or you have started to win a debate you're immediately branded a racist, it's all they have.

Response by PO1 Cliff Heath made Jun 9 at 2019 6:33 PM

2019-06-09T18:33:31-04:00

HOW MANY TIMES HAS HE READ "1984" ONE OF THE MOST RIDICULOUS THINGS I'VE EVER HEARD. BUT THAT IS JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION, NOTHING LIKE A GOOD CONSPIRACY THEORY TO STIR THE SHIT.

Response by SGT Greg Gold made Jun 11 at 2019 10:41 PM

2019-06-11T22:41:06-04:00

To the OP,

What you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent statement were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Response by MSG Loren Tomblin made Jun 16 at 2019 5:34 PM

2019-06-16T17:34:03-04:00

Right wing venal my ass. I served with a soldier and went to language school with him. We retired from the Army and he went on to become head of the JCRC. He has testified before Congress and in my opinion is the foremost expert on POW/MIA issues. Garnett E. Bell is his name.

Response by MSG Loren Tomblin made Jun 16 at 2019 5:39 PM

2019-06-16T17:39:57-04:00

Do not by this moron's book. Instead buy "Leave No Man Behind" my friend a college's book.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 17 at 2019 10:01 PM

2019-06-17T22:01:38-04:00

Fake News

Response by A1C Michael Beal made Jul 9 at 2019 12:16 PM

2019-07-09T12:16:04-04:00

Hey, dumbass...
'A delegation led by Congressman Gillespie “Sonny” Montgomery (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Missing in Action in Southeast Asia, traveled to Vietnam in 1975, --convinced of the Nixon administration’s deception that hundreds of “MIAs actually” existed.--'
We know these POW/MIAs exist because we have a thing called RECORDS... You know... Documents showing enlistment, assignment to a war zone, arrival in said war zone and that they DID NOT COME BACK.
Debunked. QED.

ADDITION: This article originally appeard in the Wasington Spectator, was updated on 10 Aug 2015 and included an apology from the author and the Spectator's editor.

Response by Brad Powers made Jul 18 at 2019 1:28 AM

2019-07-18T01:28:16-04:00

I am a civilain and maybe should not speak here though i am going to say that obviously war and real animosity knows not color of skin or ethnicity. ironically war could and even has brought people of different ethnicity together before in order to survive today.

Response by MSgt Brian Williams made Jul 19 at 2019 8:11 PM

2019-07-19T20:11:36-04:00

The truth is out there. [cue weird music].

Response by SPC Curtis Kennedy made Jul 20 at 2019 10:21 PM

2019-07-20T22:21:33-04:00

Stop trying to label everything as "racist" because the POW flag is not... It has never represented anything else but the goal of recovering the missing-in-action and prisoners-of-war; regardless of race or gender. Anyone who believes differently have never served or come from a military family.

Response by CPO David Sharp made Jul 21 at 2019 6:50 PM

2019-07-21T18:50:33-04:00

Another chapter of redox of history. If that flag is called racist, we have yet discovered a new concept which defies all rational thinking coming from the same ilk whom deny the holocaust ever happened. Deny tour history and the enemy within will conquer.

Response by SMSgt Kent Brown made Jul 21 at 2019 10:28 PM

2019-07-21T22:28:26-04:00

Blah blah blah blah blah...... Who gives a shit what some ass hole reporter says.

Response by SGT Donald Croswhite made Jul 22 at 2019 2:53 AM

2019-07-22T02:53:32-04:00

Again another 3 year old asinine question. Rally point, you need to prune.

Response by MSG Loren Tomblin made Jul 22 at 2019 1:46 PM

2019-07-22T13:46:56-04:00

Personally I think the writer is just trying to sell his book. I was an Interpreter/infantryman in Viet Nam. I served with Bill Bell "Leave No Man Behind". We retired within a month of each other and still say in contact. We served in Hawaii, Language School. He retired and went back with the JCRC and later became head of the unit. I hope the writer of the above article has read the book and offer a more decent portrayal of those KIA/MIA.

Response by CPT Don Pruitt made Aug 2 at 2019 12:46 PM

2019-08-02T12:46:40-04:00

I haven't read anything quite as stupid as this in a very long time. The flag does not memorialize America as a victim of the Vietnam Conflict (Congress never declared war). It serves to remind American civilians that there is a contract in place. Young men and women are willing to leave their homes and families to fight for whatever reason the civilian leadership decides is appropriate. In return, America owes them a commitment to return their remains to their families should they make the ultimate sacrifice. So sad.

Response by SSG David A made Aug 12 at 2019 9:31 PM

2019-08-12T21:31:41-04:00

of course it is racist. What else did you expect it to be???

Response by MSG John Shearer made Aug 25 at 2019 9:39 AM

2019-08-25T09:39:06-04:00

I fly the POW/MIA flag proudly below The flag of this great nation to honor those that have not made it home yet who fought for freedom!

Response by SSG Omar Ruiz-Canales made Aug 26 at 2019 4:41 PM

2019-08-26T16:41:52-04:00

Im thinking this person has read someones self created conspiracy theory editorial and is easily influenced.

Response by SP5 Thomas Carpenter made Aug 26 at 2019 4:45 PM

2019-08-26T16:45:35-04:00

If we want to overcome racism in this country, we shouldn’t throw the phrase racism or racist around so fluidly. It’s a real issue, but this is not a case of it.

Response by SGT Tim Tobin made Aug 28 at 2019 4:49 PM

2019-08-28T16:49:27-04:00

It has gone past the time that we as veterans and active duty troops need to come together as a group against the growing prejudices and political correctness that is becoming more radical every day. It doesn't matter where you land on the political spectrum but it does matter that we all need to take an active roll in protecting all soldiers past,present and future. This is an open attack. Do we want to go back to the days during Vietnam when we were spit on and called baby killers?? That is the next step!!

Response by CPO William Ward II made Sep 5 at 2019 11:02 AM

2019-09-05T11:02:40-04:00

Wow, you need to calm down. The only thing you can see is color then you need cultural training. We are all of the same. If we don’t start thinking

Response by SN Jay Perry made Sep 28 at 2019 10:52 AM

2019-09-28T10:52:08-04:00

What was that article about? The black on the Flag represents those that are lost and unknown and honors the dead. It has nothing to do with racism! Just for further information the youngest! Repeat youngest! Man on pow list turns 80 this year. He will have spent more of his life is a captive than free by a factor of 2! How many of these guys are on the pow list, am I a list that we know are gone? Find the remains clear this mess up and let's be done with it... p. S. Son and brother of retired Navy officers, 6-year usn vet, have friends and relatives who all served in Vietnam including at least three who were pows. My sister-in-law works for the company that helped identify the Pearl Harbor casualty last week and works regularly trying to identify remains from Vietnam.

Response by SPC Ramiro Magallon made Oct 1 at 2019 12:49 PM

2019-10-01T12:49:48-04:00

Who was the idiot that said the MIA/POW flag is racist, what part of this flag is racist.

Response by SMSgt James Rorie made Oct 1 at 2019 2:14 PM

2019-10-01T14:14:35-04:00

The writer of this message/article needs to go visit with those families that had a POW or are still 50 years later holding on to what hope they can muster and tell them this flag is racist. Just goes to show what direction this country is heading.

Response by Sgt Robert Beckwith made Oct 2 at 2019 4:53 AM

2019-10-02T04:53:50-04:00

The POW/MIA flag was created by one guy. I had a letter from him around 1985. He said he was too tired to continue his POW/MIA flag business and was offering to sell it to any like minded other who ( like me ) were advertising in SOF and Shotgun News. For $1000. In one of several major mistakes I have made in business I declined. I may have his letter somewhere in my storage files . But if you don't believe me Fuck you.

Response by SPC David Buttrey made Oct 2 at 2019 11:06 AM

2019-10-02T11:06:11-04:00

WTF?!? Obviously this dude has lived under a rock or something but then again everything is racist now.

Response by SPC Marc Hensley made Oct 2 at 2019 1:42 PM

2019-10-02T13:42:54-04:00

Even if everything in this article is true, where is the racism? There are no claims that POW/MIAs were only one "race". There is nothing related to the issue of POWs or MIAs that in anyway indicates race. The article doesn't even try to point out any supposed racism. It starts with and assertion, then throws a bunch of "facts" out that don't even support the initial assertion. Based on this article I could see a case being made that it represents jingoism because it supposedly overstates the experiences of American POWS and downplays those of the enemy but that isn't racism.

Response by MSgt Wayne Morris made Oct 2 at 2019 6:03 PM

2019-10-02T18:03:22-04:00

I got nothing, I didn't think those who despise could sink lower but I was wrong.

Response by SFC Cheryl McElroy US ARMY (RET) made Oct 2 at 2019 6:20 PM

2019-10-02T18:20:15-04:00

Consider the source. It's tripe written by a leftwingnut for a leftwing rag.

Response by SrA James Cannon made Oct 3 at 2019 3:00 PM

2019-10-03T15:00:08-04:00

For those that didn't pay attention in school during the Cold War, and for those who weren't taught it in school after the Cold War, calling everything racist and erasing history, all history, is a tactic and ploy of the communists. So when folks starting sreaming racism at everything, I'll simply call them what they are: Communists!

Response by SFC Bob Johnson made Oct 6 at 2019 9:15 AM

2019-10-06T09:15:08-04:00

Here is the link to the contact section on his website... http://www.rickperlstein.net/contact/

Contact | RICK PERLSTEIN

CONTACT LITERARY AGENT Tina Bennett William Morris Endeavor 1325 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10019 212-903-1142 tbennett-asst@wmeentertainment.com SPEAKING AGENT Charles Yao The Lavin Agency 1123 Broadway New York, NY 10010 212-242-1212 cyao@thelavinagency.com AUTHOR Rick Perlstein nixonland@gmail.com

Response by LTC Wayne Brandon made Oct 6 at 2019 4:22 PM

2019-10-06T16:22:09-04:00

It would appear that when one wants to invite attention to some piece of tripe seeking broad attention toward their ramblings, all that is needed is to use the term 'Racist' in the title.
I couldn't help wondering how many of the 251 'thumbs up' representatives actually read this nonsense or just clicked and moved on as so many point collectors are prone to do.
The disappointing part of this is that so many of our comrades would find occasion and reason to agree with it.

Response by SPC Byron Skinner made Oct 12 at 2019 12:57 AM

2019-10-12T00:57:38-04:00

Sp4 Byron Skinner,…MY Brother was stationed with the 18th. MP. Brigade late in the war. one of the first thing he noticed was a large bulletin type board with about 2,500 names of unaccounted for soldiers. Most in fact we guys going on R&R and kept going. Some were Cowboys and wanting to get in a drug business when he got home, only a few appeared to be genuine POW’s or unaccounted for MIA’s…One of brothers early jobs was the morning patrol of the alleys and nooks and crannies where drunk or to drugged OD’s collected. Those alive they got to medical help. The expired ones were taken of the AF morgue and left off. One day after delivering a dead GI to the morgue and waiting for a ride back to his company area he got to chatting with one of the Air Force Clerks and for what ever reason, the question came up: “ how does the military tell parents or wives that their son died in a Saigon Whore house." We don’t ,every body is cleaned up and sent to Hawaii where certificate is written up for a Purple Heart and A Bronze Star with the “V: dec vice before its sent off to a civilian Funeral home and a hero’s burial. End of Story. Officers got a Silver Star. I wouldn’t be surprised that there are several names on the MIA list that will never be accounted for. Also the number of MIA’s started to increase as the war dragged on, nobody want to be the last guy killed in Vietnam.

Response by Col James Cooke made Oct 12 at 2019 11:39 AM

2019-10-12T11:39:51-04:00

So, the flag itself - and the title of the article - is just a hook to get us to read a long and complicated editorial. If only half of the editorial is true, the only thing we can solidly conclude is "We done been had again!" But, in things political, is that anything new?

Response by Lt Col Warren Domke made Oct 12 at 2019 8:28 PM

2019-10-12T20:28:21-04:00

I have and have flown the POW/MIA flag. I served in Vietnam and afterwards was a family escort for the wife, children and extended family of a POW returnee. Being a POW was no picnic and no walk in the park. And the flag equally honors those missing in action in all wars. I feel the flag is a means to remember those who didn't make it home as well as those who served in captivity--in some cases for many years. Regardless of how one feels about the Vietnam War it is a part of our history and a part of our military culture. Politics aside, military service is best summarized, I think, in the simple motto, "Duty, Honor, Country." Many of my fellow military members questioned and even opposed the war. I took the time to learn about it and I think many mistakes were made, but I also think most of us went there out of a sense of duty and did our best to serve. So I will continue to fly the POW/MIA flag. I am not a racist. We need to put Vietnam behind us, but we also need to remember the lessons this war should have taught us.

Response by LtCol Paul Bowen made Oct 12 at 2019 9:10 PM

2019-10-12T21:10:50-04:00

The suggestion that this flag represents racism is a confirmation that anti-American Trash in Congress and the Fake-News Media are attacking American VIRTUES, HISTORY AND CULTURE.

Whoever claims that the POW-MIA Flag is RACIST needs to be kicked in the balls.

Response by LTC Ken Connolly made Oct 21 at 2019 1:14 PM

2019-10-21T13:14:48-04:00

Can the explanation of why the author believes the PW flag is racist in a short paragraph? Otherwise, his rationale is not clear and must be buried somewhere in the rather lengthy narrative he provided.

Response by CPT Robert Boshears made Oct 31 at 2019 3:58 PM

2019-10-31T15:58:41-04:00

A good question for the Senators who voted to hide the truth about the POW’s who were left to rot. Kerry, McCain and Biden stick out!

Response by SPC Kim Fields made Oct 31 at 2019 4:45 PM

2019-10-31T16:45:39-04:00

This is ridiculous, and Life and Time magazine are sources? I don't buy any of this.

Response by Sgt Ivan Boatwright made Nov 5 at 2019 7:51 AM

2019-11-05T07:51:21-05:00

When anything attracts attention, it attracts politicians. Just like flies go after our food we have those like BRADLEY BYRNE of Al. who has few redeeming qualities but he can play the system to seem as if he is important. He knows how little he is worth so he hangs on to Trump hoping for some support.

Response by MSG William Wold made Nov 7 at 2019 5:39 PM

2019-11-07T17:39:57-05:00

Breathing is racist anymore, some people are offended solely because they’re alive.

Response by SSG Shawn Mcfadden made Nov 10 at 2019 1:15 PM

2019-11-10T13:15:35-05:00

WTFO

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2019 6:09 PM

2019-11-14T18:09:44-05:00

All I can say is What The FUCK OVER!!!!

Response by SP5 Anthony Guion made Nov 15 at 2019 10:38 PM

2019-11-15T22:38:10-05:00

Never read so much BS in my life! Most captured troops were killed, not housed in Hanoi Hilton. There's a book by a captured helo pilot who was stuck in a jungle prison. They were starved and beaten, he was one of the few to live. He also, when being released after many years, saw many troops in a hospital with missing arms and legs, yet not one POW exited those planes was missing any limbs. Intel knew that so many POWs were shipped to Russia and China. That flag is symbol of shame because this country DID NOT do everything needed to release ALL of our troops.

Your poisonous, inaccurate garbage is the same crap we read about from draft dodgers and protestors. who never served in Vietnam, or knew anything about it.

My disgust is that the media did not show the captured GIs that were thrown into a hole then grenaded, or the ones who had their "privates" cut off and left to bleed out. Most troops knew that if you were going to be captured, you killed yourself.

It was a war, semantics don't matter, and people like you who stabbed those who served even morons like you, deserve respect and our POWs will always be on our minds.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2019 7:26 AM

2019-11-16T07:26:46-05:00

Why is this trash here? How is the flsg racist? All I saw was the rantings of someone that never served and wanted to feel important.

Response by SrA Daniel Ludwig made Nov 18 at 2019 3:14 PM

2019-11-18T15:14:30-05:00

This writer obviously never had the balls to tow the line and put on a uniform and stand tall next to a friend, a buddy, a brother and then watch him massacred by an enemy thousands of miles from home. To be filled with the terrors that come in the night of hearing that buddies screams and crying out for help and rescue. Never hearing him yell out, “Why didn’t you save me”! If you’ve never risked coming home in a flag covered coffin, DON’T YOU DARE DAMN WELL DISRESPECT OURS, for our brothers and sisters who haven’t come home!

