Yesterday, as Pres. Biden signed the PACT Act, which expands benefits for veterans, he thanked comedian/philosopher Jon Stewart for his incredible work to hold politicians’ feet to the fire when earlier, some of them withdrew support of the legislation.
Why did they do that? They got their feelings hurt.
As Biden praised Stewart’s work, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. Speaking as the daughter of a severely wounded Vietnam vet, I cannot thank Stewart enough, because the PACT Act includes people like my father, who died in 1993 of a cancer linked to exposure to Agent Orange, a deadly chemical used to clear foliage during the Vietnam War. Yes, it’s too late for my dad, but there are so many families struggling with injuries received because of the negligence or worse of their own country. From PBS, the legislation includes help for…
…veterans who served during the war in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll will also be considered to have been exposed to the chemical.
Stewart brought the same clear-eyed critique of flip-flopping modern-day politicians that he earlier brought to the government’s hesitancy to pay attention to first responders after the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01.
The “wise fool” is vital to our times. The jester can say things the rest of us can’t or won’t and a good jester will do that, sometimes at great cost to themselves. Thank you, Jon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I was fortunate to receive number 365 in the Vietnam draft lottery. Sadly others were not so fortunate and were shipped there to fight, die and come home maimed - physically and mentally! I lost 2 high school classmates within the last few years to cancers associated with agent orange. A HUGE thanks is due to Jon Stewart and a pox on the gQp for their phony rhetoric praising vets while shoving it up their backsides....I will bet good money that a good number of vets remain loyal to 45 and some even voted for Levy?!?
It’s so shameful how we lie about the reasons then go to war and later care nothing for the harm placed in their way. It’s been said that the Vietnam veterans are now at their greatest need for medical as they have aged. Suffice to say, the US is the most war-destined nation on earth. War contributed to the downfall of Rome as it will this nation. I had been active against that war from my earliest teens but now we must without question, insure medical for these folks.