Cheapening the meaning of a Purple Heart

April 24, 2007

A Purple Heart is a unique and special honor of the U.S. military. There are a variety of medals to pay tribute to soldiers who put their lives on the line, but the Purple Heart is given exclusively to those who are injured or killed during their service.

It is not supposed to go to those who are uninjured and who avoid military service during a time of war.

History will be made today when Copperas Cove resident Bill Thomas and his wife, Georgia, present President George W. Bush with a Purple Heart at the Oval Office.

Thomas said he and his wife came up with the unprecedented idea to present the president with the Purple Heart over breakfast one morning a few months ago as they discussed the verbal attacks, both foreign and domestic, the commander in chief has withstood during his time in office.

“We feel like emotional wounds and scars are as hard to carry as physical wounds,” Thomas said.

You’ve got to be kidding me. The bravest men and women in the country volunteer to serve in the military, and some of them are injured or killed in the line of duty. On the other hand, Bush, who couldn’t be bothered to fulfill his military obligations during a time of war, has received criticism for some of his catastrophic failures as a disastrous president.

These two are in no way similar. Indeed, it cheapens the sacrifices made by the troops to even consider equating them.

In this case, Thomas was awarded three Purple Hearts while serving in heavy combat in Vietnam, and wants to give Bush one of them.

Now, this isn’t just being presented as some kind of gift or memento. Thomas wants to make this semi-official.

Thomas said he drew up a citation and he and his wife signed it before dropping it and the medal off with Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, to forward to President Bush.

“Congressman Carter called me last week and said the President was very moved by it, and would like us to present it in person,” Thomas said.

Thomas is taking a copy of the original citation showing the origin of the actual medal to present as a companion piece with the citation he drew up for the President.

If Bush had honor, he would politely decline Thomas’ generosity. The president, of all people, should know that he hasn’t earned a Purple Heart and doesn’t deserve one. It shows galling disrespect for those who wear the uniform to accept an honor like this one. Those who serve and sacrifice get a Purple Heart; those who don’t get to thank those who do. It’s that simple.

I guess this helps explain why Republican activists like to mock wounded soldiers.

Post Script: I should add, as Steve M. does, that it’s unclear if Thomas actually “awarded” Bush a Purple Heart. He was scheduled to go to the White House last Monday, the day of the Virginia Tech shootings. There’s nothing on the White House website about this, and there are no reports in the media. We only know what a small newspaper in Texas tells us.

those who don’t get to thank those who do. It’s that simple.

Your talking about a war “Commander in Chief” who has yet to attend a military funeral. He doesn’t know the meaning of thanks.

  • While I applaude Mr. Thomas for his service and what happened to him to earn these medals, I do have a question to ask. did one of the incidents involve a severe head wound that would affect his judgement?

    Bush should get stripes, not a medal. Prison stripes.

  • If Bush had honor, he would politely decline Thomas’ generosity.

    From a false antecedent anything can be proved.

  • The fact that 4 of my relatives were awarded a total of 6 Purple Hearts, 2 of them posthumously, makes me just seethe with anger over this perversion. Whatever honor Bill Thomas may have served with, he just used it to wipe his ass. And the fact that President Dickhead is willing to accept it, shows that he has absofuckinglutely no clue of it’s merit. Anyone, including those brainless wingnuts, who are not sickened and disgusted by this, need to drink the fucking Kool-Aid. Now.

  • Poor widdle baby keeps getting his feelings hurt by all the mean people who refuse to ignore his catastrophic incompetence. Awwww. How sad.

    What are they going to do about my emotional scars from having to live for the last 6+ years in a country ruled by this overgrown idiot? I haven’t done anything to deserve a purple heart, but I’m pretty sure impeachment and public humiliation for the boy king are long past due.

  • I dunno, CB. A vet can do whatever they want with their medals. They earned ’em. Kerry threw his over the fence and that didn’t cheapen the medals IMHO.

    The Pentagon awards the Purple Hearts. If this wingnut wants to re-give one he earned to Mr Bush, that’s his business. I don’t think anyone is under the impression that Bush earned a Purple Heart (except maybe the 25%, who are crazy enough to think that Bush isn’t the Worst President Ever).