Response by PO1 Kevin Dougherty made Dec 1 at 2019 11:27 PM

2019-12-01T23:27:35-05:00

Response by SP5 Clint Mclelland made Dec 5 at 2019 1:54 PM

2019-12-05T13:54:31-05:00

Sad Every thing is Racist for the left if dose fit their Narrative? Having this Flag Remembers THOSE WHO DID!NOT COME HOME! after Fighting for Our COUNTRY! But im sure the writer on left IGNORANT? Because they dont know PROTECT this Country

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2019 8:16 AM

2019-12-06T08:16:41-05:00

Yeah

Response by PO2 Lamoine Brown made Dec 9 at 2019 12:01 AM

2019-12-09T00:01:28-05:00

Someone needs to pull that liberals head out of his ass so he can see the reality of what that flag means

Response by PO1 David Shepardson made Dec 9 at 2019 5:58 PM

2019-12-09T17:58:54-05:00

BS!

Response by 1SG Jason Almond made Dec 17 at 2019 9:55 PM

2019-12-17T21:55:14-05:00

Yea......I just couldn’t stay with it.

After something about North Vietnamese torture resembling what we did at Abu-G.....I kind of decided to take my life back, move out of my parents’ basement, get a real job and reflect on the entitled , sheltered twit I’d become.

Lol, I’m just kidding- I was talking about you. Except the part about taking my life back. That was for me.

Response by MSgt Currie C. made Dec 18 at 2019 12:33 AM

2019-12-18T00:33:54-05:00

Response by CPT Dennis Stevenson made Dec 18 at 2019 8:50 AM

2019-12-18T08:50:37-05:00

I think a moment's thought would clear this up. Think about it as a symbol and think about it as an artist might -- I'm pretty sure it was an artist designed it. Black for sorrow -- the only way you see the writing or design clearly is to do it in white. Someone's a sick pup.

Response by LCDR Dave Spurlock made Dec 18 at 2019 12:44 PM

2019-12-18T12:44:46-05:00

I’ve had concerns about RallyPoin in the past and now that they have published this claptrap, I am convinced that the editors at RP are just as bad as the “lame-stream media”. It is patently obvious that the author of that article and that invisible bridge book is in the same league as Jane Fonda. I agree that different viewpoints are important to form well rounded opinions but at the very least RP should have labeled this story as an alternate opinion. RP, you have disrespected the Vietnam Veterans, war dead and still unaccounted for POW/MIA personnel. Shame on you and from this point forward, consider me ‘not a fan’ of RallyPoint any longer.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 18 at 2019 5:47 PM

2019-12-18T17:47:04-05:00

Nice! You didn't post Perlstein's apology for using the term racist OR Newsweek's apology in the original article published 5 YEARS AGO!
Not defending the article but I am questioning RP's point in bringing it up 5 YEARS LATER

Response by SSgt William Blanshan made Dec 18 at 2019 11:08 PM

2019-12-18T23:08:46-05:00

I'm getting just a little tired of the liberal commie bullshit. Action needs to be taken. In THIS kind of war,intelligent, thoughtful action is needed. I"ve got no problem investigating certain people, finding out everything there is to know about them, then releasing that intel to the public. ESPECIALLY certain Congressmen and women who still believe that foreign bank accounts cannot be found out when they under a "dummy" name.

Response by COL Mikeh Thomas made Dec 19 at 2019 9:03 AM

2019-12-19T09:03:01-05:00

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2019/11/08/powmia-flag-to-fly-at-federal-sites-year-round/

POW/MIA flag to fly at federal sites year round

Previously, the iconic flag was required to be raised only a few times each year.

Response by CPT Wolf Stallone made Dec 19 at 2019 11:39 AM

2019-12-19T11:39:17-05:00

I literally just made a account to say that you are a total moron. Stop eating soy. Jesus Christ.

Response by SPC Jordan Sutich made Dec 19 at 2019 12:35 PM

2019-12-19T12:35:00-05:00

With all the freedoms everyone in this country has due to sacrifices like these, Im not suprised! I think in these times its all about the shock value because of social media. It gets them more ratings. Youd have to be an absolute idiot to actually believe that a this flag of honor is anything but "racist"!

Response by LTC William Bridgeman made Dec 19 at 2019 3:00 PM

2019-12-19T15:00:04-05:00

Repeat after me - Math is racist, trees are racist, everything is racist, EWAAH!

Response by SSG William Johnson made Dec 19 at 2019 5:20 PM

2019-12-19T17:20:22-05:00

I say go jump off a bridge! People are so self centered that any cause that takes away from their shallow world is racist. Really if you hate our country why not go to one of these places you consider to be so great and leave our democracy alone once and for all!

Response by SgtMaj Robert Burke made Dec 19 at 2019 6:27 PM

2019-12-19T18:27:01-05:00

Oh, so I guess I can't fly my MIA/POW flag anymore?? Oh hell no. L/Col Robert Burke

Response by PO2 David Davidson made Dec 19 at 2019 6:44 PM

2019-12-19T18:44:10-05:00

Some days you just have to shake your head in disgust then walk away.

Response by PVT Allen Meissner made Dec 19 at 2019 7:33 PM

2019-12-19T19:33:35-05:00

If the POW/MIA flag is racist then I am a Playgirl centerfold !

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Dec 19 at 2019 10:04 PM

2019-12-19T22:04:09-05:00

I guess the coljmist who refers to the POW/MIA flag as "racist", has never served in the armed forces nor been embedded with the same. Racist is the word used by those whom are RACIST themselves. The women, whom are the mothers, wives and sisters of the men who became POWs or MISSING IN ACTION, needed a banner to show America, the plight of those men during the Vietnam War. Of course there was no such organization in WW1 and WW2 or Korea because the International Red Cross handled the POW situation during that time. Men were accounted for by the IRC. After any conflict, the opposing sides would account for those POWs by the lists provided by those sides. MIAs had to be tracted down according to reports filed by there units thru eye witness accounts. But that flag represents that Americans are concerned and aware of the plight of POW/MIAs. So the flag is black, which represents gloom. The white represents the hope of those men being accounted for in prison camps or those men missing in action, because they are either known to be alive and not accounted for as dead. So this columist says is "racist" because of the treatment of NVA troops. American forces were never responsible for how the NVA POWs were interred, treated according to the Geneva Convention regulations. That was the responsiblity of the South Vietnamese government. If any body is racist, it is the colunist.

Response by CPL Ken Zaske made Dec 19 at 2019 10:12 PM

2019-12-19T22:12:24-05:00

Why did I read this? I feel like I just took a stupid pill.

Response by SGT Warren Crutcher made Dec 20 at 2019 1:47 AM

2019-12-20T01:47:28-05:00

This person really needs to look up the meaning of the word Racist.

Response by MAJ Michael Cummings made Dec 20 at 2019 9:37 AM

2019-12-20T09:37:19-05:00

I think my IQ dropped a few points because I finished the article.

I finished the article trying to understand how the hell he came up with something that dumb.

Response by LTC Mark Leighton made Dec 20 at 2019 11:46 AM

2019-12-20T11:46:46-05:00

As a Vietnam era Gold Star Son (dad was USMC, killed 21 MAR 1966 when I was 5 months old), I have many friends who are the kids of MIAs. They'd love to be in my shoes, by virtue of having closure. Man, I'd hate for them to see this SH*T Article!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Dec 20 at 2019 12:54 PM

2019-12-20T12:54:53-05:00

It's a no win situation. If the silhouette of the SM on the flag is white, others will call it racism as well.

Response by PO2 Brian Hoadley made Dec 20 at 2019 1:34 PM

2019-12-20T13:34:21-05:00

Article written years ago and appears to be "Click Bait", I'm still not sure how it resurfaced to me. I'm not political but the article was surely written with a political agenda. Opinions-like assholes, everyone has one but shouldn't be one. I trust my brothers, not people with an agenda, to tell me the truth, I can make up my own opinion. That flag is for those missing or left behind (to me), SO THAT WE DO NOT FORGET THEIR SACRIFICE.

Response by PFC Tom Vogel made Dec 20 at 2019 8:18 PM

2019-12-20T20:18:05-05:00

You should say who said this or not post it

Response by CPO Robert (Mac) McGovern made Dec 20 at 2019 9:58 PM

2019-12-20T21:58:25-05:00

If it was up to me, I would send this flag to Vietnam with a note; there will be no trade or travel authorized until all our personnel are returned and accounted.

Response by SPC Jay Crawford made Dec 21 at 2019 12:25 AM

2019-12-21T00:25:52-05:00

when I look at the POW flag I think of friends who served, many of them because they were drafted. A fair number did not come back and many who did, though not all, came back damaged. Mr Perstein was 2 years old at the time. He obviously considers himself educated but wisdom does not always come from learning and much of what passes for learning is little more than biased opinion. A symbol means precisely what the beholder associates it with. Ask any vet and he, or she, Will not tell you they think of Nixon. They will tell you they think of friends, family, comrades or others who were sent to war and did not come back and you have the gall to dirty those feelings with your sanctimonious, bigoted sermonizing.

Response by CPO Arthur Weinberger made Dec 21 at 2019 6:45 PM

2019-12-21T18:45:30-05:00

Narrow minded hateful humans need something to find fault with. Sometimes for attention, sometimes just to be critical.

Response by CW4 William Kessinger made Dec 22 at 2019 1:46 PM

2019-12-22T13:46:58-05:00

This guy is truly a full fledged halfwit. First off, Johnson did more to prolong the war in VN with his (and McNamara) daily picking of target from his arm chair in the white house then Nixon did in the years he was Commander and chief. At least Nixon open up the unrestricted bombing of the Hai Phong area to include the harbor where all the Soviet Supply were being funneled down the HCM trail. Read "Dereliction of Duty" by H.R. McMaster. It will turn your stomach on the Johnson era. And I am a Texan, but I don't claim LBJ.

Response by SP5 Michael Foley made Dec 22 at 2019 2:56 PM

2019-12-22T14:56:36-05:00

No,the POW flag is in no way shape or form racist regardless of what one incredibly biased columnist believes.
I have never heard anyone express the sentiment that he attributes to the reason the flag was made and flown. All of us that flew it,and continue to fly do in fact do so to remember those who are still missing,or who were Prisoners of war.

What are the odds that should one look in to this columnists background that you would find a history of anti-US,anti-liberal sentiment?

Response by SP5 Michael Foley made Dec 22 at 2019 3:01 PM

2019-12-22T15:01:53-05:00

I addition to my other comment I would like to add another reason that the flag could not be racist. The people that we were in Vietnam supporting are the same race as the people we were fighting against.

It was the spread of an evil form of government that we fighting against,not an ethnic group.

Response by SSgt Billy King made Dec 22 at 2019 6:18 PM

2019-12-22T18:18:51-05:00

Was this written by Jane Fonda? I honestly didn’t know she could string together enough sentences for an op-ed.

Response by SPC Troy Eisenhour made Dec 22 at 2019 7:32 PM

2019-12-22T19:32:03-05:00

It's not racists, it is black to represent the soldiers that didn't make it home to be burried. Those souls lost and never found, those soldiers that were in POW camps and never released to come home. Black is the the absence of light, light is hope, when that hope is lost so is the light leaving a forever wondering what happened.

Response by SGT James Driggers made Dec 22 at 2019 8:32 PM

2019-12-22T20:32:57-05:00

IF you dont have respect for the POW./MIA. Then you must not in joy your freedom as a American. Give it up and move some where else you dont deserve the freedom you have. GOD BLESS ALL POW MIA. AMEN

Response by MAJ Keith FitzPatrick, CPIM, CSCP made Dec 22 at 2019 9:29 PM

2019-12-22T21:29:19-05:00

You can’t get all worked up about one author’s opinion. If you get your blood pressure up over everyone who says something you don’t agree with, you’ll end up having a stroke.

Response by LCpl Christopher Pickett made Dec 22 at 2019 9:48 PM

2019-12-22T21:48:35-05:00

Please explain how the flag is racist? That entire spiel made no sense, and never once explained why it was racist. The entire article was just one lie, after lazy complaint, after total exaggeration. One very big complete lie is the claim that Missing in Action was created during Vietnam, when missing in action was used in WWII. Every telegram sent by the Government to families of missing soldiers flat out stated they were Missing in Action. Then there is the BS that our men were treated better by the VietCong than the enemy was treated. That is flat out factually wrong. It has been proven repeatedly that American soldiers captured had been treated in some of the worst manner experienced in the last century. Clearly the author never read any POW reports on their experiences as POWs. Then the ridiculous claim on the number of POWs being 550. The entire article was bogus and written as a way to try and be part of the "woke" crowd. Pretty sad. Such disrespect to those who were killed and those still missing.

Response by PFC Rick Schuetz made Dec 22 at 2019 10:04 PM

2019-12-22T22:04:57-05:00

Everything the Left touches is destroyed or distorted.

Response by SGT Robert Pryor made Dec 22 at 2019 11:14 PM

2019-12-22T23:14:55-05:00

What an ignorant ramble. The person has no knowledge of Viet Nam or the war, and in spite of the fact they claim to live in Illinois, I'm convinced they never heard a gun fired in anger.

Response by MSgt Allen Chandler made Dec 22 at 2019 11:20 PM

2019-12-22T23:20:22-05:00

Catch a having done some reason all about research on this question of the MIAPOW flag I think most of the comments in this gentleman‘s article or complete distortions of his Storico facts
The MIAPOW campaign was started by a bunch of very sad wives who couldn’t find out what happened to their husbands it is true that they were very ineffective in their campaign until Richard Nixon took up their caused and made it a political movement but still it’s historical fact that the question was what happened to these men. A lot of POWs returned home at the end of the war but the truth is we do not know for a fact that They were all repeat traded. Yes reasonable grounds to believe that some POWs died while in captivity and the North Vietnamese never acknowledged this fact. The political movement and took hold and the idea of trying to account for every soldier lost in World War II Korea Vietnam and all the other conflicts became part of the national conscience and no Man left behind slogan took on a new meeting. From the very beginning there was a lot of controversy about the MIA/POW flag. Well all of us do worry about those unaccounted for missing minion women from combat is it right they have a special flag For them and not an equal recognition as much larger number who died in service to the country and the evil larger number to carry the battle scars of war through the rest of their lives. for them and not an equal recognition as much larger number who died in service to their country and the evil larger number to carry the battle scars of war through the rest of their lives. There was a gorge movement in the California veterans community to have a flag designed to represent the disabled veterans in particular the paraplegics. Recently there’s been a huge controversy over the MIA/POW Table because some groups want to add a Bible their hand in particular Hampton open to a particular religious page that not all Veterans is here too.
My point is that although there’s been much controversy about the MIAPOW flag from the beginning I don’t believe the article gives a fair representation of the history

Response by SSG Red Hoffman made Dec 23 at 2019 12:03 AM

2019-12-23T00:03:37-05:00

Quit sharing this nonsense on RallyPoint. This crap is for any of the umpty liberal snowflake groups On Facebook whose members would never discuss something like this without being in the safety of their Momma’s basement. Grrrr, I want my 3 and 1/2 minutes back.

Response by SFC Freddie Porter made Dec 23 at 2019 12:48 AM

2019-12-23T00:48:16-05:00

The original article posted was put up in 2015, almost 5 years ago. I guess I’m a little late responding.

Where in the article is there an explanation as to why this flag is racist? I see a lot of anti-Vietnam war sentiment being espoused but I don’t see anything about race and thus racism. It seems the author is trying to bait you into believing the headline banner coaxing you believe the headline but never talking about the substance of racism in the POW/MIA movement. Could that be something so simple as there is no substance to that particular contention? If there were racist underpinnings of racism in the organizations drive to continue to repatriate our service members why didn’t he point it out. Instead the author goes on to describe some pretty hard core things that took place but again, where is the racism. People don’t be fooled by this author and his headline. If he had anything on the subject he pro-ports to know about he would have mentioned it in his article. So I. Direct answer to him about his claims, shut the fuck up boy until you c an find a direct path from the POW/MIA flag and racism. When you can do that I’ll read whatever you post but next time you should try to make it accurate to your headline.

Response by SFC Richard Desrosiers made Dec 23 at 2019 3:03 AM

2019-12-23T03:03:47-05:00

Hmmmm, could that major news periodical be the Noth Vietnam TIMES?
And who pays journalist? If that's really what he is. And finally. He has a lot of negativityhere. WHERE was he during the war?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 12:28 PM

2019-12-23T12:28:08-05:00

I'm going back and forth on this article. I wasted my time re-reading it. I can't find anything about this flag as being racist. What a click- bait.

Response by SP5 John Campbell made Dec 23 at 2019 5:00 PM

2019-12-23T17:00:41-05:00

To the author this article. Take a festivous poll and shove it up your backside....

Response by SP5 John Campbell made Dec 23 at 2019 5:29 PM

2019-12-23T17:29:22-05:00

That author is so full of crap, he cant see because it's stacked so high he cant see crap.

