Nervy journalism !

I read in the news this morning ( June 18 ) that retired military

    man, Perry Smith, thinks that nerve gas was never used in the  scandalous

    enough  Vietnam War  to get  a few detested  defectors. He calls the

    story " sleazy journalism  " and even quit his job  as a military

    analyst at CNN - in protest.

           In general scandalous stories - not backed up by very diligent

    investigating - should never get past a responsible editor. Other

     mass   media sources just " pick up " the fishy story.


            The war in Vietnam was a bottomless pit of real scandals. The

    Oliver Stone  movie " Born on the 4th of July " seemed highly credible

    to me. Pathetic Ron Kovic in his wheel chair was the perfect poster boy

    for that  national calamity.

           But it is brainless to readily believe every  " shocking " rumor

    connected with that war. The honor and courage and character  of thousands

    of military people like Ma.Gen. Perry Smith were not " casualties of war ".

          If there is ever another  " Good War "  in the future , we will

    want such people around.