RE: Another Urban (Local) Legend??

["Ron Force" <rforce@moscow.com>]

False.  The University contacted the University Inn-- everyone there said
"it didn't happen".  It's posted on the urban legends page www.snopes.com
under "Rumors of War" with Bob Hoover's rebuttal.
********************************************
Ron Force	      	  rforce@uidaho.edu
Dean of Library Services  (208) 885-6534
University of Idaho     Moscow 83844-2350
********************************************


> -----Original Message-----
> From: WMSteed@aol.com [mailto:WMSteed@aol.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 3:25 PM
> To: vision2020@moscow.com
> Subject: Another Urban (Local) Legend??
>
>
> I received the following by E-mail from out of state.  Can only
> believe that
> someone on V2020 will know whether it really happened or not.  I
> have deleted
> all the forwards as I don't want to punish the innocent, or the
> guilty, as
> the case may be.
>
> Walter Steed
>
>
>
> "To all, This was sent to me by an old buddy, jet driver and POW
> in Viet Nam,
>
> AJ Myers.   I thought ya'll would like to hear that many of us
> feel the same
>
> way about protestors and some will continue to stand up against such
>
> "things."
>
> Another example of what the cancer of the unearned does to the taxpayer
>
> subsidized University minds & its professors making thousands a
> month for a
>
> few hours of drivel in front of minds full of mush.   The result of this
>
> story should happen in every place in America, evil progresses
> when good men
>
> do nothing.   Thankfully these men stood up to the ignorant & mentally
>
> challenged.
>
> Subject: OK in Idaho I arrived in Moscow, Idaho (Home of Idaho University
>
> one block from Best Western) and went to dinner at Best Western.   About
>
> 85-100 people were in the Restaurant.   I'm at a table for about
> 5   minutes
>
> when this "Group" comes in (20 people).   They have Anti-War Picket
>
> Signs with them.   It appears that two of these demonstrators are
>
> Professors.
>
> They all sit at a large round table behind me and begin to talk
> very loudly
>
> about US atrocities in Afghanistan.   One of   "Professors" stands up and
>
> gives a brief talk about how the "US is famous for atrocities" and
>
> Aghanistan will be no different.   One of the students asked a question
>
> about Viet Nam POW's.   The "Professor" makes a comment about how that was
>
> only US propaganda about poor treatment of POW's.
>
> OK - I'm really mad now and I jump up and go over to their table.   (In
>
> retrospect - Over the entrance to the Restaurant is a huge American
>
> Flag.On each table is an American Flag and a small hand painted
> sign "United
>
> We Stand")
>
> I excuse myself and ask the Professor if I can ask him a
> question.   He says
>
> yes.   I said that he appears to be of age to have served in Viet Nam, and
>
> asked   him if he had served.   His answer was, "NO - I defended
> this Campus
>
> and told the truth to the   students.
>
> I then asked if he remembered what he was doing on February 16,
> 1969.   When
>
> he answered, "Of course not - that was too long ago," I responded,
>
> "Really, I remember what I was doing.   That was the second day of my
>
> capture   and I had been standing in a bamboo cage for 24 hours with water
>
> up to my
>
> chest".
>
> I then said "Sir, your comments about how POW's in Nam were treated are a
>
> lie and I personally say to you, you are a ******* liar, as you never were
>
> there.   I was a POW and they did not treat our POWs humanly.   The only
>
> other   person I have ever heard make the statements like you have is Jane
>
> Fonda.
>
> Is she telling the truth and not me?"
>
> He stood up and after about 10 seconds said, "Jane is a great
> patriot and I
>
> cannot visualize her lying."
>
> With that, I reached over and grabbed the small American Flag and
> United We
>
> Stand sign and said, "I'm taking this back to my table where it can be
>
> appreciated".
>
> No one said a word to me as I started to walk back.
>
> However after a few seconds, people started standing up and applauding all
>
> around the restaurant.   Two men got up from a table across the room and
>
> walked over to me.   The first identified himself as former US Marine
>
> Lieutenant Flynn and the other man was former Gunnery Sergeant Graboski.
>
> In a loud voice after introducing themselves, Lt.   Flynn said they were
>
> former Marine Guards at a US Embassy.   He then said, "We are over at this
>
> table to defend the US Flag from all foes, both foreign and domestic."
>
> They then sat down and asked their Waitress to bring their meals
> over to my
>
> table.   A few more minutes went by with loud comments from the "Anti-War"
>
> table.
>
> All of a sudden, "Gunny" Sergeant Graboski stood up and in a loud
> voice said
>
> "All of you heard what the President said the other night.   You
> are either
>
> with the United States or you are with the terrorists."
>
> He then said, "Please stand and join me in God Bless America." As
> he started
>
> singing, people all around the restaurant stood up and joined in.
>   Several
>
> of the students at the "Anti-War" table also stood up half way
> through the
>
> song and joined in.   Both Professors and the majority of the   students
>
> remained seated and refused to sing.   At the end there was a
>
> great   ovation.
>
> The Manager came up to my table.   (He and his staff came out from the
>
> kitchen and sang).   He thanked me for what I started and then
> went over to
>
> the Anti-War table and asked them to leave.   "I will pay for
> what you have
>
> had so far but I cannot in good conscience serve you - get out now!!
>
> One of the Professors then made a remark "Well, we are not going
> to pay one
>
> dime for how shabbily we have been treated." As they were leaving, one
>
> customer stood up and said, "Manager, here is $5 towards their
> bill, anyone
>
> else willing to chip in to get this scum out of here?"
>
> All over the restaurant, people stood up reaching for their wallet and
>
> saying, "I'll chip in"   The Manager, in tears said, "My family is from
>
> Poland, I am now a citizen   and am so proud of what I see tonight." He
>
> started crying and a couple of   the waitresses helped him into
> the kitchen.
>
> The two Marines and I were there for about another 20 minutes and finished
>
> our meal.   The Hostess came up and showed us more than $100 dollars that
>
> all   the other tables had told their Waitresses to give towards our bill.
>
> I   thanked her but said I could not take the money.   Lt Flynn suggested
>
> donating it in the Restaurant's name to the New York Relief Fund,
> so I guess
>
> that's what will happen.
>
> I just can't believe how Americans are coming together now.   Just thought
>
> you would like to hear how the rest of the country is reacting to what
>
> happened!!!"
>