Response by Dale Schroader made Dec 23 at 2019 6:52 PM

2019-12-23T18:52:48-05:00

First of all, the author DID make an apology, which can be read at the bottom of this link (https://www.newsweek.com/its-time-haul-down-another-flag-racist-hate-361929), for using the word "racist", but does stand by the rest of his story. That said, when the editor's response mentions "Perlstein is an accomplished historian who has spent years researching the Nixon and Reagan years. He knows this material." This merely proves he knows just enough facts to spin them for those who do not use any critical thinking skills.

Example, in the article referenced, Perlstein writes, (quote) During the Nixon years, the Pentagon moved them into a newly invented “Missing in Action” column. That proved convenient, for, after years of playing down the existence of American prisoners in Vietnam, in 1969, the new president suddenly decided to play them up. (unquote).

This plays on the "Nixon bad", so everything he did was bad, logical fallacy. Downplaying the existence of American POWs is not a good thing by any stretch of the imagination, so Nixon's actions in this case were good. Also, byy using the word "convenient" to describe the timing (instead of the fact that he had recently assumed office, and only a fool would wait on such an important issue), the author has just tried to influence the reader's opinion with irrelevant associations.

Note: The fact that the author seems to condone downplaying the existence of POWs tells us all we really need to know regarding the rest of the article.

Later, he claims "the Vietnam Communists were only borrowing techniques practiced on them by their French colonists (and incidentally paid forward by us in places like Abu Ghraib): see this as-told-to memoir by POW and future senator Jeremiah Denton" Well, I have read that memoir, and it is horrible, but nowhere does Denton mention any of the techniques being of ANYONE's origin.

I could go on, and on, but it is obvious this author has disturbing personal issues that interfere with any semblance of truthful insight. He had to apologize for the LEAD in his article. The LEAD. He then used half-truths and irrelevant associations to imply the worst, and obviously made no effort to communicate with POWs and their families prior to writing that garbage. Both the author and the editors of Newsweek should be ashamed of themselves...but that won't happen. You would have to have some semblance of honor, first.

The Story Behind the POW/MIA Flag

What began as a protest against the Vietnam War became a symbol of deceit and hatred.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 7:15 PM

2019-12-23T19:15:10-05:00

We leave in a world where new information is being uncovered everyday. I say that to say this, if in fact this was/is the case that led to the development of not just the POW/MIA Flag but the narrative as a whole, then it is in fact ultra misleading. I wouldn’t say racist, just misleading. It wouldn’t be the first time our government has done so however, only an idiot would say its out of the question

Response by 1SG David Foli made Dec 23 at 2019 8:57 PM

2019-12-23T20:57:00-05:00

Figures this came from a member of the Chair Force!!

Response by MSG Pat SingR made Dec 24 at 2019 11:19 AM

2019-12-24T11:19:34-05:00

Now a day when you have those libtarts brainwashing dumb Americans/politicians, anything can be racist. How about the American Flag, you can say that the invented the cult of a separate from Britain or to compare Christopher Columbus to the Hitler that wiped out most of the Indigenous people... POW/MIA flag is a symbol, no matter what era and ppl still call a racist if they wanted to.

Response by PO1 Frank Downs made Dec 24 at 2019 9:00 PM

2019-12-24T21:00:04-05:00

A very long read, i could not find any solid remark that makes the flag Racist, I could how ever see a lot of anger “ in 1971 that dam flag went up” is this about a flag or the anger the writer feels??

Response by MSgt Marsha Ptomey made Dec 25 at 2019 9:40 AM

2019-12-25T09:40:58-05:00

Absolutely absurd. Just about as bad as the makers of Oreo cookies being racists at heart. So SO SO sick of EVERYTHING being about race. Black and white. SICK OF IT. Quoting the words of a man who had every reason to hate, “can’t we all just...can’t we all just get along!”

Response by SPC Jesse Davis made Dec 25 at 2019 4:10 PM

2019-12-25T16:10:51-05:00

"I told the story in the first chapter of my 2014 book The Invisible Bridge:"

I don't know what is more infuriating. That you're just selling your book, or that so many took the bait.

Response by SN Robbie Malone made Dec 26 at 2019 9:35 AM

2019-12-26T09:35:21-05:00

I don't understand that about the POW/MIA flag. what are they talking about?

Response by SPC John Thallas made Dec 27 at 2019 1:54 PM

2019-12-27T13:54:47-05:00

Why is an un American writer writing for rally point.

Response by SFC James Cameron made Dec 27 at 2019 9:19 PM

2019-12-27T21:19:28-05:00

You’re looking at the products of the SJW fellatio tomfoolery. Period. Remember when the military was a recruitment for white supremacy? Let this one die too and whoever repeats it can be told “ Well bless your heart...”

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2019 9:25 PM

2019-12-27T21:25:52-05:00

Racism has become the by word of 2019, if you can't explain someone's thought pattern then it is obviously a race problem. Our youths have grown up with a word that they don't understand or how to use it so it becomes a by word.

Response by SGT Joseph Alanzo made Dec 28 at 2019 2:21 AM

2019-12-28T02:21:33-05:00

this all bull shit lies of the pow/mia flag this coming from people who hate the u.s.military

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 28 at 2019 7:40 AM

2019-12-28T07:40:45-05:00

I'm sorry I stopped reading as soon as he referred to the Confederate flag as being part of the right-wing politicians, what a dumb ass!

Response by SPC(P) Chandler Lonergan made Dec 28 at 2019 4:13 PM

2019-12-28T16:13:57-05:00

If you haven't figured out the reporters from most of the media are Life Pussies themselves. Most never served in our brother and sisterhood. They were coddled by the left and taken away from the reality of the world. Who is this journalist SGT> Copeland do tell so we can overflow their inbox with reality!

Response by COL John Power made Dec 28 at 2019 5:10 PM

2019-12-28T17:10:45-05:00

Sad commentary on the nonsense that some news media publish. The puke is trying to sell a book. Won't get many buyers from this forum.

Response by SSG Richard Martin made Dec 28 at 2019 8:00 PM

2019-12-28T20:00:37-05:00

1956-1959: Navigator and intelligence officer, Strategic Air Command, United States Air Force. (Resigned commission as Captain, USAF Reserve, in protest against Vietnam War, 1966.) That is what I just found out about this fellow...H. Bruce Franklin. Hmmm...notice he resigned in protest 1966.

Response by Sgt Ron Harris made Dec 28 at 2019 9:02 PM

2019-12-28T21:02:01-05:00

You slick, have about the STUPIDEST line of whale shit (bull shit don't cover it) that I ever heard!!!! My guess is that you never let go of mommies apron and quit sucking your thumb long enough to wipe your own ass! I don't know where you got your information but I'll bet you can't really PROVE any of it!!!

Response by Sgt Michael Betts made Dec 28 at 2019 10:53 PM

2019-12-28T22:53:04-05:00

The United States has always attempted to repatriate the remains of our fallen servicemen so that they may be buried to eternally rest in honored glory in their home ground. Perhaps the author of this piece of drivel hasn't heard of the more than 20 Marines who were hastily buried on Tarawa in 1943 whose remains were found not too long ago, disinterred, and returned to their homeland.
If Rick Perlstein should perhaps read this, he will learn that the iconic and Pulitzer Prize-winning photo taken by Eddie Adams of General Loan, Saigon's Chief of Police, executing a Viet Cong "spy" was in retaliation for that VC being a member of a group who killed one of Loan's favorite subordinates - and the man's entire family with him.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2019 2:15 PM

2019-12-29T14:15:09-05:00

I read the article, and it made me upset. There has been a member of my family in every conflict in the 20th and 21st centuries, and I am proud of our service. This flag is a representation of an idea that for Veterans is more than a sentiment but a matter of honor. However, when people like this writer produce such shoddy literary work that may influence the weak-minded, it is our obligation to set him and the people he intends to manipulate, straight. The ones that now the meaning of the flag as it currently stands is us. One of us, with the power and distinction, needs to counter his ignorance for the sake of those that may listen to his intellectual manure in a subject that has turned from a political advert to a symbol of remembrance and hope in a community that only a selected few have the privilege to belong and represent. And that group is us.

Response by MAJ John Douglas made Dec 29 at 2019 2:32 PM

2019-12-29T14:32:53-05:00

Don't give this guy any platform for publicity or credit please. He is just another America hater who will attack any tradition we have to make our country better. He belongs in the same category as Colin Kaepernick and Jane Fonda.

Response by COL William Oseles made Dec 29 at 2019 3:37 PM

2019-12-29T15:37:18-05:00

The racist bigot is the so called journalist, formey referred to as a yellow Journalist or Muckraker.

Response by A1C Riley Sanders made Dec 29 at 2019 5:33 PM

2019-12-29T17:33:08-05:00

Looks to me this Journalist has come up with his own invented research,I want waist my time with proving him wrong as his research was found in the archives of the stupid, I will say he messing with a wrong group of people if he is serous about pulling the POW/MIA Flags down as most Veterans believe in the second amendment especially the Vietnam Veterans ,their powder is dry ! come ahead, we are waiting for you.

Response by PO3 Dale Olson made Dec 29 at 2019 7:42 PM

2019-12-29T19:42:33-05:00

$5 says this asshole never served. That flag is only 2nd to the Stars & Stripes in my book and should be shown the due respect it deserves. To me, it represents those who paid the price and never came back or were inturned in some hell hole.

Response by A1C Debby McCuistion made Dec 30 at 2019 9:08 AM

2019-12-30T09:08:21-05:00

This person is an ass! No candy coating! I also agree with some of the remarks here already. The journalist is the racist! I am sick and tired of " oh, that afends me, you have to take it down." Freedom and rights are for all. So if you dont like it turn away and shut up already! Rights go both ways!

Response by PO2 George Cicotte made Dec 30 at 2019 11:22 AM

2019-12-30T11:22:38-05:00

Wow. And I thought Alex Jones was a freakazoid.

Response by 1SG Brian Adams made Dec 30 at 2019 1:04 PM

2019-12-30T13:04:50-05:00

Complete and utter bullshit...shame on this author/idiot/fake news monger...

Response by SGT James Bullard made Dec 30 at 2019 2:59 PM

2019-12-30T14:59:37-05:00

What idiot wrote the article in the first place? I would love to talk to this person with no Military experience or was he another medical excuse with a mean streak?

Response by SCPO Ken Badoian made Jan 1 at 2020 11:27 AM

2020-01-01T11:27:30-05:00

OK make it black on white - problem with you is you read too much. If you are serving get out. One word that describes you IDIOT. Is that racist.

Response by SFC John Fourquet made Jan 9 at 2020 9:10 PM

2020-01-09T21:10:17-05:00

You have issues.

Response by Capt Robert Vincelette made Jan 14 at 2020 4:43 AM

2020-01-14T04:43:32-05:00

After the history fades, what does it really represent?

Response by SGT Doug Blanchard made Jan 16 at 2020 12:26 PM

2020-01-16T12:26:30-05:00

This is some of the most a$$inine bs propaganda I have ever read on here. I had a friend's father and a nephew of mine both that were POWs in the Vietnam War. I do not care that war was never declared, and it was a "police action". Our fellow service members still fought, died and some taken prisoner.
Both my nephew and my friends father told me just what atrocities they put up with from the NVA as POWs. Things that you completely fail to mention in your post. I have seen with my own two eyes the physical scars they came back with, I cannot even begin to imagine the emotional and psychological scars and trauma they carry.
Your post is so left wing liberal slanted, IMO you are a disgrace to the uniform you wear. You do a disservice to every man and woman in this country that have served or are serving in our military.
You should be debunking this crap that the POW/MIA flag is racist. That is like saying our Nations flag is racist.
But I digress, I belong to several Veteran organizations, and the POW/MIA flag is proudly displayed as a reminder of those that have never come home. Going back to WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam.
So, IMO you need to bend over and put your head up your fourth point of contact!

Response by PO2 Frank Hickman made Jan 20 at 2020 3:03 PM

2020-01-20T15:03:14-05:00

Well KUDOS for you people that made it though the article...I could only get about 1/3rd of the way through it.

Response by Capt James R. Lee made Jan 20 at 2020 8:29 PM

2020-01-20T20:29:23-05:00

Many of the POWs were anti-war activists? I realize a few were but prove that many were. Also, you need to do more research and report on such, of the murder and carnage of women, old men, and children by the NVA. You seem to take pleasure in pointing out that kind of activity on behalf of our servicemen however fail to mention the NVAs participation. The POW/MIA flag, to me, is exactly what it is------honoring and remembering just that. From my perspective, you are an excellent writer but a half true fraud.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2020 3:45 AM

2020-02-02T03:45:10-05:00

We can thank the Obama Admin and all its Schills for tripling the feeling or fear of Racism in the USA even when there was none and encouraging false perceptions of good things as being “Racist.”

Response by SrA Allan Yates made Feb 3 at 2020 10:54 PM

2020-02-03T22:54:23-05:00

Strong message follows.

The supposed "expose" of the POW/MIA flag came from Newsweek, a leftist socialist propaganda rag. It was written by a leftist socialist $h1tb@g named Rick Perlstein. It cannot suprise any thinking, rational person that when a scumsucking $h1tb@g opens its mouth or mounts its keyboard, nothing but $h1t comes out.

As a military veteran, this America hating, veteran hating, POW/MIA hating leftist socialist $h1tb@g has accomplished nothing other than to inspire me to fly the POW/MIA flag at my home every day and to once again put a POW/MIA shield decal on both my POVs.

In the Air Force in 1985-89, I served with a young gent whose father was a CMSGT and worked in the Pentagon; his job was to serve as a laison between the DoD and the families of POW/MIAs who had not been accounted for. JT said that one day he asked his father if he thought Americans had been left behind as POWs when the U.S. pulled out of South Vietnam. He said it was like a switch had been thrown inside his father. He clenched his jaw and began to tremble with rage. He said to his son, "Don't ever again ask me anything about POWs left behind in Vietnam" and then stormed out of the room.

Make of that what you will.

Response by SPC William Szkromiuk made Feb 7 at 2020 3:52 PM

2020-02-07T15:52:23-05:00

Reading between the lines is an endless foray into even more ignorance.
How about this flag? Any less racist or objectionable?
Makes about the same amount of sense (nonsense)
I think of the POW flag as a way to remember and honor all those brothers that we lost from my generation. SIMPLE. Nothing less nothing more.
Duty
Honor
Country

Response by LTC George Morgan made Feb 10 at 2020 5:03 PM

2020-02-10T17:03:49-05:00

Take it down and you're the racist. You write under the illusion that the this flag of honour, represents only the Vietnam War. Yes, initially it did, but no more. Korea, Irag, Iran, Afghanistan and yes, even WWII, yes, there are still a number of unseen from that quagmire. The flag honours both the lost of US Prisoners, but also my countrie's admired and prayed for. NO, NEVER take it down not until you are 100% certain that we have fulfilled our responsibilities.

Response by TSgt Gregory Young made Feb 15 at 2020 8:41 AM

2020-02-15T08:41:19-05:00

I have found that we spend way to much time addressing racism. Reason, the only people who continue to play the racist card are in fact racist themselves. They continue to strive for a further divide in order to qualify their way of life. Don't get me wrong, we do still have a long way to go, but those who play the racist card only play it for themselves, but, there is a certain amount of racism in and against every race.

Response by MSG Loren Tomblin made Feb 17 at 2020 5:29 PM

2020-02-17T17:29:39-05:00

The flag is racist because it has no brown, yellow, red, etc on it. I am offended because it also does not show any shoeless hillbilly feet.

Response by 1SG Harold Piet made Feb 20 at 2020 6:15 PM

2020-02-20T18:15:54-05:00

He is entitled to his opinion, but I wish I had not wasted 8 minutes trying to understand his theory. Just so much Organic Fertilizer.

Response by SGT William Nixson made Feb 26 at 2020 7:32 PM

2020-02-26T19:32:16-05:00

At last!!! Anew definition of FUBAR!!! I'm telling you now, if anything is FUBAR, calling the POW/MIA flag racist certainly qualifies!

Response by PO2 Reta Russell Houghton made Feb 27 at 2020 1:43 AM

2020-02-27T01:43:31-05:00

No, this guy is a CB leftist lunatic.

Response by SPC Dwight Turner made Mar 15 at 2020 3:54 PM

2020-03-15T15:54:53-04:00

hows it racists ?? silly goodness whats wrong with country !!!!! I lost brother-in-law in viet nam I known soldiers who aren't with us any longer unknown soldier who knows whos laid to rest there ??
point being being part of best country ignore racists some of them are down right ignorant and hate our country they didn't agree on troops lost in viet nam I'm not endorsing war just saying missing troops should be honored POW MIA flag I think should be flown all state level flags old glorys been shot and bloodied but she gets fixed up never complains !!!!!
personally they can leave country of freedom if they don't like it here or have military remove them !!!!
I feel at times some house and senate hate military they though support actipns needed keeping there jobs !!!! too many long term members that's 1 big problem !!!!!

