Mitt Romney was a Draft Dodger
Some voters will make this the reason why Mitt Romney will not get their vote. Others will not care.
During the Vietnam War, especially from 1965-70, many college aged draft eligible men refused to fight the Vietnam War. I guess, one could say it was the fashion or style of the day. This rebellion against authority or those in control germinated with The Beatles in an innocent fashion-long hair and rock music. I know, it is hard to believe. Once the genie was out of the bottle, there was this silent distrust of anyone who was older than 30 yrs. It was a sort of "given" with many teens and college age kids.
The best movie to capture this is "Across the Universe", where it starts in an innocent, respectful time and quickly turns into rebellion of all things "old". The Vietnam war, rock music, drugs, long hair and how you dressed defined on what side you were on then.
Mitt Romney was 19 then, just starting Stanford. From 1965 to 1969, the clean cut young man, avoided the war with draft deferments because he was a Mormon and in college. This was the legal way to avoid fighting in the jungles. The other way, was to run into Canada or elsewhere and wait it out. In fact, none of the Romney boys then (all five) went to the war and avoided it using the same criteria. The military draft had other classifications one could use to avoid going, like, being a homosexual, drug use. In fact, if you were in the military then, you could get a discharge for either claiming to be a homo or using drugs, like weed.
Romney claims that he always supported the American fight there in Nam, but hell if he was going there to help. Romney did protest against the anti-war protesters but Mitt had no intention to serve in the military. By 1970, he opposed the war and now 23 yrs.old. He was still eligible for the draft, but by then, the draft itself was on its last year or so, his number was simply too high to worry about it.
To many vets, this avoidance of serving in the military is a serious flaw. Why? Obama never did. Romney did what millions of college age men did legally. He did not run off to Canada. Does this make him a bad presidential candidate? For some, yes. Some Americans think it is patriotic to always serve in a war that is just a waste, just do your duty. That, it is not patriotic to voice and rebel against what is not right.
Some say that the 58,000 lives lost in Vietnam was worth it. It preserved the "American" way somehow. It was the right thing at the time. Well, 20\20 is always easier in hindsight. But, those who did protest that war and did avoid the draft have been proven right. Vietnam won. Now, they make clothes and Nike shoes that Americans wear and they are still communist. Those lives were utterly wasted.
Some say that Iraq and Afghanistan are similar in the end. With Iraq, I tend to think is was worth it but I agree 100% that the Afghanistan war was and remains a waste. Sometimes, trying to do the noble thing is just not appreciated.