    And since I just called Bush the Worst President Ever, according to the wingnuts he might need another medal.

  • That’s a joke, right?

    If Bush wants to have a Purple Heart, he can wear one of those fucking band-aids that were being passed around at the 2004 RNC convention over whatever drinking-accident bruise he’s trying to cover up this week.

    Two words for anyone who thinks military medals should be given out for something as dangerous and painful as hurt feelings, or that the words “Bush” and “honor” belong in the same paragraph: Jeremy Boorda.

  • I think it’s Brilliant. I don’t know what Mr. Thomas’s real intent is here, but I think there’s a reason the WH isn’t playing this up. Nothing could do more to point out what a shameless piece of shit Bush is.

    This is genius in its Colbert-like irony.

  • Thomas said he and his wife came up with the unprecedented idea to present the president with the Purple Heart over breakfast one morning a few months ago as they discussed the verbal attacks, both foreign and domestic, the commander in chief has withstood during his time in office.

    Sweet Jesus, that reads like something from the Onion.

    But it shouldn’t be surprising from the party that brought you the loathsome Purple Heart Band-Aids at the 2004 convention.

    And the Republican Party’s decades-long branding effort as strong on military erodes a little more.

  • I can only imagine what the right-wingers would be saying if this had happened to Bill Clinton.

  • #12 I just read that article that you referenced and nowhere in there does it say or suggest that Bush didn’t accept the medal. He did say that he didn’t feel like he earned it (obviously, he didn’t) but it does not say that he refused to accept it.

  • #12
    Does not say he did not refuse, just that he didn’t feel like he had earned it. He took the medal and now cheapens the medal for everyone who has ever earned it with there blood. Anyone with a Purple Heart should send there citations to him to show what it really takes to earn this medal.

  • Re: #12

    #s 16 & 17 are right. A refusal is suspiciously absent from the referenced article.

    Having said that, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the joke’s on us. This one really does read like The Onion. On the other hand, the right-wing are clearly completely at odds with reality, and this would not be that much of a surprise. They will die trying to fit square pegs into round holes. “Faith” is a funny thing.

  • #12, you mean he graciously invited them to the ranch or the White House and then was graciously caught by a staff member or confidant who told him, graciously, that what he was about to do was completely stupid, and so he should refuse graciously- in all likelihood.

  • I really hope we all haven’t taken the bait on some parody-like news story.

    If we have, it just shows that, after six years of unbelievable stupidity, something like this doesn’t seem as absurd as it would have pre-Bush.

    If it’s true, my father-in-law’s head will implode — the guy did two tours in VietNam, has a a pair of Purple Hearts and a Silver Star, and hates Bush almost more than I do.

    In other words, he’s a real hero and Solider, not some fake codpiece wearing chickenshit who got his daddy to get him out of actually serving.

  • If anyone, upon hearing of this total insult to those in uniform who have earned this award, should have the opportunity—start telling this to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Let them know what a snitty little coward they’ve got for a C-in-C.

    Fer cryin’ out loud—even Hitler refused to wear WW2 battle medals; his Iron Cross was WW1 vintage, and deservedly awarded for injuries sustained on the battlefield in service to the Kaiser and the Fatherland.

    So—I guess we’re looking at the reality of Bush having less honor that Hitler. What does that say—about Bush?

  • While I can understand what they were trying to do, perhaps this president would have felt more honored if they told him about TV shows he’d like to watch.

  • Didn’t know you could deserve a Purple Heart for self-inflicted wounds. But, what the heck. Why not the Medal of Honor? Mount Rushmore?

    One day there will be huge carvings in Texas of incompetent presidents. “Mount Wantmore?”

  • #15: “I can only imagine what the right-wingers would be saying if this had happened to Bill Clinton.”

    Remember when the Army switched to black berets? It supposedly showed how Clinton degraded the military, by appropriating the Rangers’ unique headgear.

    Hats. They ragged Clinton for hats.

  • If the old coot wants to give the president one of his medals, that’s his perogative. Certainly worse things have happened.

  • Well I guess Title 18, United States Code, Section 704 doesn’t apply if there is no wearing, manufacturing or selling by unauthorized people (i.e. those now awarded the medal) .