Response by Cpl Alex Moore made Mar 18 at 2020 2:29 AM

2020-03-18T02:29:28-04:00

The level of idiocy shown in this is just, well, insane. The only thing I will comment on, because I could tear the whole thing apart, is the comments on treatments on prisoners in the North. It implied that the torture of our prisoners never happened or was overblown. I guess they never heard of John McCain. His treatment, in the North, was so severe that he never recovered his whole life. The torture was probably what contributed to his poor health in later years. This article, and entire line of thought, is ridiculous and insane.

Response by CWO4 Terrence Clark made Mar 30 at 2020 3:20 PM

2020-03-30T15:20:56-04:00

This insult makes the rounds every few months.

Stop it!

The only racists out there are small, insecure beanbag lockers who justify themselves by attempting to divide the rest of us by evoking immutable physical differences that God has blessed us with.

Now, get back to work. Make your mama proud.

Response by PO1 Edward Speary made Apr 9 at 2020 6:35 PM

2020-04-09T18:35:51-04:00

hell no it is not racist!

Response by SGT Juan Robledo made Apr 12 at 2020 9:08 PM

2020-04-12T21:08:36-04:00

What is this person smoking, my father during my the Korean War, I served during Peace time 1978-1987 my 2 sons served from the early beginning of the Iraq War 2003-2011, and countless family members who served as well, who lost friends and returned for the most part intact but have PTSD, I can't believe what I just read and some how can this individual say or state what was written, maybe he was tormented what happened during conflict, but how can he justify what he wrote, wrong just wrong, many heroes were lost in past and present conflicts of war, many went missing or never returned home, I'll be dam if this flag is ever disrespected or for that matter our American flag, shame to you for writing this article show your respect and move on

Response by SFC Donald York made Apr 13 at 2020 11:01 AM

2020-04-13T11:01:22-04:00

There are Patriots and lovers of freedom from most wars the US has been involved in. Our MIA's nd seems forever lost, but, they sure are not forgotten by a grateful nation. When I hear about these comments from the hateful PC crowd, my blood boils.

Response by SGT James Pentico made Apr 17 at 2020 2:28 PM

2020-04-17T14:28:55-04:00

It doesn’t sound like you served in Vietnam.
I was with the 1st. Infantry Division out of Li Kai. We had aPOW CAMP in our base camp and I never saw any Prisoner treated the way your post says. I also know of 2Hue pilots who are still missing in action.
The POW/MIA flag is a good reminder of those who paid the price. Never Forget
Sgt Pentico

Response by MGySgt Joseph Magyar made Apr 21 at 2020 3:29 AM

2020-04-21T03:29:37-04:00

That is bullshit! This flag represents no race, it represents our brothers and sisters who have not returned or those who have been POWs. Respect this flag it is our flag!

Response by LtCol George Carlson made May 4 at 2020 1:10 AM

2020-05-04T01:10:28-04:00

This is the most absurd thing I have read in a long time (and I'm on FB). There is no connection made in his writing to the word "racist" at all. I would agree with him that the change from KIA-body not recovered to MIA was an overreach. But to suggest that it had racial motivation is absurd. We still attempt to recover remains from WW2, identify, and return for burial at "home." Just two or so years ago, the remains of a Marine killed on Tarawa in 1942 were recovered and identified and returned to Tennessee for burial. That's just what we do. The unfortunate action to change all KIA-body not recovered to MIA (and not MIA-presumed dead) led to families getting false hopes. A friend of mine was killed during mini-Tet. His platoon had been on an operation and was to be extracted. They had staged all their extra ammunition in a stack and Johnny was standing next to it with two other Marines when it was hit with a rocket or mortar and the whole pile exploded. Body pats were found, but without DNA "proving" Johnny was dead was impossible at the time. When his status was changed to MIA his mother thought that meant that maybe he was alive -- a cruel deception. But the POW-MIA flag racist is pure self-promoting hype to sell his books. I call BS.

Response by PO1 John Hudson made May 6 at 2020 4:07 PM

2020-05-06T16:07:15-04:00

The flag/banner POW/MIA is a reminder of those who remain unaccounted for from any war, but particularly VN. Anything can be justified to be hurtful, racist to someone and that’s okay. It’s okay because those we honor with the flag are those who gave their all for the rights we have and so often take for granted. I consider the flag a tribute to hero’s. My hero’s.

Response by SSG Clayton Lam made May 8 at 2020 6:35 PM

2020-05-08T18:35:02-04:00

No, absolutely not.

Response by MSgt Allen Chandler made May 9 at 2020 8:23 PM

2020-05-09T20:23:40-04:00

Most of what The author wrote is true Nixon did take on the MIS/POW as a Political move. How does it make it races? What is the side effects of Nixon's actions, Was that the wives and families of those menMissing continue to receive their full pay and benefits. Technically they weren't dead So the DoD Continue to pay them. I read about families Have either Fall in love ones recovered from KoreaAnd World War II all the time. In 1860, In 1940 The technology for accounting for every missing person just didn't exist. Today we have a lot more ability to account for people, And spend a lot more time and effort trying to trace of a missing person. I don't understand the original question why is this flight considered racist?

Response by PO1 Richard Nyberg made May 10 at 2020 8:03 PM

2020-05-10T20:03:07-04:00

This is the stupidest comment I have ever heard on here. That flag has nothing to do with race. Anyone who thinks it is, is an asshole. Pardon my French.

Response by TSgt Mark McAtee made May 15 at 2020 10:02 AM

2020-05-15T10:02:15-04:00

It’s so sad that they will call everything racist if you don’t agree with these liberals

Response by SGT Bill Braniff made May 19 at 2020 10:01 AM

2020-05-19T10:01:36-04:00

You Bub ba need to move to Communist China or maybe Cuba, but we can still get you there. You are day dreaming for fish to buy your frag of a book. Sure thing you didn't serve in Vn unless it was in a communist uniform.

Response by MGySgt Joseph Magyar made May 19 at 2020 9:35 PM

2020-05-19T21:35:07-04:00

Rick Perlstein is a anti conservative who has written about Goldwater, Nixon and Reagan to follow the party line. If you expect this individual to do anything other then to follow the party line you will be disappointed. He is not worth the time nor the effort to give him any press time or recognition.

Response by SPC Ron Salsbury made May 20 at 2020 9:19 AM

2020-05-20T09:19:39-04:00

The word Racist is a "politically correct" description assigned by an individual that feels something is wrong, wishing to express their opinion about a person or object. The funny thing is, the true Racist is the one bringing the person, or object to light because they have to try and make you feel less of an human being. A racist 9 times out of 10 outs themselves by bringing up the issue in the first place, by classifying, expressing their thoughts, and feelings. Those of us not really caring by expressing our opinion on the subject matter, or person, are generally more accepting than the accusatory in the first place.

Response by SGT Doug Blanchard made May 25 at 2020 12:38 PM

2020-05-25T12:38:16-04:00

The person who originally wrote this article either needs his head shoved up his or her 4th point of contact, or pull their head out of their 4th point of contact. They are the one that is "racist" and need to fill out a butt hurt report.
In my book calling the POW/MIA flag racist is in the same category as calling the American Flag, the Confederate Flag, or a State Flag racist, all because you are offended by it. You need to grow up and grow a pair.
As each of the flags I mentioned mean something to someone, which is not necessarily the same thing to everyone.
So, if you want to tell me that the two flags out on my flag pole, Old Glory and a POW/MIA flag are racist, well I do not give a flying rat's a$$ what you think or say. Especially if you have never stood up and took the oath that all of our military take, or wrote the same check that we did, which is a check made payable to the the people of this country in the amount up to and including our life.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2020 12:20 AM

2020-05-26T00:20:48-04:00

That has to be the most asinine post I have ever seen on this site.

Response by SMSgt Anthony Rogers made May 31 at 2020 3:05 PM

2020-05-31T15:05:36-04:00

Dear Columnist of a Major News Periodical,
You made your point as to the POW/MIA Flag, but you need to come to your senses. Do not agree with your assessment of the POW/MIA Flag. Were you in the military? Did you live in the era of the 60's, 70's? Where is the racism of the dead and missing? I will always continue to fly my POW/MIA flag below the RED, WHITE & BLUE. Find yourself another career.

Response by SFC James Thurman made Jun 5 at 2020 7:09 PM

2020-06-05T19:09:15-04:00

What the heck are they trying to say about the the guys that didn’t come home. You know from places like the Hanoi Hilton, where dumped in a hole somewhere. The guys that didn’t survive. Or maybe it’s like the statements that there where not Russian soldiers and airmen there. It’s just falls into category of Yellow journalism.

Response by SSG(P) Danielle Birtha made Jun 7 at 2020 5:39 PM

2020-06-07T17:39:10-04:00

right... and I suppose you believe that George Floyd was innocent as he lay on the ground dead, because an unknown officer intervened and made the officer with his knee on Floyd's neck move it... to the far shoulder... INSTANTLY his shoulder went to the ground, where his chin was trapped, and then his chin lined up with his shoulder... neck broken, by that unknown officer in brown.
No... he wasn't innocent... he just attempted to pass counterfeit money... that's two Class A Capital Felonies... LIFE IN PRISON... and he KNEW that... so he resisted arrest, from first contact, to death.
The only reason Floyd was on the ground is because that huge man grabbed the cop trying to put him in the squad car by the neck, raised him off the ground, WITH ONE HAND, and body slammed him...
which resulted with four cops pinning him to the ground while they waited for the ambulance with the strait jacket to arrive. He as just fine until that brown uniformed officer intervened...
BUT THOSE 4 COPS WILL GO TO PRISON FOR DOING THEIR JOBS TO ARREST A CAPITAL FELON WHO WAS RESISTING ARREST... IN THE WAY THEY WERE TRAINED.
Those cops don't belong in jail... their training needs to be changed.
AND THAT BROWN UNIFORMED OFFICER NEEDS TO BE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE MURDER >(
Having said that: HOW DARE YOU DEMEAN THE WIVES AND FAMILIES OF THOSE MISSING PRESUMED DEAD, UNRECOVERED SOLDIER'S BODIES >(
THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO MOURN, AND HONOR THEIR LOVED ONES >(
I suppose you also take a knee to the Flag, the National Anthem, and fully believe that every word of hearsay presented was valid evidence in the Trump Impeachment and Trial... oxymoron politically correct NAZI speech... hearsay is valid as evidence of a crime (according to U.S. Federal Rules of Evidence) AS A DEATH BED CONFESSION OF A CRIMINAL. None of those 17 liars was dying...
and the only confession EACH OF THEM MADE when cross examined by the defense... THEY PERJURED THEMSELVES... THEY LIED... AND ADMITTED... TRUMP WAS DOING HIS JOB AS COMMANDED BY THE CONSTITUTION, U.S. LAW, INTERNATIONAL TREATY LAW... AND THE TREATIES WITH UKRAINE... go read them... fact check... find the truth.

I also suppose you also believe it's okay for our Congress (it wasn't Nixon... it was Congress btw... the President has no power to create flags or organizations without Congress approval) to stand and shout through the entire Impeachment and Trial that "CHINA... IS... THE ENEMY! ... RUSSIA... IS... THE ENEMY! .. NO ONE... IS ABOVE ... THE LAW!!!!!" ...
--> WHILE THEY LEAD INVADERS INTO OUR NATION, GIVING THEM SANCTUARY FROM THE LAW THAT COMMANDS THEY BE REPELLED WITH MILITARY FORCE...
--> WHILE THEY MAKE TRADE DEALS WITH OUR ENEMIES: SAUDI ARABIA (WHO ATTACKED u.s. ON 9/11), BRITAIN, CHINA, RUSSIA, JAPAN, AND THE INVADERS... THAT TAKE OUR PROSPEROUS BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY AWAY FROM U.S. ... AND GIVE THEM TO THOSE ENEMIES???
YES ... THEY .... ARE .. OUR ... ENEMIES! >(
FRIENDLY RELATIONS DOES NOT A FRIEND MAKE... WHEN THAT "FRIEND" WANTS TO DESTROY AND TAKE YOUR COUNTRY FROM YOU >(
JAPAN... CHINA... RUSSIA... BRITAIN... SAUDI ARABIA...
IMPERIAL DICTATOR NATIONS THAT SEEK TO OPPRESS U.S. INTO SERVING THEM >(
and our Congress is making it Law...
But you are okay with that... eh?
I have one word for people like you... it's a contraction of two words... National Socialist... figure it out... my word for all dictators who believe they have the right to condemn that which they don't understand >(

Response by COL Raymond Kreiner made Jun 15 at 2020 9:15 AM

2020-06-15T09:15:55-04:00

It was obvious to me that the author, a diehard liberal, used his diatribe to bring as much Anti-conservative comment and “shame” on the conservative movement in the USA as he possible could. His article would have been much better received had he not used his Peru attacks on anything he considered as anti-liberal. A real shame. His basis was very good.

Response by SSG Melvin Fixman made Jun 15 at 2020 3:56 PM

2020-06-15T15:56:15-04:00

What an idiot.

Response by Sgt Thomas Proctor made Jun 16 at 2020 3:49 PM

2020-06-16T15:49:36-04:00

After reading this article, I think I will just heed the advice given in Proverbs 27:3 "Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both". I say , just let them drown in their own ignorance.

Response by SSgt Paul Millard made Jun 19 at 2020 9:28 AM

2020-06-19T09:28:25-04:00

Let's be fair(sort of), ...our politicians dream all manner of things to CYA some of the nonsense they get us(GI's) into. The original reason for developing the flag may and I loosely say may, have been meant as a propaganda redirection stunt but since then it has been adopted by our country to mean much more and rightly so. Wrongs are always committed in war time on all sides but the flag and what it represents is still a fact to be recognized.
How you get from POW to racism- easy, get a degree in liberal bullshit( likely journalism) from UC Berkeley or some other ultra liberal school. They just love to label everything with the buzz word of the day. These are the type of idiots how can write a dissertation on pure nonsense but can't change their own flat tire. Words are a powerful thing, maybe we just should not allow idiots to get so much attention.

Oh yeah, I just have a black coffee but diluted down the blackness with cream, must be a racist

Response by SGT John Cooper made Jun 27 at 2020 5:15 PM

2020-06-27T17:15:01-04:00

I’ve been out of the service since 85 and I still fly the POW/MIA flag at home. It means something to me that’s special as I first went in the service in 1971! Our whole country is in very big trouble right now to include our military services.

When I was a track commander on a 4 deuce track we flew the rebel flag from our radio antenna out in the field, not as a racist statement but because we were young rebels. My crew consisted of a black driver, black ammo bearer, Latino gunner, white asst gunner, and myself a white sergeant. We were a tight team, no one said squat about the flag, we lived together in the field, partied together in garrison, and would have died for each other. Those were my brothers. They wanted the flag put up as we had a choice of a pirate flag or the rebel flag. I didn’t vote! Sure it wasn’t sanctioned but, our mortar platoon sgt let us fly it! Back then it was a morale building not destroyer!

Response by TSgt Andrew Harper made Jun 29 at 2020 10:55 PM

2020-06-29T22:55:54-04:00

Well, if that is the case, better fix our printed currency, slave owners (Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton), for starters..,anything else? Start listing every thing you can think of to change, then add cost..then add acceptance...then what? Our POWS/MIA DESERVE to be treated with DIGNITY! They fought and played the game to stay alive. What is your problem and why are you starting crap? Let's keep this topic on the politics page when you started naming presidents and decisions you mentioned and press-on.

Response by Sgt Robert Beckwith made Jun 30 at 2020 3:07 AM

2020-06-30T03:07:08-04:00

It's not racist. It was invented by a guy in the seventies. He wanted to make a few bucks selling flags in the gun magazines like Guns and Ammo, Shotgun News and SOF. It was a hard sell for him at first. He and I corresponded for awhile. We both were running classified ads in the same magazines (Think mail order!). Around 1982 he offered to sell the rights for $1000.00. No kidding. I can probably prove this if anyone is interested. (I never (almost) throw anything out.) Probably would make a better story then that joker's Invisible Bridge. grin

Response by TSgt Gary McPherson made Jul 2 at 2020 1:44 PM

2020-07-02T13:44:23-04:00

I* just reread this crap.This person must now work for the BIAS Media.Maybe a ANTIFA member now?

Response by SGT John Graham made Jul 4 at 2020 2:41 AM

2020-07-04T02:41:15-04:00

My first response resulted in my Grandson learning what a full on ranting rage looked like. Fortunately it wasn't his first, and already knew the words...anyway. Yeah that is really a stretch to conclude the flag is "racist". My experience was finding that the Military is incredibly diverse. The Army was a giant melting pot with the only commonality according to more than one of my D.I.'s was "All I See Are Green Assholes And Black Boots".

