The contents of this editorial are the sole opinion of Dale Ford and his alone.  The opinions expressed here don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of The Ford Report or their advertisers.   No liberals or Anti-War Activists were harmed in the production of this editorial.

I find it poetic in a small way that on Memorial Day weekend, I was busy pounding out coverage of MPP Games’ “4 Roads To Laos”, a game set in 1970′s Cambodian Campaign, which sought to interdict men and materiel coming into and out of Vietnam from Cambodia and Laos. When I write coverage of a scenario game, I try to watch the movie a game is based on or in the case of one of Ben Torrecelli’s games, I try to read the the relevant history surrounding the game.

Since this game was based around the Vietnam War, I had the opportunity to talk with my parents about it, since they were adults during this time period. I was only a small boy at the time, so I couldn’t really depend on my own recollection of events at the time. My mother had her hands full dealing with me and my brother, so aside from her own feelings of frustration about the government not allowing the troops on the ground to win the war, she didn’t have much to say about it.

My father on the other hand, was his usual plethora of information. He recollects that in ‘flyover country’ that was Indianapolis, IN in 1970-1975, the attitude was one of support for the troops fighting the war, not the overwhelming opposition to the war portrayed in the media at the time. His part of the country didn’t have a whole lot of “Flower Power” hippies.

One statement that caught my attention came when I asked him how he felt about anti-war activists spitting on troops as they arrived home and why you don’t see that happening today. He told me that sort of atrocity couldn’t happen today, the reason being that he was willing to bet that the people doing the spitting on our troops were embarrassed to have done so, and as these people grew up in their views they understood how wrong their actions were.

After I finished the first draft of the write up, I sent it over to my parents so they could see how our conversations had impacted the story. My mother asked why it was so important to maintain historical accuracy when writing coverage of a paintball event. My response to her was that it was a matter of respect.

Respect to Ben Torrecelli, who puts so much work into creating these games centered around real events, but more importantly respect to the men and women who were on the ground in a far-away land fighting and dying to protect our way of life. While we could go back and forth all day long on whether or not we should have been in Vietnam, or whether or not we should be in Iraq and Afghanistan today, even the most ardent anti-war activists respect what our troops are doing.

With a few exceptions, of course. I found it disrespectful of our Liberal-in-Chief to not go to Arlington National Cemetary on Memorial Day. While he is going to pay respects to fallen troops at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetary outside of Chicago where he’s vacationing, it seems to me that Arlington’s “Garden of Heroes” laying of the wreath ceremony is the best way to show respect to those who have fallen defending us.

Even though I personally dislike President Obama and his politics, I have to give him some credit for at least taking time out of his harried vacation schedule to pay at least some respect to those in the Garden of Heroes. At least he’s making a token effort of going through he motions to act presidential. Even today Jane Fonda’s treason still evokes a strong reaction in people. I pray that as the current conflicts around the world progress, no progeny of Jane Fonda and Lyndon Johnson raise their foul heads to send more brave souls to the Garden of Heroes needlessly.