Stolen Honor

Rating:
Summary: WELL MADE DOCUMENTARY
Review: As a documentary film, "STOLEN HONOR" accomplishes its main objective: to demonize John F. Kerry. This movie purports to investigate how Kerry's actions during the Vietnam era worsened the treatment in North Vietnam of mainly downed American Air Force pilot POWs, held at the so-called Hanoi Hilton.

On the surface, the documentary seems to be a movie about John Kerry. But Kerry is more of a side story. Mainly, the movie is an anti-Kerry machine whose goal is to paint a picture of Kerry that will make sure he doesn't get your vote for President. Like Moore's "FAHRENHEIT 911", "STOLEN HONOR" doesn't hold back any punches to get their opinion across to the public. Whether you support Democrats or Republicans, this is a good documentary about downed airmen who had been POW's in Vietnam .... but not more than that. The fact that all of the POWs had been fliers who were tortured in detenton during five or more years in North Vietnam is an important point which will be discussed more below.

Throughout its 43 minutes, the documentary juxtaposes John Kerry's anti-Vietnam War activity with the present day testimony of the formerly tortured airmen (and their long suffering wives) who had still been in Vietnam while John Kerry was leading the Vietnam veterans' anti-war movement.

There are several flaws in "STOLEN HONOR" that mar an otherwise high quality documentary. The director flashes a black and white photo of the much reviled Jane Fonda haranguing a crowd at an anti-war demonstration that contains Kerry's head (circled in red) in the crowd. However, that photo had been exposed as a doctored picture for discrediting Kerry from the Republicans' bag of dirty tricks (they're still at it). The original photos of Fonda and Kerry were made two years apart and, indeed, the two of them had never appeared together in the same place at the same time!

Another misleading aspect of "STOLEN HONOR" is not making it clear that all of the POWs had been downed fliers -- and not ground combat troops . They were not on the ground where most of the nearly suicidal fighting and brutality occurred. From 15,000 or 20,000 feet traveling at 600 mph, Vietnam looked very different than it did from a swift boat in the Mekong Delta in a "free fire zone." Also, these poor POWs had been kept under terrible conditions for many years --- cut off from news of what was happening in the United States --- other than what their North Vietnamese captors and torturers wanted them to know.

It is completely understandable why the former POWs would be bitter about Kerry's public attempts to bring the failed Vietnam War to an end --- for saving American lives. The documentary makes it seem as though Kerry had been alone (or maybe with "Hanoi Jane" Fonda) when, in fact, many thousands of former Vietnam War combat veterans converged in Washington DC to protest the Vietnam war that they had just come home from. Kerry had been selected by them in 1971 as their leader to make their case before the U.S Senate Armed Services Committee that had the power to end the war. Not shown was how, after his testimony to them, the Senators congratulated Kerry on his heroism in Vietnam and courage to face criticism now. None of these facts find their way into the movie that demonizes Kerry as a failed Naval hero turned traitor.

This is a high quality propaganda documentary which --- if I didn't know all of the facts --- might make me inclined to vote for George W. Bush (what was he doing and where during the Vietnam War in 1971?). However, at the end of the day, "STOLEN HONOR" is just another very high quality Republican dirty trick that exploits the tragedy of several POW airmen (notice that the hero POW John McCain was not among them!) to get a substandard president re-elected.

Rating:
Summary: HONOR - INTEGRTY - GOD AND COUNTRY
Review: I am a Viet Nam combat veteran. I was one of the lucky one who did not receive any wounds or injuries while serving my country. I received my wounds and injuries when I got back to the States. How could this happen, we had jerks like Jane Communist Fonda and the teller of lies John War Cimes Kerry provoking the civilians to demontrate against the war with untrue information. If you have never served in the miitary your evaluation of combat does not serve you well if you give this accurate and true documentary a low rating. I was there. The purpose of this documentary is for the first time shed light on what our brave and hanorable men had to endure. It was not a time for a military man or women to wear the uniform in the states for fear of retrobution by being spat on or provoked into a fight. We served our country with honor and integrity. John Kerry did a short tour of four months on a gun boat. His service is not at question - what is at question is that he gave our enemy amunation to tourture our men and keep them locked up longer than necessary. A man like John Kerry needs to be put on trial for what he did to our servicemen.
The opportunity to see this documentary must be seen with an open mind not with a political perspective. It is produced and edited well. It flows and is easy to follow. If you have reasons to like Kerry understand he was a major force in the anti war movement and in addition meet with Communist leaders during a time of war (this is documented). Look at the man and see how he lied and made innocent people suffer and most likely was the reason for a few soldiers to die. This documentary is a breath of freash air but twisted and closed minds will not allow them self to see the truth.