Response by MSG Felipe De Leon Brown made Jul 12 at 2020 6:48 PM

2020-07-12T18:48:29-04:00

I'm trying to understand how the POW/MIA banner could be construed as being racist. However, I can understand how the author would have the notions that they have and, as is pointed out, how the Republican's coopted the movement for political gains. It's ironic and cynical how so many seem to fully jump into this or that "cause" without a complete understanding of what it's all about. We, as a people, are so shallow that it hurts. May the Almighty have mercy on us.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2020 2:21 PM

2020-07-17T14:21:36-04:00

We live in a time where a generation of “adults” that don’t understand things (nor care to understand them) assumes that it must be racist. We are allowing morons rip our country apart because they are led by emotions and those emotions hate everything American

Response by PO2 Andrew Carpenter made Jul 17 at 2020 5:12 PM

2020-07-17T17:12:36-04:00

"You Are Not Forgotten." Despite the rhetoric in this article or anywhere else, unless you or yours had a stake in the Vietnam war, may I suggest a bit of research. This Flag is about all those Missing and Prisoners of every war our Military have been involved in, and we want them home or their bodies accountable in authorized cemeteries overseas. I'd ask my old man to chime in, but Agent Orange killed him in 1985. Politicians are expendable in my book, not our Military Personnel. Yet I am honored to have protected the Constitutional right of the Writer to have and express his or her difference of opinion then my own...

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 19 at 2020 2:47 PM

2020-07-19T14:47:04-04:00

This is an idiotic and stupid question.

Response by Cpl Ronald Peters made Jul 20 at 2020 8:16 AM

2020-07-20T08:16:28-04:00

You can say it was/is covering up political indifference about the conflict/war but to say the flag is racist or a symbol of racism is just to buy into this current anti American movement that the Marist/Socialist/Communist groups Antifa and BLM are spreading. It certainly does not help to have Congresswomen the likes of Rashid Talib who spreads hatred of AMERICA and Iserial, our #1 ally in the Middle East or Congresswoman Ilhan Omar the fomer Somali citizen whose right to be in the United States is questionable at best. Congresswoman Omar's own Father testified that she gained Residence for being married to her Brother. She has since divorced remarried been involved in an affair with her campaign staffer and divorced a second time to marry her staffer and 3rd husband Tim Mynet. There have been several Violations of Campaign finance violations which were all swept under the rug. She is pushing for Shira law which of course she would want to opt out of or she would have been stoned for both the divorces.

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2020 10:36 AM

2020-07-24T10:36:20-04:00

what an idiot leftist!!!! We have enough hate being spread by this present administration until we have a real president.

Response by AN Dave Heckman made Jul 26 at 2020 4:49 PM

2020-07-26T16:49:44-04:00

That knucklehead made absolutely NO sense !

Response by MSG Johnathan Mathes made Jul 27 at 2020 1:06 AM

2020-07-27T01:06:20-04:00

Ummm ok a long winded banter of no proof of racism.. jackass.. Soo gfys

Response by SPC John Dailey made Jul 29 at 2020 10:06 PM

2020-07-29T22:06:25-04:00

Well said, well said Indeed! Sadly, it seems only a few of the “Old Guys” Still care.

Response by SFC William Turner made Aug 2 at 2020 4:17 PM

2020-08-02T16:17:34-04:00

This whole rant reminds me of the assholes who would hang around International airports in the late '60s and harass GIs traveling on "Military Standby" for which we were required to be in "Class As". (Yes we wore the Uniform in transit in those days, it was required.) "BABY KILLER" was their favorite phrase. There would be 5 or 6 of them on one of us. They were trying to bait us into a fight. If two or three other GIs happened along they just melted into the woodwork. 3 or 4 vs 5 or 6 were not good odds for them.
There are too many POW- MIA, still missing to suit me and ANY HONOR given to them should be respected. As far as racist is concerned there are members of EVERY ethnicity included in their number. This asshole seems to have a BAD case of drizzling shits!

Response by PO3 Tom Drane made Aug 8 at 2020 11:46 PM

2020-08-08T23:46:30-04:00

It might be from , but that guy still has a job writing that crap.
He needs to face every family member
of a POW/MIA, and tell them that the flag is racist.
I dont think he has the cojones to say to a single family member.

Response by CPT Kenneth Blitchington made Aug 13 at 2020 2:44 PM

2020-08-13T14:44:28-04:00

Everyone here needs to read two books-Kiss the Boys Goodbye and then The Bamboo Cage. They will make a believer out of you.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cichelli made Aug 31 at 2020 1:17 PM

2020-08-31T13:17:19-04:00

The POW Flag racists? Is this person kidding? Probably not and I'd hedge bets that idiot is under 45 and knows nothing of the Vietnam War. The reason KIAs went to an MIA status was because the US could not recover the bodies to prove KIA, sad but true. The moron that wrote the article claiming this flag is racist is just another commie lover sympathizer!

Response by PO1 Kevin Dougherty made Sep 7 at 2020 12:10 PM

2020-09-07T12:10:34-04:00

Crap there goes a nice handful of IQ points, not to mention the several minutes wasted wading through that drivel.

Response by PO1 Mike Meehan made Sep 12 at 2020 9:46 AM

2020-09-12T09:46:46-04:00

You didn't manage to get to the ultimate expression POW-MIAnia.....Rambo.

Response by CW4 William Kessinger made Sep 27 at 2020 6:12 PM

2020-09-27T18:12:51-04:00

You are nuts! Being from that era that this symbol stood for, I resent the slur on any military member captured and held as having any political / racial motive other then to get home alive.

Who let you on this form?

Response by Lt Col George Roll made Oct 9 at 2020 11:37 PM

2020-10-09T23:37:15-04:00

The author of this propaganda piece is a Lying POS! Our pilots did not intentionally bomb civillians in vietnam. According to the laws of war, if an armed combatant places miliary facility in proximity of civillian population centers like Schools or Hospitals They have committed violations of the law of war. Pilots bomb targets.to protect civillians don't put your military targets in population centers.
Our Aircrews were tortured intentionally and in violation of the Geneva convention.
Germany in WWII captured ma y Allied Airmen, the vast majority were treated with humane conditions. Stalag luft camps were not summer camps but were generally respectful of human dignity and did not employ torture. The North Vietnameese did not adhear to this at all.
You can not blame this on "he did it first" this is not a legal defense, it is at best an excuse for violent torture and sadism!
This author should be deeply ashamed of his work!

Response by SGT Timothy Posemato made Oct 20 at 2020 12:06 PM

2020-10-20T12:06:23-04:00

This guy doesn't have a brain. He's an immoral shithead. If he was around during Vietnam He's one that ran to Canada with his tail between his legs. He probably wasn't, he came up with his BS Article reading other peoples trash. Jerk

Response by SPC Steven Glass made Oct 25 at 2020 1:51 AM

2020-10-25T01:51:49-04:00

Is this bullshit for real?

It’s time to stop covering up history with rainbows and dandelions!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2020 1:43 PM

2020-10-30T13:43:31-04:00

TSgt Joshua Copeland you failed to make it clear whether you agreed or disagreed with this piece of Blank article. I grew up during this time frame. Then joined the military in 1977. We had several former POWs talk to us about how to operate when a POW and what to expect. Your article is a fairy tale.

Response by PO1 Sanford Snyder made Nov 12 at 2020 7:55 PM

2020-11-12T19:55:51-05:00

"One columnist of a major news periodical thinks so." What periodical, what's the columnists name, the above is an example of how the left rewrites history to suit their agenda. To tear down anything they know brings people together under a common, patriotic, American cause. The flag racist? no, never. But the idea it is, comes from a racist individual who plays in the divisive racial politics we currently deal with daily.

Response by LTC David Speidel made Nov 13 at 2020 8:55 AM

2020-11-13T08:55:09-05:00

Why would this opinion article come up now? All wars have missing servicemen. Services to recover the missing are funded and active for a number of past conflicts. For the families these efforts are important. Nixon actions should be looked on as a counter balance to the image of that war. Atrocities committed in conflicts are never acceptable, but do happen. Nixon did end the war and open China. I think I am reading a Democratic platform racism plank versus a Republican trade plank.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2020 9:13 AM

2020-11-13T09:13:55-05:00

Another liberal person whom was dropped on his head as a baby several times baiting people to “talk” with him albeit in a negative form. Nope, I’m not giving him the pleasure of my time snd energy. ✌

Response by SGT Frank Pritchett made Nov 13 at 2020 10:12 AM

2020-11-13T10:12:45-05:00

This is a Socialist view point and not an American one. Everyone that has served in the Military understands its meaning. At the end of the Vietnam War and the Korean War Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airman were taken prisoner and never returned. this flag has meaning and I never heard a person who served in the Military ever say this Flag Is Raciest.

Response by LT Ed Skiba made Nov 13 at 2020 11:32 AM

2020-11-13T11:32:23-05:00

No comment. "Never wrestle with a pjg...you both get dirty...and the pig likes it!"

Response by SPC Mike MacDonald made Nov 13 at 2020 10:38 PM

2020-11-13T22:38:18-05:00

Author Rick Perlstein was born in 1969, what could he know about what many of us lived through.
His opinion is worthless and the racist question is the dumbest I've heard lately. I mean really Rick, stick to the holocaust. We may just send the jungle bunnies after you.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 14 at 2020 11:44 AM

2020-11-14T11:44:26-05:00

Racism has come to mean, "If you don't agree with what I say, you are racist." EVERYTHING is racist to the guy with an axe to grind and no one paying him any attention.

Suck it up, Buttercup!

Response by LTC David Howard made Nov 14 at 2020 3:23 PM

2020-11-14T15:23:03-05:00

The lies contained in this POS essay are too numerous to try to refute in a forum like this. But it is obvious that the writer of this column is just a military hating Leftist. "Racist" is now a term that is used as a catch-all for people the accuser does not like. It has lost its sting, and truly diminishes the word if we wish to apply it to someone deserving of that condemnation. There is nothing remotely racist about the POW/MIA flag, and while I do not believe that there are still Americans being held in North Vietnam I do not doubt that not all of our prisoners were returned in 1973 and that some were held and subsequently died in captivity. Maybe someday we will learn the truth.

Response by PO2 James Oss made Nov 14 at 2020 9:05 PM

2020-11-14T21:05:14-05:00

My observation too. Where's the POWs? Or are there some still being held and brainwashed as depicted in the movie 'The Manchurian Candidate'? Nelson DeMile's novel 'The Cuban Affair' alludes to that scenario with our Vietnam POW being sent to Cuba for that purpose.

Response by SrA Gina Hotard made Nov 14 at 2020 11:38 PM

2020-11-14T23:38:20-05:00

Wow...let's find a racist thing in honoring Pow/Mia NOT

Response by SSG Phillip Hoffeld made Nov 15 at 2020 7:03 AM

2020-11-15T07:03:29-05:00

Can't you find anything significant to report on rather than trying to make a statement or coin a catch-phrase? I believe a LOT of reporters and cancel-culture loons just want to be able to say, "LOOK! Look what I did!!"

Response by SGT Lance LeBerte made Nov 15 at 2020 8:54 AM

2020-11-15T08:54:31-05:00

this is the most ridiculous article I have ever read, not once was race mentioned except in the title

Response by CW4 Byron Edgington made Nov 15 at 2020 9:13 PM

2020-11-15T21:13:01-05:00

I tend to agree with this assessment, though I think the better takeaway is that we need to be awfully damn careful with our national images and icons. 'Running things up the flagpole to see who salutes' is an old, tired mantra, but there are folks who salute without thinking, and that's where we get in trouble. Beyond that, as a veteran of that miserable war, I have a bit of authority in discussing it, and in my humble opinion nobody 'won' in Vietnam. Both sides endured grievous losses, and a generation of young men, on both sides, gave their lives for a cause that was dubious at best.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 15 at 2020 11:41 PM

2020-11-15T23:41:41-05:00

Bullshit. Straight up BULLSHIT

Response by SPC Tim LaFountain made Nov 16 at 2020 5:45 AM

2020-11-16T05:45:48-05:00

If you weren’t there or you never served your opinion is just that, an opinion.

Response by SPC Mark Bennett made Nov 16 at 2020 9:05 AM

2020-11-16T09:05:37-05:00

I wasn't in Nam, I am a Vietnam Era Vet. How in the Hell can this could be a racist flag? This flag gives people hope that their love ones missing over there, that people are still looking for them. The POW/MIA flag was created in the 70's, but I feel it has expanded beyond Nam, it makes you wonder about the ones from Korea, and WWII, that are still missing. This flag isn't racist, it's a symbol of hope and we are not going to forget the POW/MIA's until they are all home. we have to give these family's closer for peace of mind.

Response by SGT Scott Adie made Nov 16 at 2020 10:04 AM

2020-11-16T10:04:12-05:00

Shameful exploitation of the race card. Even if I bought the whole article, which I don't, there is no racist element to it unless we're ignorant enough to believe that simply because the Vietnamese, North and South, are center stage in the POW flag's history, that makes it racist. I am appalled by the author's totally unfounded assertion that the POW flag is racist. And the ? mark in the article title does not dismiss his foolish attempt to ambush his readers.

Response by LTJG Sandra Smith made Nov 16 at 2020 10:57 AM

2020-11-16T10:57:07-05:00

You may disagree with the MIA classification, but it can't be "racist", since it doesn't include or exclude any "race"! It has to do with an individual in a combat zone, and his "readiness" status; he was "in action", and has gone missing. No one knows if he's lost behind enemy lines, a prisoner of the enemy, or a casualty. MIA is hard for the families, who are left in a kind of limbo, but occasionally such personnel as are so designated turn up weeks, months, or even years later, and if they've been declared dead, it creates a whole mess of other problems, so awaiting definitive proof of life or death, before declaring is wiser, if not kinder, but not "racist". Indeed, abuse of that term has become so commonplace, no one but racists pay it any attention any longer, so that genuine issues of racism don't get timely resolution.

Response by PO2 John Harker made Nov 16 at 2020 12:04 PM

2020-11-16T12:04:08-05:00

What in hell are you drinking!? How about those who were killed in action, would you rather go and take their place? I thought not, big mouth.
How DARE you disrespect those who gave their lives for this country. Next time you buy gasoline or trade any type of securities, stock, bonds, etc. or contribute to your 401k program, be sure to thank those who never came home from the Gulf war, Iraq, or Afghanistan.
In short, you're an asshole. Even if this was meant to be sarcasm, you're still an asshole.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 16 at 2020 12:34 PM

2020-11-16T12:34:34-05:00

Bro, its subversion. A communist ploy to paint everything bad, and take everything bad and make good of it. So of course the MIA/POW flag is racist, next up, the Pope is satan. Got it, turn it off or you'll be as smart as a monkey when done. Oops is using monkeys as a level of stupid, racist, then GFY.

Response by SPC Justin Webb made Nov 17 at 2020 2:00 PM

2020-11-17T14:00:57-05:00

Well this is actual bullshit because it is well documented that the Russians took American POWs from Vietnam to the Gulag never to be returned.

Response by 1LT Peter Duston made Nov 17 at 2020 5:22 PM

2020-11-17T17:22:28-05:00

As someone still searching for 2 Korean War MIA's, one captured then MIA, the other KIA, remains not recovered, I am uncomfortable about the extensive and pervasive use of this piece of cloth. The US Military today says that we will never leave anybody behind. In past conflicts there were many left behind due to the fog of war. , I am conflicted regarding this flag. It is now being flown with the US Flag over every post office in the land which I don't agree with. This is a limited event banner in my view that is overused in ways suggested by the essayist of this op-ed. We use the ceremony at selected military events and I find those appropriate but widespread flying the Flag and references to illusive stories of MIA's still languishing in some Gulag or slave labor camp are designed and used for home-time political reasons. There is legitimate rationale for DOD casualty affairs to search former battle areas for remains. A long lost MIA reunited with family back home is an inspiring event and the whole town turns out. What's really important is for the family to have closure. We do try to support our military families. I know. We are a military family with a daughter and two grandsons serving. Our Legion Post recently conducted a committal service with military honors for a Korean War MIA. The family never had a funeral, a stone, a flag, Taps and had waited 70 year almost to the day. The sight of the 5 surviving sisters tenderly passing the Flag from youngest to oldest while the Honor Guard NCOIC held his salute was sweet - a tearful event. We are inspired when a long lost MIA is repatriated and finally laid to rest fulfilling the warrior ethos to never leave anybody behind and providing closure to a military and Gold Star family.

Response by SMSgt Bob W. made Nov 17 at 2020 6:05 PM

2020-11-17T18:05:38-05:00

Another dope smoker. In today's society, everything is RACIST, UNLESS you agree "...with what is said..." Wll... "...ya ca take your opinion and shove it..."

So, let me run out and buy a book and understand the true meaning of the POW/MIA flag. NOT ME.

