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ADVICE TO A DRAFT DODGER! by Thomas Graham Williams copyrighted April 2000

Look at the "Wall", Their names are on it, along with the other names who never came back alive to share the love that their families and children, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers and the friends have.  WHO, also prayed for them.  Though the ones who spit on us and called us baby killers, and jeered and sneered at us, they will have their day. Even though they feel they got away with what they did and said, it can never be undone, though I forgive them, I for one will not forget it, nor can I. I had a boss in my first civilian job who was one of them, and at times he would say to me, "Tom, don't you ever think of what you have done?  Aren't you embarrassed for what you did?  And sorry, you know Tom you should have done what I did, I burned my Draft Card when I was at Penn State." My answer to him was, "That's nice George, does that make you a hero? A martyr? A REAL leader?  You know what George?  I did what I had to do, I was ordered, I did not burn my draft card, nor did I desert to another country to hide like a coward and let someone else do your dirty little job. I had orders, I took an Oath.  And yes George, in my heart I am humbly very sorry for what I was ORDERED to do, but not of what I had to do in that, less than a split second......in order to save my own life and or that of my comrades.  Yes I had a choice to make and if I did not make some of those choice's I might not be here telling you this today.  Yes, I am sorry.  Sorry I had to make  many choices but, my God will forgive me, I know that in my heart.  Yes I would like to forget, but never will...partly because it is people like "you" that won't let me, the other part is....those horrors that I have witnessed and have been part of, IT will never let me forget.  You "MADE" your choice and now you also have to live with it.  It was my choice George, not yours, so why don't you let me alone and let me live my life?  I do not question you of what you did, so do not question me for what I HAD to do.  There are men, still alive today for the choices I made.  Yes George, they may have lost and arm or leg or be maimed in some way or other.  Most of them are leading productive lives, even with families and sharing themselves with children they might not have ever seen and have them grow up to be proud of their Daddy's....Had I not made those choices, what if I had not?  One other thing George, every time I hear you come down on a Veteran for what ever "War" they have been, you can be rest assured I will be there along side him or her, to provide support to them, just like I did long ago.  For we, the chosen ones, have fought together and will continue to fight together until our last breathe is taken from us.  And we, the Chosen ones, will never forget about those who never came back alive, the MIA's, and yes, George the ones who did make it back and are tormented by nightmares, and people like you.  Your kind are our worst nightmares, but we can deal with that, you see George.....WE did not burn our draft cards, spit on a Veteran, nor cast him out.  It was you, yes George you represent the worst of all of "your troops".  Get a life, you and your children have been BORN to a life in FREEDOM...Your Fathers, Mothers, Uncles, Brothers, Sisters, Friends and people you don't even know or will never know, have made it possible to go to a baseball game, football game, other sports....to go on a vacation by choice...to get a job, and earn a living, to get married, have children, one of God's most precious miracles, and to see them grow up and to make their choices....to either go to college or to just get a job.  What is it your and your kind want from us.... Have we not shed enough of our blood for you?"

Used with permission of author Please do not use this without contacting the website owner. copyright 2000

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