The Sanders' Hang Up

 By Florida Bill

          Donald Trump has criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders for failing to defend his mike, and notes that if Sanders cannot stand his ground in a political arena and deliver a speech, how can he defend America and take the country to war should that become necessary.  Naturally, Trump is criticized by the media for his petty insult, or whatever they are calling his opinion. 

        When you mull over Mr. Trump's comment, in light of Sanders history as an anti-war activist,  I don't think that his comment is so far-fetched.

        During the Vietnam war, when Sanders was in his 20s and a 1964 graduate of the University of Chicago, he ducked becoming a soldier for his country by filing papers as a conscientious objector.  He based his petition not on religious grounds, but because he simply opposed war.   

        He is now asking Americans to endorse his candidacy and help him become president. Asked during the recent Democratic debate how he could function as President with credentials as a conscientious objector, he said that he would defend the country if it became necessary.  He explained that he had filed as an objector because he opposed the war in Vietnam, and he added that he is not a pacifist, indicating that he has now changed his stripes.    

       Vietnam was a very unpopular war and many believed that the United States was wrong in getting involved.  But there were millions of patriotic Americans who answered the call from Uncle Sam, left their homes and loved ones and went to war.  Millions put on the uniform and tragically, 58,300 were killed and untold thousands suffered injuries and many became disabled for life.  Veterans do not hold such "conscientious objectors," and other anti-war activists who ran off to Canada to dodge the draft, in esteem. 

        As a student in the 1960's, Sanders was active in anti-war activities and was a protest organizer for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).  While Sanders remained a non-violent protester, others from the SDS split off and formed the notorious Weathermen Underground, which was responsible for the "Days of Rage" in Chicago, at which 300 protesters were arrested and many persons were injured. The notorious Weathermen were founded by and headed by Bill Ayres and his wife, Bernardine Dorhn and the group bombed the Capitol building and the Pentagon in the nation's capital as well as other sites.  Ayres of Chicago was also an early supporter of Barack Obama in his race to become a senator from Illinois.  The FBI continues to this day to list Ayres as a domestic terrorist. Amen. 

            When Sanders filed his petition to be classified as a conscientious objector,  he did so under the section where the objector is opposed to war.  Although Jewish, Sanders did not seek exemption for religious reasons, unlike Mohammad Ali who sought objection status from service in the military because he was a follower of Islam.  Ali's petition was rejected and he was convicted, and sentenced to five years in prison, but his sentence was overturned and the country subsequently developed an affection for the "Louisville Lip" and his anti-war positions are today all but forgotten.  

             Sanders settled in Vermont in 1968 and subsequently was elected mayor of Burlington and served three terms in that office.  In 1990 he was elected as a U.S. Representative from that state. Shortly thereafter, he voted against the Gulf war, taking his position as one of a small number of Congressmen who opposed stopping Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.  Similarly, in 2002, he voted against the Iraq war although both houses of Congress overwhelmingly supported the war which had relied on U.S. intelligence and the intelligence of many other nations that Hussein had nuclear weapons and contemplated using them against the United States. 

               Sanders calls himself a Democratic Socialist and his philosophy parallels that of a Communist.  In fact, his  Socialism is like a first cousin to Communism, although Socialism does not foster a society without religion, as does Communism.

                This is the record of Sanders who seeks to become the leader of America with the most powerful voice in the world.  He lists "climate change" as the number one threat to America, and he dismisses without comment the terrorism of Al Qaeda and ISIS, a group which has publicly beheaded innocent Americans and others and which promises to eventually destroy America ("the big Satan") and Israel ("the little Satan.")  He endorses the deal with Iran arguing that the pact  will prevent war via discussions and agreements, yet he ignores Iran's support of  terrorists and the fact that our State Department has labeled that country a foremost "sponsor of terrorism."  Sanders has never even whispered that America has a crushing national debt of $18 trillion, yet he calls for enormous new spending plans. 

                Do I believe that the 74-year-old Sanders is unable to function and speak when a crowd opposes him?  No, I think that Sanders can handle that challenge very well.  But has he changed his stripes when it comes to war and standing up to our enemies?  Will he defend the country against all adversaries, foreign and domestic, if that  becomes necessary?  Of that, there is no assurance.