The book describes how Richard Nixon invented the cult of the “POW/MIA” in order to justify the carnage in Vietnam in a way that rendered the United States as its sole victim. DEAR ANAL ONE: Nixon had Henry Kissinger negotiate with North Viet Nam for 4 years to obtain a peace treaty. In 1973, a peace treaty was reached.

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Nov 17 at 2020 8:39 PM

2020-11-17T20:39:39-05:00

The author of this writing just proved this is the greatest country on this planet. Any where else, he would not be allowed to say what he has written. To the author thank you for serving yourself

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Nov 17 at 2020 9:16 PM

2020-11-17T21:16:35-05:00

Update the author apologized for putting racist into his article, for what ever that does for him

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Nov 18 at 2020 8:24 AM

2020-11-18T08:24:53-05:00

H. Bruce Franklin, founder of Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. Not someone whose writings I would want to base an article on. As one who lived through the period, there are many claim that are inconsistent with my recollection. In short; BS.

Response by SGT J M Porters made Nov 18 at 2020 8:56 AM

2020-11-18T08:56:04-05:00

As I have said time and time again. All this is about is generating the numbers. Insult me when I am drunk and I will fight you. But do it when I am in my right frame of mind and I cut you off. Guys, This place is all about generating the numbers. The higher the number the more ads they can sell and generate income. I get it and I understand. But do not pee on me and expect me to like it! The last one out bring the Flag!

Response by SFC Thomas Howes made Nov 18 at 2020 11:25 AM

2020-11-18T11:25:21-05:00

OMG were the hell did this Socialist pig come from

Response by SSgt David Izquierdo made Nov 18 at 2020 4:54 PM

2020-11-18T16:54:55-05:00

What was that about? Thanks for assassinating my brain cells, today.

Response by SSgt John DelaVina made Nov 18 at 2020 5:18 PM

2020-11-18T17:18:29-05:00

I’m trying to keep it clean here but this frigging libtard with nothing else but hate and misinformation running through his spineless body is another product of the cancel culture socialism slime going through out country The hell with him and his bull pucky

Response by Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr made Nov 18 at 2020 10:09 PM

2020-11-18T22:09:45-05:00

JUST WHERE IN THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM???

Response by MSgt John McMillan made Nov 18 at 2020 10:48 PM

2020-11-18T22:48:22-05:00

As a member of DPAA, the DoD organization that actively researches, investigates, recovers, and identifies the remains of our missing and fallen, I can only laugh at the complete stupidity of Rick Perlstein, Newsweek, and the left as a whole. Tying the POW/MIA flag and what it has come to represent in the 47 years since the end of the Vietnam War to an evil plot by LBJ and the 'evil' families of the missing and prisoners of war, for a few brownie point, is pathetic. Sadly, it's not out of the norm for the far-left media...

Response by CPT Don Meaker made Nov 19 at 2020 12:34 AM

2020-11-19T00:34:18-05:00

The communists never acknowledged prisoners that had technical information that they wanted, also a violation of the Geneva Accords.

Response by MSG Brenda Hayes made Nov 20 at 2020 4:24 PM

2020-11-20T16:24:53-05:00

BEWARE ASKED FOR A SEX 3 SOME********************

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Response by PV2 Glen Lewis made Nov 24 at 2020 3:38 PM

2020-11-24T15:38:42-05:00

I don't get this at all. No ordinary person in their right frame of mind thinks race instead of Missing In Action. I don't care what book you wrote or what illusion your mind was caught up in; this is just stupid.

Response by PO1 Michael Withrow made Nov 25 at 2020 8:34 PM

2020-11-25T20:34:51-05:00

leftist are all morons. POW/MIA is anything but racist. the left thinks being in the military is racist..

Response by SFC Eugene Helstrom made Dec 2 at 2020 11:31 PM

2020-12-02T23:31:58-05:00

I am so angry at this moron that I could bite thru nails. My father was the Western New York chapter of the Pow/MIA league of families. He worked his tail off trying to get congress to actually act in any part of the concerns. My mother attended league of families conventions that my father couldn't get too. Our Family worked with the Honorable Jack Kemp's staff in the 70's because if his work with them. I personally knew the mother of a downed pilot. If I were standing in front of the SOB who wrote this right now or in the future I will knock his teeth down his nairy ass throat! He sounds like all the other frickin far left whack jobs that spew half truths and out right lies. Dear God all mighty give me 10 minutes with his dumb ass and I'll give him some wall to wall counseling that he desperately needs!!

A Pissed Off Disabled Vet;

Gene Helstrom
USA, SFC Ret.

Response by PO1 Don Rowan made Dec 4 at 2020 11:07 AM

2020-12-04T11:07:49-05:00

The "columnist" needs to grow up.

Response by CPL Sharon Fahey made Dec 5 at 2020 9:36 PM

2020-12-05T21:36:39-05:00

I suggest you take your cancel culture mentality somewhere else. Unlike you, the men and women on here served their nation and support one another. We know our history, the good, the bad and the ugly. Your rhetoric is disrespectful to our fellow service members who actually lived through combat nightmares, where as you and your sniveling antiAmerican bastards only listen to foreigners and socialists who have no idea what Americans are made of or capable of. Try going to a real school to learn American history not some socialist propaganda brainwashing. You are beyond disgusting.

Response by CSM Carlson C. made Dec 11 at 2020 3:08 PM

2020-12-11T15:08:02-05:00

CTRL-F told me that the word "racist" appears in this article once, the very first sentence. "Black" appears once describing the color of the flag. American is not used in the article to describe any particular racial group. In this context, connecting the POW/MIA flag with racism from this article is a stretch even the best of shammers would have a hard time doing... I'm going to go find a plot of grass to yell at someone for walking on, so as to wash away the sadness of losing brain cells processing this...

Response by SN Robert Englebright made Dec 22 at 2020 2:21 PM

2020-12-22T14:21:39-05:00

I think MSM to be propagandist, I would laugh at the thought

Response by SGT David Haake made Dec 24 at 2020 9:40 AM

2020-12-24T09:40:35-05:00

People need to stop placating these cultural Marxists, spreading their non-sense in order to create division and destroy our history, heritage, and culture as a nation. Diligence and alertness are required in order to avoid losing everything we served and fought to preserve.

Response by Capt James Burgess made Dec 24 at 2020 9:58 AM

2020-12-24T09:58:47-05:00

I have a college roommate who was a POW in the HANOI HILTON for many years & will readily support the fact that what is being espoused above is total BS. Don't BUY the LIE!
I personally got spit on 2X upon returning from VIETNAM for Thanksgiving in my uniform & it did not happen the 3rd time because "I got smart" & changed to civvies before leaving the base. To this day I despise JANE FONDA & her Communist leaning; delivering BOLD FACED lies to the US public "about the excellent care our US soldiers received at the hands of the N. VIETNAMESE." [ALL lies as confirmed by my roommate who lived the truth!] TO this day HANOI JANE has never apologized to our POWS & still dispises GEN STOCKMAN.

IMHO: this article is full of SHIT!!

Response by SFC Timothy Bethke made Dec 24 at 2020 10:00 AM

2020-12-24T10:00:20-05:00

If so I will fly the heck out of it that should really make a liberals day

Response by SGT Nathan Huff made Dec 24 at 2020 1:07 PM

2020-12-24T13:07:11-05:00

My brain hurts due to not allowing myself to respond to this columnist

Response by Sgt Jake Middlebrook made Dec 24 at 2020 5:57 PM

2020-12-24T17:57:32-05:00

Understand claiming the POW flag is Raciest is just another facet of Critical Race Theory which holds all white people are so implicitly raciest they don't realize they are. Hence George Washington was Raciest, Thomas Jefferson was Raciest, Christopher Columbus was Raciest to name a few. Anything connected with or supported by the white race is raciest. Racism begins when assumptions are made about people because of race, creed, color or national origin for which there is no objective evidence. The is no difference between assuming blonds are dumb or people who are browner than others wash less often and assuming whites are inherently raciest. Anyone whishing to end racism needs to start with holding themselves and those around them to the standard of objective evidence of racism. If objective evidence is there act on it. Certainially claiming all members of a race and especially anything connected with that race as inofenceive as as the POW flag which reminds all of us there are men and women of all races, creeds died or were imprisoned, many without being identified, for our freedom. As far as I am concerned any such statement is actionable. Taking offence where where none is offered is just as divisive and raciest as overtly giving offence.

Response by 1stSgt Rick Ensenbach made Dec 25 at 2020 12:47 AM

2020-12-25T00:47:28-05:00

This just goes to show you that we have left wing PoS in the service that consider themselves veterans while dishonoring our MIA/POWs

Response by SFC Charles McVey Sr. made Dec 25 at 2020 3:16 AM

2020-12-25T03:16:37-05:00

I have that flag, and yes I fly every damn day. The author of this Socialist Diatribe claims to be a TSGT, he very well may be but he is a disgrace to 0this nation and the Uniform of the US Air Force. He can take his socialist trash elsewhere, I honestly don't think he belongs in Rally Point or any other Military site.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2020 11:11 AM

2020-12-25T11:11:00-05:00

Far from being Racist! No connection whatsoever..

Response by SSgt Daniel Batista made Dec 25 at 2020 11:29 AM

2020-12-25T11:29:50-05:00

I think he found this i formation at the Trump library.

Response by PO2 Ed Leidy made Dec 25 at 2020 12:44 PM

2020-12-25T12:44:45-05:00

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT ?? And your point is ?? Even after re-reading your massive missive, I STILL don't get your point ! Take it at face value - "Missing In Action" seems to say it all. "Doc"

Response by SPC Chris Ison made Dec 25 at 2020 3:06 PM

2020-12-25T15:06:51-05:00

Okay so the point of this, that many of you overlooked, is theidea that the U.S.,and only the U.S., has POW still in Vietnam.

Is ti racist? No, because that flag represent ANY POW black, white, or purple monkey dishwasher.

Is it "Nationalist"? yes it most certainly is, and to those who think that is wrong: BLOW ME.

With very few exceptions, the only troops on the ground in Vietnam, post French occupation, were American. And no I do not count the worthless south Vietnamese.

Response by SrA Gene Floyd made Dec 25 at 2020 11:54 PM

2020-12-25T23:54:10-05:00

I went into reading this thinking it would make me mad one way or the other, either because there was a clear racist connection which always pisses me off or because it was someone drawing a Non+logicalconnection between the flag and racism which also pisses me off because it gives anti-racism a bad name.
I didn't get mad at all I just got confused.
Does anybody actually know what this person's point was?

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 27 at 2020 4:24 AM

2020-12-27T04:24:26-05:00

I couldn't finish reading this BS. It is time this arthur went MIA.

Response by SSG Elmer Price made Dec 27 at 2020 12:07 PM

2020-12-27T12:07:46-05:00

lets do away with the black history month also isn't that racist also ??

Response by SgtMaj Roger Powell made Dec 27 at 2020 12:28 PM

2020-12-27T12:28:59-05:00

I am reminded of a comment from an Adam Sandler movie.
“I just wasted 20 minutes of my life reading this post. That is 20 minutes of my life I can’t get back. In no way did any of your incoherent ramblings develop a complete thought. We are all dumber for having been exposed to them. I award you zero points; and may God have mercy on your soul.”

Response by 1SG Timothy Lincoln made Dec 27 at 2020 6:31 PM

2020-12-27T18:31:44-05:00

Another method of forgetting about the American. Especially one who serves the nation. Cant we demonstrate our way of honoring and remembering those who didnt ask for opinions and the feelings of others just doing their jobs following orders. But nope. Someone has to be offended because of politics. this nation is drifting away from its origins. POW MIA has a way of helping us salute those who are applicable. Change isn't always good.

Response by CW4 Rodney Burnett made Dec 27 at 2020 7:40 PM

2020-12-27T19:40:29-05:00

That word, (racist) I do not think it means what he thinks it means.....

Response by MSgt J D McKee made Dec 27 at 2020 10:36 PM

2020-12-27T22:36:19-05:00

Rick Perlstein is pushing his book to boost sales by stirring up all the controversy he can so people will read it. Here's my problem with his idiocy---when everything, even things having no possible connection to racism, becomes racism, what in the living fuck do you call actual racism?

It kinda devalues the word when used to describe actual racists. So it forces me to believe Ol Rick is a white supremacist who is actually racist and wants to deprive the general population of a means to describe racism.

Because if there is any possible way that flag is racist I cannot see it and he in fact does not attempt to explain exactly how he conjures it into "racist". I suppose one could call any war against another race, racist, is that what he is doing? The illogic confounds me.

And comparing the silliness at Abu Graib to the Hanoi Hilton is just obscene. Abu Graib was humiliating, but didn't rise to a very high-level of actual torture. I know which I'd pick to be locked up in.

If you ever read Tolkien, this guy is Grima Wormtongue, or wants to be. In another clever use of words, he first links the POW flag to the Confederate flag through some complete illogic, then says it is "common as kudzu". Since this guy is from Milwaukee and all up north, I assume the vile weed is not in his normal writing vocabulary, so he is linking the POW flag to the south, which everyone knows is racist. A lot of people who read his hate speech will link the confederate flag and the POW flag when they see it now. That kind of thing sticks in the mind.

Response by SPC Robert Bobo made Dec 28 at 2020 9:24 AM

2020-12-28T09:24:27-05:00

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2020 1:25 PM

2020-12-29T13:25:40-05:00

Not exactly sure if I can comprehend all that my mind is still trying to figure out how that flag is considered racist

Response by PFC Bobby Smith made Jan 3 at 2021 11:36 AM

2021-01-03T11:36:47-05:00

I think its all in your mind. There are some people who think the same thing the American Flag, get your mind strait the POW/MIA flag is a good way to rember those who did not come back from the war

Response by Sgt Sheldon Best made Jan 9 at 2021 9:31 PM

2021-01-09T21:31:28-05:00

If you have not noticed, the American Media perpetuates a continual narrative that American values are inherently racist. Mainstream outlets continue to publish half-truths, take comments out of context, deliberately leave out information and outright fabricate 'facts' to further their agenda.

Response by SPC Juan Servera made Jan 10 at 2021 1:14 PM

2021-01-10T13:14:52-05:00

Here what I think of your article

Response by PO2 Ruben Garcia made Jan 10 at 2021 2:05 PM

2021-01-10T14:05:04-05:00

I do not agree. 1) You talk as though it is a symbol for just downed pilots. It is Not, it is for ALL Vietnam personnel who were taken captive and beaten, and started for information. I believe the real life accounts of soldiers who were there. Were you there? Not some made up shit like trump when he talked shit to Senator McCain a National Hero.

Response by PO1 William Van Syckle made Jan 22 at 2021 11:43 AM

2021-01-22T11:43:13-05:00

I can tell you, that Flag means a lot to me. Here is the short version of my story. My Dad was part of a team of three that flew A-26 Invaders (Pre A-10’s) in the Korean War. Dad is the soul survivor of that team. I was named after his co-pilot and to this day, he is still listed as MIA.
The VFW has a news letter that comes out once a week and in it is a section for MIA’s that have been recovered and ID’ed. I read it every week without fail looking for his name. Nothing to this date. But that flag tells me that somebody is looking for him and I hope and I pray he is returned to his home and loved ones.....

Response by Sgt Edward Harold made Jan 28 at 2021 3:45 PM

2021-01-28T15:45:46-05:00

That article apparently has a few facts but is loaded with BS. It It dishonors those held as POWs. It also ignores the POWs who were murdered by the enemy or never released and died after the war or are still held as prisoners or as virtual slaves in both NV and Russia. I expect it would be too embarrassing to acknowledge them and release them. It would have been better for them if they had died earlier than spend 40 years as as prisoners. I spit on those who are willing to be friendly with and do business with Viet Nam. All these details are classified somewhere in the pentagon.

Response by PFC Craig Karshner made Feb 11 at 2021 3:00 PM

2021-02-11T15:00:38-05:00

How dare that shithead call POW MIA flag racist. It's because of them those dipzhits can have a opion. We all have to get a backbone. Not everything is done with a agenda. We are all humans no better then the next. Get over yourself the flag is not racist. It stands for courage honor and country. They have paved the way for other warriors so don't give that dipshit the time of day..Rangers lead the way

Response by Maj Gary Gault made Feb 12 at 2021 1:03 AM

2021-02-12T01:03:00-05:00

Get some mental help and forget all the crap that you just pumped out. If you want to be a GD commie then get the hell out of the USA.

Response by SGT Stephen Jaffe made Feb 14 at 2021 10:06 AM

2021-02-14T10:06:36-05:00

I get so damned tired of idiots complaining about everything being racist. If certain people think everything is racist or that this country horrible, I have a solution; move the hell somewhere else. I visited Key West Florida a couple of years ago. Ninety miles from Cuba. There is a museum there displaying the various vessels refugees used to make it to the US. Its easy for America haters to get to Cuba. There are some refugees who will tell these folks what to expect when you get to Cuba's territorial waters and what to expect when you are taken ashore. I think all of the America haters need to get their asses out of here.

