Frank McCarthy [10/08/2004]

To the editor:In Shakespeares play King Henry V, on the eve of battle, King Henry utters the following to those gathered to save England: We fewWe happy fewWe band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. And gentlemen in England now a-bed shall think themselves accursd they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap while any of we speak. On many occasions I have written about the sacred bond that is formed between men who have served together in combat. I have stated and do so again that the love to which I refer is as strong as any that exists on Earth. It is an inexplicable bond known and fully understood only by those who have lived through the hell of war. I believe my 39 months in Indochina, including 26 months of combat, two purple hearts requiring four months of hospitalization, and the award of three Bronze Star medals with combat V authorized for each, allows me the moral authority to state my case. I tell you this, that inexplicable bond formed between warriors is never, I repeat, never easily broken. I unhesitatingly guarantee you this much. Every single sailor whose most heartfelt and inner thoughts have been put to words and quoted in the New York Times number-one bestseller Unfit For Command was done so only after hours upon hours of profound, gut-wrenching, heartfelt thought as to whether or not they were doing the right thing. There is no doubt they all asked themselves the same question. Were John Kerrys Vietnam service and post-Vietnam actions so unacceptable and inappropriate to warrant that they take the drastic step of breaking their sacred warrior bond? More than 270 men, warriors and patriots, bound together by that sacred creed exemplified in the words semper fidelis and all for one and one for all have seen fit to break that bond. Theres more to the content of the book than the liberal left would have you believe. Except for the above statement, I shall not attempt to influence your decision as to the validity of whats in the book. I leave that totally up to the reader. All I ask is that, prior to casting your vote, you take into account the bond to which I referred to above, and read the book. Whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent, the choice is yours. Make your voting decision, relative to perhaps the most important vote in a century, based on hearsay and uninformed ignorance or, with objectivity. Read the book Unfit For Command and make, if not a different choice, at least a more informed and intelligent choice, based on what you yourself have decided and not on what someone else with an axe to grind might have told you or attempted to keep from you. Can any of us do less? We owe at least that much to our children, grandchildren and our countrys future. Please, I beg of you to read the book!Words of caution dont go to any of the eight local libraries looking for a copy of the book in question. Only one, the Conway Library has a copy and one would be pressed to find it on the shelf rather than on loan? Do not look for it in the local bookstores either. None of them have it! Can you imagine? The New York Times number one bestseller, on its list for weeks, and you cant find it in a bookstore in Conway? They will, however, order one for you. No wait-time at Wal-Martthey have plenty! Oh, by the way, when you enter the bookstore, be careful you dont trip on the stacks of Kitty Kellys The Family, piled up at the door.