Rating:
Summary: The film that Kerry tried to stop
Review: I saw this via email and went ahead and ordered it and am showing it to all family and friends. ALSO sending the internet link to everyone on my email list. Easy to see why KERRY is trying so had to stop it.

I sincerely hope that after Kerry loses on Tuesday, that he is brought up on charges and deservedly punished for his dastardly actions.

Rating:
Summary: Documents the birth of hatred toward our military
Review: I witnessed the growing hatred toward our military during the early 1970s and eventually was on the receiving end of it when I joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Because I was so young in 1971 I did not witness the birth of this attitude toward our military as it unfolded in the news. This film documents this process and helps the viewer understand this painful but important part of our recent national history.

The film uses actual audio recordings of John Kerry's testimony before congress as well as current testimony of decorated former POWs who heard that very testimony played to them by their captors in North Vietnam. The former POWs and their families describe the impact that John Kerry, Jane Fonda and other protesters had on them and their families by painting our military as common criminals.

After watching this film I better understand how things degenerated to what I experienced in the mid and late 1970s. As a U.S. Marine, I was called a "baby burner", spit upon and treated with contempt and hatred by nearly all civilians I came into contact with from one end of our country to the other. When I thought about it after watching the film, I realized that the title is appropriate. My honor was indeed stolen by the activities documented in this film.

The distinguished heroes in the film, including a Medal of Honor recipient, give an important perspective to the viewer. America must make a huge decision on November 2, 2004. This film will help make that decision an informed one. It will also help the viewer better appreciate the bravery and sacrifice of the former POWs and their families.


Rating:
Summary: I'm in Afghanistan
Review: I'm serving right now in Afghanistan, and you know what? I think when I retire from the army I'll go around trying to get free stuff from people by saying "I fought for this country, how dare you!" , sorry folks but it's pathetic to blame someone who faught in the war but later protested it, it's even more cowardly to use your veteran status to initiate more war. I fail to see how Kerry is to blame because some disturbed NVA/Vietcong jailers tortured people. Are you saying that if there were no protesters they would have been treated well? Get real! Later, I need to do some heroics so that I can get free stuff by spewing out how "I faught for this country" and everyone else owes me now.

Rating:
Summary: A matter of public record
Review: There is no doubt why John Kerry apologists worked so hard to keep this film from being aired in swing state media markets.

Several Vietnam-era ex-POWs give their opinions of the Kerry testimony before the U.S. Senate and his work with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and the Winter Soldier hearings.

It is a fact that John Kerry sat before the Senate committee and attacked the honor and integrity of his fellow Americans in combat in Vietnam. Those who support Kerry may not agree with the views expressed, but his testimony cannot be disputed-- it is a matter of public record.

These gentlemen give a first hand account of how they survived years of captivity and torture at the hands of Vietcong Communists, and how the VietCong used the testimony of Kerry and other leftist Americans to break their morale.

It is a powerful story.

This film will stir up your emotions, regardless of your politics.





Rating:
Summary: Powerful!!!!!
Review: This is a Powerful Documentary, and is a must view for everyone in the USA. I think we must all go back and confront the Vietnam war and this Documentary is a good starting place. We all need to challenge our assumptions, we need to examine the Vietnam war in the light of the overall cold war, and we need to honor our Men and women who served in that war.

