Vietnam (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Jonathan Lighter]

There's no comparison. I think if Bill had spent as much time trying to
reconstruct his traffic accidents as Blumenthal has spent over the
years reflecting on his military service, Bill's driver's license would
be long gone by now.

Blumenthal has had plenty of practice, Bill, I assume, hasn't.

It is hard to explain this away as a slip of the tongue: "I wore the uniform
in Vietnam and many came back to all kinds of disrespect"  [
http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Critics-weigh-Blumenthal-s-words-491710.php
]

Robin, Blumenthal is quoted as having said,  "I am called general all the
time in my role, but the highest rank I will ever have in life is as a
sergeant in the United States Marines." (ibid.)

JL




JL
On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 6:42 PM, Robin Hamilton <
robin.hamilton2 at btinternet.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Robin Hamilton <robin.hamilton2 at BTINTERNET.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Vietnam (UNCLASSIFIED)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> This is silly.
>
> Either Blumenthal said or implied that he saw *active service in Vietnam,
> or
> he didn't.
>
> (Mind you, "active service" covers a hell of a lot of areas.)
>
>            Big deal.
>
> Either way, he was or implied he was Officer Core.
>
> Who the fuck among the politcos, either  on the US or the UK side,  who
> parade their service credentials. were corporals or sergeants?
>
> I'll start taking this shit serously when I hear it from the other ranks.
>
> I didn't serve, but (cliche) ...  Fill in the blanks.
>
> Sorry.  My bad.  This annoys the hell out of me.
>
>            Robin
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>



--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org