  • Gee, just like a REAL soldier.

    Imagining what kind of field day the press would have had if a recent Democrat had needed to assuage his ego this way.

  • you know, as much as i loathe awol, when i read the story i realized that what happened is that a man who won three purple hearts presented one of his own to awol in a symbolic gesture.

    it really was between the owner of the purple heart and awol. i dont’ think you can say it cheapens the heart, any more than a father passing it on to his daughter or a friend giving it to a friend.

    when it’s given willingly by the original participant, i think it becomes a private matter. i don’t think awol deserves it or any other type of recognition short of impeachment hearings, but still, i don’t think this is a matter for indignation.

    just my two cents.

  • First purple heart ever awarded for injuries sustained while clearing brush in his cool C-in-C jacket and for bruises sustained on a mountain bike while yelling “air raid.” One question: Was that V.C. brush that injured the president or was that al Qaeda brush?

  • It sounds like a fake story, but the link looks real.

    ????????

    So where is Cheney’s pruple heart? People have said worse things about him. Or Rove’s? Or Wolfowitz? Or even Bill Kristol?

  • I don’t know what it is with the lifer morons who live around Fort Hood (Copperas Cove being one of the three towns there in Bell County, Killeen and Temple being the others) but there has to be something in the water there. I was down there in Killeen 1968-69, and was constantly amazed by the level of stupidity shown by many of the long-term residents.

    This is truly demented. And you know Bush won’t have the decency to refuse the honor.

    Talk about a drooling moron… he must have braindamage from Agent Orange.

  • How many current or former military people will now be inspired to send their medals directly to the White House since George seems to need them so much more than they do?

  • Hey, every cloud has a potential silver lining. Remember back when Newsweek started sniffing around Chief of Naval Operations Admiral J. Michael Boorda, regarding the for-valour “V” embellishment to his Vietnam service medals he was wearing? Although he likely did earn them, he was never formally awarded any such decoration and was – as such – not entitled to wear them. Tragically, Admiral Boorda was so ashamed he killed himself.

    There’s just nothing positive about that, as there’s no reason to imagine Admiral Boorda as anything other than a fine man who succumbed to a moment of foolish vanity. However, perhaps Commander Turnip will reflect on how far from deserving he is to wear (or even possess) the Purple Heart, and cast his worthless self into the Potomac. Granted, his wooden head would prevent him from sinking, but perhaps a passing boat would render the world a great service by running over him.

  • This is another insult to the actual people, including my older brother who actually bled for their country and receive this small token of their sacrifice. The idea the W deserves a purple heart is STUPID. PERIOD. NO ARGUEMENT. I personally hope the MSM picks this story up because I think I will not be the only one who is insulted.

  • A canine mascot in my division in Vietnam was awarded a Bronze Star. A human got a Purple Heart for getting rope burns as he was running to a bunker during a mortar attack. I’m slightly skeptical of all medals (except mine).

  • Thomas’ generosity of spirit, however misplaced, must be admired.

    His choice of recipient is baffling, but I won’t criticize his intention and I don’t envy President Bush’s position of humbly declining a “gift” that canot be passed on despite the stout heart of its owner.

    Thank you, Mr. Thomas. Both for your sacrifice and your kindness. If the gift cannot be accepted, it is not because it is not wanted. If I needed your real heart to save my life, I could not take it simply because you were selfless enough to offer.

  • Wow, I sense lots of anger and hostility… The person who posted this doesn’t know what they speak of… President Bush was very hesitant to take the purple heart. Bill Thomas himself (I heard him in an interview) said that he had to repeatedly insist that the President take the medal. The President said that he didn’t feel that he deserved it, however, Bill felt that Bush deserved it. Basically, by the writers own words, Bush has honor and respects the soldiers. Bush goes to bed every night with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and that takes its toll on a person, hence the reason that Bill felt that the President deserved the Purple Heart.

  • It seems like there is some confusion as to who can receive the Purple Heart medal. There are currently dozens of business on line that will sell anyone a purple heart who has a credit card, for example http://www.usamilitarymedals.com. military medals are not produced by the government, and just as long as you don’t wear it, any one may buy, and posses a purple heart, whether they earned it or not.

    • Comments are closed.