Response by SFC Dennis Ball made Feb 15 at 2021 1:06 AM

2021-02-15T01:06:35-05:00

Is this really happening? Just dumbfounded as to how far this is going to go? Where is command when we need them to step up? Remind them of what we all lost, sacrificed, and brothers lost in combat. To insure the USA remains the “beacon of light in a world of darkness” as our founding fathers intended it to always remain. Removing SOF patches earned through ops and honored was disgraceful enough to the unit. It’s all just disappointing. We’ve become racist after fighting oppression and evil. Like none of the ones making these acquisitions have ever known. Maybe they should kit up make a jump into some of these hell holes and get a clue as to how great the good old USA

Response by SP6 Peter Kreutzfeldt made Feb 20 at 2021 9:59 AM

2021-02-20T09:59:14-05:00

What is it with the RACIST crap. Way to many political whores and race mongers became rich on the issue and yet nothing can be done about it. Some people will just always be dumb asses and nothing will change.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2021 3:14 PM

2021-02-21T15:14:51-05:00

Sounds like this guy wrote this article from his hideout in Canada. However the POW/MIA flag started it has evolved into something else over time. Go with what it represents now.

Response by SPC Rob Hunker made Mar 3 at 2021 9:26 PM

2021-03-03T21:26:40-05:00

I am so tired of people whining that something is racist. Next thing you know they will be banning peanut butter because the workers don't get paid enough to harvest the peanuts. WTF? I met a POW during an escape and evasion course, and I have nothing but respect for him. It was an honor to listen to him, and I learned a lot as well. Civilian's have no clue what POW's went through, and they would not have the right to whine about things if not for the veterans who served there country, and whom some gave their for it. They need to start teaching this in school.

Response by PO2 Steve Miller made Mar 4 at 2021 4:12 PM

2021-03-04T16:12:55-05:00

Can't believe I never seen this, till today. WTF??

Response by SSG Elyzabeth Cromer made Mar 4 at 2021 6:05 PM

2021-03-04T18:05:45-05:00

The Washington Spectator where this opinion piece was first published is a monthly periodical with a circulation of 60,000; hardly a major publication. Why is this considered news worthy? Because it managed to sneak into the online version of Newsweek? They used to be a respectable news source, now about as reliable as People magazine.

Response by CAPT Edward Schmitt made Mar 14 at 2021 8:25 PM

2021-03-14T20:25:46-04:00

Absolutely uncorroborated. Provide information or stop. Using Senator Sanders as a source is stupid. He has been a documented tool of communist regimes for over 30 decades. What actual validation do you have? Or are you just another liberal troll?

Response by PO1 Arthur Neel made Mar 15 at 2021 9:37 AM

2021-03-15T09:37:32-04:00

The Author of that article needs to pull their Head out of their Ass and quit trying to stir the pot of BS. In the 21 years I served in the US Navy, the only color I cared about on the Flight Deck of an Aircraft Carrier was the color of their Shirt/Float Coat so I knew what their job was. For those now serving and those that have served, Thank you for your service. To all that served in Nam and came home, "Welcome Home". for those that haven't come Home as yet, I'll bend a knee and keep you in my prayers.

The photo really says it all.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 24 at 2021 10:37 PM

2021-03-24T22:37:18-04:00

so in what way, shape or form the MIA/POW flag is racist? there is no racial slur or denigrating image on it There is a lot of information in this article but none that explain how the flag is racist

Response by PO3 David Keck made Mar 28 at 2021 1:50 PM

2021-03-28T13:50:13-04:00

What tin foil logic is this? This is just like the crap that was spewed about the holocaust not happening in the wake of American and allied soldiers being onsite at places like Bergen Belson in 1945. I suppose the Hanoi Hilton was actually a hotel. The Son Tay raid was merely an attempted photo op? This kind of stupidity may get you published but you should have waited till more of the Vets had passed away first.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2021 4:59 PM

2021-04-03T16:59:57-04:00

OMG....I can't get the time spent reading this nonsense back!!! One word...laughable

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2021 5:01 PM

2021-04-03T17:01:13-04:00

Embarrassed to know you were part of my US Air Force...smdh

Response by MSgt Allen Chandler made Apr 5 at 2021 7:40 PM

2021-04-05T19:40:01-04:00

Why is this coming up on the news feed? This is a story from over a year ago and it didn’t make sense there. The word racist is what gets everybody’s attention and there’s nothing in the story to indicate the race had anything to do with it. It’s true that politics had a lot to do with it but welcome to the world. I personally am not happy with the flag, it’s shingles out one group and by default groups. Missing in action. There’s probably nobody left from World War I that could fit in that category. But there certainly are a lot from every war since then. You’re still finding bodies from World War II and Korea and all the other to boot. They’ve decided that there will not be a person from the Vietnam war interned in the tomb of the unknown soldier because it’s unlikely they’ll ever find a body that can’t be identified with modern science. The legend of POWs is not just from the Vietnam war but from Korea and World War II and I’m sure all the other battles in the last 70 years. I personally do care and think that the missing and unaccounted for should be paid respect. BUT The number of people that came back from war missing 2, 3 or 4. Limbs and the people that came back with no eyes no ears or scarred from head to toe deserve some attention also that’s why I don’t like the idea of the MIAPOW for it being phone and every military base. In my opinion it sends the message that all the others don’t count as much and I don’t like that

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 6 at 2021 2:58 PM

2021-04-06T14:58:43-04:00

Are you serious? Read up on things before you run your gums. Nixon &/or entourage may have coined the term, but the flag and its design are credited to the wife of a captured officer in the Army who spent 3+ yrs as a POW. Its because of journalists like yourself and liberals too as to why most generations after GenerationX have less & less knowledge of this country's history, and the sacrifices made by those in uniform and those who may never have worn one... for you all its all about fairy dust & unicorn piss

Response by 1SG Patrick Sims made Apr 21 at 2021 12:46 AM

2021-04-21T00:46:08-04:00

THE POW/MIA FLAG IS RACIST------BUT ONLY IF YOUR AN ASSHOLE.

Response by CPT Philip Bailey made Apr 27 at 2021 12:50 AM

2021-04-27T00:50:21-04:00

Read some first-hand accounts of POWs from Vietnam. Start with The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese by Col Robinson Rinser. Then get back to me.

Response by LtCol Dennis Ivan made Apr 29 at 2021 1:46 PM

2021-04-29T13:46:02-04:00

One need only look at the guys picture to see a. what he is and b. what his politics are.

That's not even considering the number of factual and logical mistakes he made or lied about in this article that made me lose count.

Response by SPC William Doyle made Apr 29 at 2021 6:08 PM

2021-04-29T18:08:30-04:00

If u don’t like the POW/MIA then you need the meaning of it kiss this veterans butt u lib loving pos

Response by SSG Paul Headlee made Apr 30 at 2021 12:03 PM

2021-04-30T12:03:09-04:00

The author exemplifies the meanness of the human spirit.

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2021 7:16 PM

2021-04-30T19:16:41-04:00

Perhaps Mr. Rick Perlstein should say thank you to all whom provided the opportunity for him to express his option, just a thought. On a side note, this article was published in August of 2015.

Response by SGT James Pentico made Apr 30 at 2021 8:56 PM

2021-04-30T20:56:25-04:00

When did you serve In Vietnam? It sounds like you have read a lot but do not have first hand experience. You can read all day about Vietnam and get each author’s opinion. How many Veterans who have served in Vietnam have you talked to or interviewed? I still have a friend that is still missing in Vietnam.
I am a proud Vietnam Veteran and most of what you have posted is not congruent with my experience in Vietnam.
Sgt. Pentico 1st Inf Division 1968-1970

Response by Sgt Peter McDonald made May 2 at 2021 9:24 PM

2021-05-02T21:24:40-04:00

The woke media is nothing more than ignorance with a pulpit to spread its ideological rhetoric.
Although the POW/MIA flag was created after Viet Nam and is most often perceived to represent the Viet Nam era, it also for those service members who went missing in all other wars.
In other words, it serves as a memorial for all those who have sacrificed and never returned home.

Response by MCPO Scott Ehrich made May 5 at 2021 10:03 PM

2021-05-05T22:03:50-04:00

Nuts!

Response by Capt John Burke made May 16 at 2021 10:32 AM

2021-05-16T10:32:40-04:00

OMG. ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Response by MSgt Kerry Lundy made May 18 at 2021 9:26 AM

2021-05-18T09:26:11-04:00

I just reviewed your profile and it left me puzzled. According to your profile you enlisted in 1998, in 2015 you indicate being a MSGT and then in 2018 you indicate that you were a TSGT. This article also shows you as a TSGT so what are we suppose to believe about you. I served 3 tours in Vietnam as a matter of fact my AFSC along with quite a few others were frozen for Southeast Asia. I gather from your profile the bulk of your knowledge about Vietnam and the war there came from the news media when you were growing up.

Response by PO1 Mike Wallace made May 27 at 2021 9:04 AM

2021-05-27T09:04:49-04:00

While we all served to protect freedom of speech and other rights we also protected the rights of people to be idiots, be offended, and demonstrate to the world that there our those who despise our service.
I have seen cases where the POW/MIA flag has been replaced by the gay pride flag which is indefensible!

Response by MGySgt Erik Burks made May 29 at 2021 9:12 PM

2021-05-29T21:12:56-04:00

Well this Veteran can form his own opinions and even publish them. The Marines I was trained by were mostly Viet Nam veterans so TSgt why don’t you ask them their opinions.

Response by SSG Ron Archer made Jun 7 at 2021 6:25 AM

2021-06-07T06:25:01-04:00

So you didn’t support the Vietnam war. Ok a lot of people didn’t and for good reason but I don’t see how that correlates to the POW/MIA flag being racist. It’s a flag, it promotes bringing American soldiers home to their families. I don’t even think the author knows what the definition of racist means.

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Jul 8 at 2021 4:06 PM

2021-07-08T16:06:04-04:00

I guess a "Client Systems" specialist knows more about the meaning of the POW/MIA flag than anyone else. I believe you work in customer support services (what use to be called Consolidated Base Processing Office, back in the '60s to '90s.) The term Missing in Action has been around for a very long time. When someone cannot be found alive or dead, they're considered "missing in action",until such time as they can be found alive, as prisoner, dead or absent without leave. The POW/MIA flag shows the (hopeully) alive prisoners, and their families that they are still remembered and cared about. Every year the day set aside as POW/MIA Day, the American and POW flags are set at half mast, a lone table is set up with a plate, silverware, glass, coffee cup and the two flags to await either the return of the man/woman as alive or their remains to the country and family they served. Hate it if you will because in this country, you can as a right.

Response by SSgt Daniel d'Errico made Jul 8 at 2021 4:07 PM

2021-07-08T16:07:55-04:00

Oh, to call it "racist" because of the colors used or whatever, is just simply ignorance.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2021 5:44 PM

2021-07-08T17:44:55-04:00

That is by far the most ridiculous fantasy I have read in a long time. As a Veteran and have family members who were in-fact POWs, I find this distasteful and disgraceful. This person is reaching so far to get what they want and all that is, is attention. After this, I will not even read it again and not even suggest it to read. So this dude can "Suck-It!".

Response by CPL Joshua Zanola made Jul 10 at 2021 3:45 PM

2021-07-10T15:45:38-04:00

It seems to me the title of this article should be “POW/MIA flag anti-communist?”There is no argument in this article that the flag in itself or its beginnings is racist, but this article does convey a very strong pro-communist tone.So it my opinion is that this article is just another attempt at pushing a “Woke” agenda by aCommunist infiltrator

Response by CPL Aaron Novak made Jul 13 at 2021 6:14 PM

2021-07-13T18:14:31-04:00

Where are your sources? If you can’t provide them then this is just rhetorical bullshit.

Response by SGT Mark Kotajarvi made Jul 13 at 2021 11:31 PM

2021-07-13T23:31:05-04:00

The Flag is NOT racist. Did this COLUMNIST serve? Were they a POW? Did they go through anything like that? Hostage maybe? My guess NO!! Shut the hell up then

Response by SPC Chuck Voss made Jul 14 at 2021 10:29 AM

2021-07-14T10:29:33-04:00

They can go to Hell

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 14 at 2021 4:38 PM

2021-07-14T16:38:54-04:00

So now Rally Point has gone Woke Leftist.

Time to move on.

Response by Capt Francisco Briseno made Jul 15 at 2021 6:31 AM

2021-07-15T06:31:25-04:00

Wow! I was expecting Jane Fonda had wrote it while wearing a pith helmet, of course, communist NVA issued.

Response by 1SG Clifford Barnes made Jul 15 at 2021 8:01 AM

2021-07-15T08:01:11-04:00

Unbelievable ridiculous

Response by LCpl Ricky Malone III made Jul 16 at 2021 4:46 AM

2021-07-16T04:46:37-04:00

What the hell does this have to do with the title?
I didn't see anything about racism anywhere in that neverending rambling of entirely random pages of nonsense!

I thought people were going off about another flag, nope, just a bunch of nonsense. If anything this seems degrading to the men that served in Vietnam! You should delete this crap!

Response by SSG Bill McCoy made Jul 16 at 2021 10:50 AM

2021-07-16T10:50:10-04:00

Like SGT Jeremiah B. comment, "I think I just got dumber," for reading that ludicrous diatribe. It's more "woke" idiocy - nothiing more; nothing less.

Response by PFC John Behrman made Jul 16 at 2021 12:30 PM

2021-07-16T12:30:16-04:00

How in the world is the POW/MIA flag racist? I'm not seeing it at all.

Response by CPO Arthur Weinberger made Jul 16 at 2021 1:01 PM

2021-07-16T13:01:35-04:00

You are a disgrace to America and the uniform you once wore. Actually one can see whatever your platform is; by being obese you prove my point. Our men and women who served in Vietnam and saw
these atrocieties were all liars? You Hanoi Jane, Senator John Kerry would do America a great service if you go to North Korea and cozy up with your pals. The Pow-Mia flag represents those lost and or missing in action. Many countries have lost-missing persons thru the years. This is a fact, not a fallacy!
Want to spread lies,stick your head in the toilet after several people void and speak.I have personally
spoke to others who served in "Nam" like myself; and heard some of these truths.

Response by CPT Edward Baker made Jul 16 at 2021 7:52 PM

2021-07-16T19:52:06-04:00

WOW, What has happened to our country. We have freedom of religion, as long as it doesn't offended someone. We have freedom of speech, as long as its political correct. Every day I see the freedoms of the average human become less and less. Nothing we say or do nowadays goes without question. I have always viewed the POW/MIA flag as one that honors all Soldiers in every war that didn't make home. I am at a loss for words on this one.

Response by CMSgt Donald ONeill made Jul 16 at 2021 8:16 PM

2021-07-16T20:16:24-04:00

I have notice lately more and more military publications have become very left leaning with their writings . As a old timer with four wars under my belt I see nothing in our modern military that is improving our war fighting skills . I do see political correctness and a lot of it influencing all sides of our military and not for the good . You can have the best hardware and arms but without free thinking people behind them you have nothing .

Response by CW2 Myers Owings made Jul 16 at 2021 11:46 PM

2021-07-16T23:46:10-04:00

Not everything is racist. The pow/mia flag is not racist. I read on one of the other posts this is an old article, even so its twisted.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2021 9:39 AM

2021-07-17T09:39:43-04:00

Even National Parks are racists according to Marxists. Majority of Millennials embrace socialism. These same generation we gave trophies and medals to for participating in sports. The same public schools that Freemasons support. The same Freemasons who started the French Revolutions and other revolutions around the globe. Satan has invaded these same institutions like Freemasonry and churches and schools to destroy families and societies. I’m from the Philippines and I embrace America! But most Filipinos do not. Product of Marxist education in Philippine schools and universities. God Bless the USA!!!!

