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Stolen Valor

On this Veteran’s Day, it will be well to remind ourselves that there are those among us who steal valor and suck the honor from the marrow of the nation’s heroic bones. A few months ago, the Australian Broadcasting System (ABC) put together a documentary called “Stolen Valor.” Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who lied numerous times about his service in Vietnam, is among the dark characters in the film.

Comments

Bruce Rubenstein said…
Don..Blumenthal in his many years as AG probably gave hundreds of speeches concerning veterans and mentioned viet nam.In all those speeches the op research team of Linda McMahon only came up with 5 speeches in which he misspoke.Surely if he was interested in lying about his record, he would have lied every time,rather then just 5 times out of hundreds of speeches.I think the better and more logical reason for his mis-speaking is that he got caught up in the emotionalism of the moment and mis-spoke.The public obviously agrees with me.The majority of us dont think Blumenthal lied as evidenced by his convincing win.Advancing an arguement that the voters dont agree with,never gets one far, as the unconvinced public just closes their eyes to the false arguement,as what happened in this case.
Don Pesci said…
Bruce,

To lie is knowingly to say the thing that is not.

Mr. Blumenthal said several times that he had served in Vietnam.

He did not serve in Vietnam. It is not possible that he did not know he did not serve in Vietnam.

Therefore he lied, several times.

I like your explanation of why he lied – Blumenthal several times gave himself up to the emotions of a moment and yielded to what he wanted others to believe about him – better than his; unfortunate slip of the tongue, sorry.

But I would like your explanation even better had you said that that a majority of people in the state discounted his lies because they believed his lie about the lies. People sometimes do that.

I do not wish to count myself among that majority.

Don

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