Rating:
Summary: the documentary John Kerry doesn't want you to see
Review: This is the documentary Sinclair Television Group was to air in its entirety, but after lawyers for Senator Kerry's "interests" intimidated and threatened them, they reduced the air time to a small segment. It is too bad that more people didn't get to view this poignant, wrenching film.
It contains interviews of POWs who spent anywhere from five to eight years in the dreaded "Hanoi Hilton", and includes some horrific footage of the place.
It also contains footage of Senator Kerry meeting with his Vietnam Veterans Against the War group, most who look like the same bunch of human debris that caused the riots at the 1968 Democratic Convention.

It is not what Senator Kerry did during his time in Vietnam that matters, it's what he did when he came home; I remember the late '60s and early '70s well, consider them the nadir of our history, and have always felt that people like Jane Fonda and John Kerry should have been tried for treason, for inciting anti-war activities that gave comfort to the enemy, lengthened the war, and cost American lives on the battlefield. My opinion of Kerry has not improved, after the attempts to suppress this film, so similar to the goon squad tactics used against the Nader people in this past presidential election. Anyone who saw Lawrence Tribe argue for the DNC in front of the Florida Supreme Court (C-SPAN, 9/17/04) to keep Ralph Nader off the ballot will know what I mean.

The heart and soul of this documentary are the seventeen steadfast and heroic men who are interviewed. Their stories are gripping, and their wounds deep, opened again by a man who dared to make Vietnam the cornerstone of his candidacy for the highest office in the land, when he saluted millions of viewers and "reported for duty". Having done so, these stories and the memories of those who tell them will follow Kerry for the rest of his public life, ready to surface again no doubt in 2006, if he runs for re-election to the Senate.
As George "Bud" Day, who was imprisoned and tortured for five years and seven months says, "this man committed an act of treason. He lied, he besmirched our name and he did it for self-interest. And now he wants us to forget. I can never forget".
Produced and presented by Carlton Sherwood, the total running time is 42 minutes.


Rating:
Summary: Vietnam Veterans know the truth.
Review: This movie begins to unravle the mystique about the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, a group Kerry led as his trophy in the anti-war movement. As a veteran I went to his meetings in the 1970's and can verify that many insiders and participants were never in Vietnam. Stories were falsified on a daily basis. All of the draft eligible men who were against the war were only too willing to participate in a false story about real Vietnam Veterans. Kerry's crime was his willingness to participate as a real veteran and to exploit other veterans in this phony organization. While it's true atrocities were committed by both sides in the war, in any war, Kerry propagated false stories for his own political benefit. This is why veterans will not vote for him on Tuesday.



Rating:
Summary: What Goes Around...
Review: What Goes Around..., November 14, 2004
Reviewer: JR Dunn (New Brunswick,, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
So this is the film that so frightened the Democrats that they jettisoned all their closely-held principles to shut it down.

You can see their point. On the surface, "Stolen Honor" is little more than an hour's worth of aging men telling war stories. But what stories! And what men -- each of them a survivor of years in the Hanoi Hilton, a human-created hell representing far worse than most of the people reading this will ever have to endure.

Take Leo Thorsness. As a pilot of a Wild Weasel fighter, Thorsness took on a squadron of MiGs and several SAM sites preparing to ambush an approaching bomber formation. He did it alone, and -- in the last pass that set the MiGs running for home -- without any ammunition. And he got up the next day and flew back into battle, and the day after that, until he was shot down at last. He didn't lay eyes on his Medal of Honor until after he was freed.

Thorsness is merely representative of who these men are and what they accomplished. Compare them to their accuser. Give him everything he claims -- his three Purple Hearts that he "bled" for, the Silver Star for shooting a teenager in the back. Then compare it to the records of the men featured in this film. It doesn't match up, does it?

Yet these are the men the junior senator from Massachusetts slandered. These are the men he silenced. Keep that in mind when he next attempts to call attention to himself.

One final point -- in the very last interview (I forget the name, and it really makes no difference), pay close attention to the woman sitting beside the man being interviewed. She's old, and gray, and could be anyone's grandmother. But watch the play of emotions across her face as her husband speaks. You will learn quite a lot of value about love, and fortitude, and will, and what it takes to be human in a world that often seems hostile beyond measure.