Response by Lt Col Warren Domke made Jul 17 at 2021 7:33 PM

2021-07-17T19:33:33-04:00

I had the honor of working with a POW family as a sponsor during the POW repatriation in 1973. While the author of this piece makes some valid points most of the piece is based on his set of opinions on the Vietnam War. Like many Air Force and other service officers I served a year in Vietnam and most of us saw things we didn't like and may have done things we didn't like. But to me the POW/MIA flag represents the prisoners of war and missing in action of all wars in our history. They and their families, along with the families of those killed in action, are victims. Very likely the Vietnam War shouldn't have happened, but we served and did so to the best of our abilities, often out of our duty and loyalty to each other. It was that duty and loyalty that prompted me to volunteer to sponsor a family.It serves little purpose to point fingers at Richard Nixon or Lyndon Johnson all these years later. Mistakes were made, and we live with the results of them years later. But the POW/MIA flag is no more racist than any of our service flags or our national colors. I am glad and grateful for those we brought home alive, just as I am glad and grateful for all my fellow Americans who served in a war that returned little in the way of thanks until years later, when people began to see us for who we are and the war for what it was. I am expressing my personal opinions here and I have taken some time to learn more about the history of the Vietnam experience all the way back to the beginnings of the French Indochina War, so my opinions are reasonably the result of some personal education. I am not ashamed of my Vietnam service because I have nothing to be ashamed of. I love the Vietnamese people I knew then and have known since. And I live my fellow Vietnam veterans, including those who were POWs and especially for the ones we lost. We did our best. I was honored to serve and, if I fly the POW/MIA flag I do so to honor some of the best of my fellow Vietnam veterans.

Response by Cpl Ronald VanAuken made Jul 18 at 2021 8:20 AM

2021-07-18T08:20:33-04:00

Apart from not seeing the connection between the story and the flag, a bit of actual research suggests that there are a few errors and/or distortions in the article, that respecting Abel Kavanaugh being a glaring one. That there is a question as to whether it was suicide is simply one example. Let's do our homework. Do we need to continue to reassess how we write history so as to be less political? Of course. But this article does not at all foster that. It is simply another politically motivated opinion, and by that I do not mean that is reflects any particular party, but rather a personal agenda.

Response by SP5 Norman Binder made Jul 18 at 2021 4:06 PM

2021-07-18T16:06:12-04:00

Can't play Dominoes anymore, I guess.

Response by Col Pat Nance made Jul 18 at 2021 5:45 PM

2021-07-18T17:45:13-04:00

Bull****!

Response by 1LT Gerald O'Hare made Jul 18 at 2021 8:56 PM

2021-07-18T20:56:47-04:00

We display the POW flag at all official meetings of the American Legion. You can come and try to take it down but be warned we also have weapons. We will kill you very dead.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2021 10:30 PM

2021-07-18T22:30:47-04:00

Cancel Culture needs to be canceled

Response by PO1 Michael Garrett made Jul 18 at 2021 11:14 PM

2021-07-18T23:14:28-04:00

After reading insane diatribe, I am reminded of an old saying.STRESS- that which results from the mind overriding the bodies desire to choke the living S*** out of someone who desperately needs it.

Response by LT Stewart Herrick made Jul 19 at 2021 8:23 AM

2021-07-19T08:23:41-04:00

The POW/MIA flag is racist? I think the author just might be obcessed with manufacturing controversy. Just maybe! I would like to know more about his background, politics and ethnicity. I don't know if it's his premise, his conclusion or both. It requires more mental gymnastics than I can muster. As a VietNam vet, I quite like the flag.

Response by PO3 Terry Lee made Jul 19 at 2021 10:55 AM

2021-07-19T10:55:56-04:00

A silhouette of a prisoner of war (POW) before a guard tower and barbed wire in white on a black field. "POW/MIA" appears above the silhouette, and the words "You Are Not Forgotten" appear below in white on the black field. "MIA" stands for "missing in action." I see nothing, in the least, that can be associated with racism nor bigotry. Silhouettes are naturally black. Truths and Facts mean nothing to feelings.

Response by MSgt Danny Derden made Jul 19 at 2021 1:13 PM

2021-07-19T13:13:52-04:00

Unfortunately racism has come to be defined by PERCEPTION rather than ACTION...a travesty of the first order IMO. Just another example of just how broken our American culture has become, a man is now guilty by accusation, a man is a racist because of this or that symbol, inanimate objects are racist or misogynistic, and symbols that are about unity, liberty, and justice for all are used to divide us and treated with disrespect they never earned or deserved. Perception is like opinion...everyone has their own but opinion like perception does NOT make FACT or TRUTH. What a mixed up, messed up people we have allowed ourselves to become...and no one dares call another on it, even when they are clearly in the wrong for fear of being labeled and thus 'proven' to be what they are not.

Response by SSgt Daren Junker made Jul 19 at 2021 3:52 PM

2021-07-19T15:52:26-04:00

Suddenly the (satire site) Babylon Bee article about scientists saying we'll run out of things to call racist in 6 months doesn't work. Obviously, everything is racist. Hey! Get that racist toothpick off my table!!!

Response by MAJ Patrick Hairston CISSP, AWS Certified Cloud Architect made Jul 20 at 2021 7:56 AM

2021-07-20T07:56:15-04:00

POW flag racist? Are you kidding me?

Response by CPL Neubauer Ted made Jul 20 at 2021 8:57 AM

2021-07-20T08:57:45-04:00

Unfortunately, these days anyone can make something racist if they choose and sheep will follow. Many things in our history are controversial or just plain bad. What we have to do is learn from the bad things - not erase them. The POW-MIA flag means so much to so many of us that (I hope) it will never be erased or modified. I for one will continue to fly mine with pride - just like old glory.

Response by SGT Mark Vandolah made Jul 20 at 2021 11:26 AM

2021-07-20T11:26:32-04:00

How can a flag that is dedicated to Missing in action/Prisoner of War soldier be racist???

Response by SFC Chet Crowell made Jul 21 at 2021 8:12 AM

2021-07-21T08:12:34-04:00

Our Country failed from within. We will never return to the way we were.

Response by GySgt Marc Dickerson made Jul 21 at 2021 9:49 AM

2021-07-21T09:49:23-04:00

The left will take anything and bend it to fit their agenda and rhetoric. The truth and facts are irrelevant.

Response by Sgt Barry Russo made Jul 21 at 2021 11:47 AM

2021-07-21T11:47:24-04:00

The real Racists are the one that constantly want to do everything possible to destroy everything that made this Country great.
The Civil War was the most costly reparation that any Country could give in supports of making everyone free to explore their chance to be successful if they are willing to work for it. But no, Racists want to tare down the good with the bad.
If it's not the Civil War it's attacks like this that spit in the face of every Veteran.
The true Racists have unfortunately set race relationships back 20 year.
Wake up Country, we can correct problems of the past and still Honor the best Country on this Planet.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 22 at 2021 2:54 AM

2021-07-22T02:54:26-04:00

Holy rant of horseshit, Batman.
No, we are not perfect, and if you insinuate that we are claiming to be totally innocent, you're a lying sack of shit. However, comma, that does NOT mean that we were worse than the North Vietnamese. This writer is just trying to justify calling yet another random thing "racist."

Response by SGT Gary Tob made Jul 22 at 2021 2:41 PM

2021-07-22T14:41:32-04:00

To bad you're research didn't go into the "Paris Peace Accord" and the mostly Democrat Control Congress that also resulted in our defeat after the the military won that "war" conflict and millions of people to be slaughtered after we left. MIA flag is NOT RACIST. I for one am pretty tired of this woke BS. That's why I left the military with 14 years of service.

Response by MAJ Terry Mathews made Jul 22 at 2021 6:08 PM

2021-07-22T18:08:10-04:00

I fail to see the connection with the story listed and the MIA/POW flag being racist.

Response by AN Tony Leding made Jul 22 at 2021 9:39 PM

2021-07-22T21:39:55-04:00

This "article" is one more example arguing against the democratization of social media and forum threads in general.

Response by SPC Brian Pritchard/Hall made Jul 22 at 2021 9:46 PM

2021-07-22T21:46:04-04:00

It’s this simple MIA POW flag is fine. The idiots in the media are and have been and will continue to try and control our thoughts and definitions of everything that is past (history book where wrong) present and future and all is subject to their whims at the time. Call them on it and they find a label for you to make you irrelevant. Just my opinion.

Response by Cpl Tyler Therrien made Jul 23 at 2021 1:03 PM

2021-07-23T13:03:57-04:00

ignorance knows no bounds "Betsy Ross" flag is racist even though she was a quaker, that sect were crucial in ending slavery in England and started the underground RR here in this country.

Response by SSgt Milo Ratbottom made Jul 23 at 2021 1:22 PM

2021-07-23T13:22:01-04:00

This is the biggest pile of bed wetting liberal drivel that I’ve ever read. But, it follows the left wing narrative. If they try hard enough, they can find something, just one thing to wrinkle their panties. If they bring it to the attention of the woke starved media, maybe, just maybe someone will call them a Social Justice Warrior, while the majority calls them whiney ball bags.

Response by SSgt Angela Fabian made Jul 23 at 2021 5:50 PM

2021-07-23T17:50:47-04:00

Our voices have to be louder that the wokies; almost feel sorry for them, they don't don't know what service and sacrifice is.

Response by PO2 Gary Sanchez made Jul 23 at 2021 6:53 PM

2021-07-23T18:53:15-04:00

That damned POW/MIA flag has never been anything but terrible politics.

Response by SGT Steve Smedsrud made Jul 24 at 2021 11:07 AM

2021-07-24T11:07:42-04:00

How old is this so called columnist of a major news periodical? AND this person has a BOOK 4 SALE! Well! it sounds like this person is actually trying to boost the sale of the book and what better way is to play the other side. Pimple face! Want to sell books then get out and sell the books not sit back and stir the already "racists" pot.

Response by SPC Dean J. Thompson made Jul 24 at 2021 2:06 PM

2021-07-24T14:06:55-04:00

You are a friggin idiot.
That flag represents some much more today to more then one generation.

Response by SP5 Mike Venuto made Jul 24 at 2021 3:09 PM

2021-07-24T15:09:34-04:00

having served in Vietnam in the US Army I think you do not know a damn thing...

Response by SSG Harry Herres made Jul 25 at 2021 10:36 PM

2021-07-25T22:36:14-04:00

I am tired of idiots who have nothing better than talk about racists bull. We are all one , we all bleed red. If you can't see this, go to hell, you are the problem! If you think you are better than others, go to hell ,you are no better than others. I am alive because we all fought for US not you. You got to love stupid no they are just that stupid! Can't cure it!

Response by SGT Frank Barnes made Jul 26 at 2021 3:42 PM

2021-07-26T15:42:22-04:00

Just to make sure everyone knows the source of this garbage, it was Rick Perlstein, and published by Newsweek. In case you run short of toilet paper...

Response by CPL Larry Bezemer made Jul 26 at 2021 10:32 PM

2021-07-26T22:32:54-04:00

What the F ever dude.......

Response by CPL Larry Bezemer made Jul 26 at 2021 10:33 PM

2021-07-26T22:33:57-04:00

Wonder why this guy lost a stripe?

Response by 1SG Brian Adams made Jul 27 at 2021 2:18 PM

2021-07-27T14:18:31-04:00

Hell no...

Response by 1SG Mike Robinson made Jul 28 at 2021 4:05 PM

2021-07-28T16:05:32-04:00

https://www.pow-miafamilies.org/history-of-the-powmia-flag.html

History of the POW/MIA Flag

HISTORY OF THE POW/MIA FLAG In 1970, Mrs. Michael Hoff, an MIA wife and member of the National League of POW/MIA Families, recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIAs. Prompted by an...

Response by Capt Al Parker made Aug 21 at 2021 7:53 PM

2021-08-21T19:53:24-04:00

The person or person who call the POW/MIA flag racist ARE IN THEMSELVES RACISTS!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 23 at 2021 7:33 PM

2021-08-23T19:33:43-04:00

I’m so sick of this shit! Stupid fuvking people!

Response by 1LT Lewis Nelson made Aug 24 at 2021 1:22 PM

2021-08-24T13:22:13-04:00

As a vet of our illegal war against the Vietnamese, I think many of us have trouble with the truth of this narrative, just as my mother had trouble with the truth that it was not the A-bomb that defeated the Japanese and brought my dad home safely from WWII. As a white privilege kid from Georgia, it took me a while to understand American racism against the Japanese and Vietnamese peoples. And I don't see any purity in any flag with any war history.

Response by PO3 Edward Riddle made Sep 23 at 2021 4:00 PM

2021-09-23T16:00:33-04:00

This article could have been written in Russia. It's full of communist propaganda. It has no idea of the reality of the whole thing. You can't change history because you don't like it. Tear down the statues. change the names of streets, bases etc. It all really happened.

Response by Sgt Robert Gardner made Sep 24 at 2021 12:51 PM

2021-09-24T12:51:04-04:00

If you're a racist it is.

Response by Sgt Robert Gardner made Sep 24 at 2021 12:51 PM

2021-09-24T12:51:50-04:00

Leftists and racists think it is, intelligent people don't think it is.

Response by LTC David Howard made Sep 25 at 2021 9:27 AM

2021-09-25T09:27:50-04:00

To the Left, anything that is viewed as patriotic is to be demonized. Their favorite accusation is that something is “racist”, which at one time was feared and enough to make opponents become silent. But it is a meaningless, stupid allegation that has lost its sting. And unfortunately, the Left used to be a fringe element in American society, but it is now embraced fully by the Democrat Party along with its media, entertainment industry, and entertainment industry fellow travelers.

Response by SN Jeffrey White made Sep 25 at 2021 10:48 AM

2021-09-25T10:48:52-04:00

This is a horrible way to advertise for your crumby book.
Take your woke ass elsewhere

Response by Sgt Ivan Boatwright made Sep 25 at 2021 6:32 PM

2021-09-25T18:32:32-04:00

To those of us who served in Nam, the flag represents our fallen and, in some cases, still missing friends. I own the flag and a bracelet that I still wear. I left Vietnam in April 1968 for my last time. However, I left some of myself behind, and I will never get that part back. I had a friend from my unit that was captured but was fortunate enough to escape after 42 days. I have a friend who flew backseat on an F4 and was shot down while over North Vietnam, but fortunately, the plane made it to the Gulf before crashing into the sea. He was picked up by air/sea rescue. The pilot is still in the Gulf. He cannot walk without aids. That is what the flag means to most of us

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Sep 25 at 2021 9:52 PM

2021-09-25T21:52:04-04:00

I never liked it. It does nothing for the victims

Response by SGT Erick Holmes made Sep 26 at 2021 6:54 PM

2021-09-26T18:54:46-04:00

Wow!!!! I'm lost for words on this. I would have never thought that the POW/MIA flag is any kind of racist flag. As a man of color I would have never thought that someone or groups would think thats racist. I'm not sure if your going by that theres a dark (what I would assume a man's head) on a white background. I mean, that would be (to me) the only thing that I would assume you could say is racist but even at that thats a very non existent. hard sell you would have to do to me. IDK fellow Veterans, Active Duty and my forefathers/Old Timers(no offense by any means) where and what has the world gone too. Let's not wear the uniform anymore cause some how thats offensive and racist to someone. Let's not wear Black boots or tan boots of the black corfams cause its a racist shoe. This is soo stupid and just unnecessary. We have 1,000 other issues in the world to worry about like our sisters and brothers who are still missing and we can't find them so they can come home like most of us. WTF!!!!!

Response by SP6 Greg Jetter made Sep 26 at 2021 8:13 PM

2021-09-26T20:13:00-04:00

What complete moron on what publication wrote and publish this gibberish ?

As a guy who lived through this entire POW/MIA thing active duty at the time , we all had bracelets with the names of the missing, It was common knowledge in the ranks that we had missing / pow's . I got to say, the guy who wrote that shit has mental problems. I knew the left hated the people who fought in Nam but for christ sake to try and shit on our remembrance of the lost is un forgivable .

As for their being NO Soldiers left behind after the prisoners were exchanged , that is a complete lie , I witnessed the "Government hearings" , They even had an recent escapee that the Swiss red cross had smuggled out of country who escaped out of a camp , he said there were at least 200 more prisoners of war in various work camps in the interior , not in Hanoi . just about every year from 1975 till late 80's , rummers of left behind men and prisoners were appearing in the media weekly , and when the Senate held hearings , compelling testimony even from a recent escapee was presented .

What's wrong with remembering the unaccounted /missing and dead with a flag ?
Why ?
Our nation is becoming a shit bowl of commie garbage.

Response by Sgt Frank Staples made Sep 26 at 2021 10:32 PM

2021-09-26T22:32:44-04:00

Says a media man who probably has never served his country in any capacity.

Response by SGT Isaiah Pacheco made Sep 27 at 2021 1:10 AM

2021-09-27T01:10:18-04:00

I usually don’t comment on articles, but will to say this article is a complete waste of time. Good luck with your career in “writing”. Or better, just give up.

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2022 9:45 AM

2022-04-09T09:45:52-04:00

Anybody can make a symbol of human compassion for the missing soldiers into something that is not meant to be like racist. It's sad that not everybody can share the compassion this flag symbolizes.

Response by LTC Ray Buenteo made Apr 9 at 2022 10:23 AM

2022-04-09T10:23:37-04:00

What was the purpose of even putting this on RP? 1st amendment right, I get that. We serve to protect that right, I get that. I got nothing else.