Steve Gardner -An American Hero

I don’t know Steve Gardner. I do know that he did this country a great service –twice.

First, Mr. Gardner served in Vietnam. He served under John F. Kerry’s command for a short period. Not that many sailors really ever served with Mr. Kerry since he was only in Vietnam for four short months. Mr. Gardner did, and he got to know intimately Mr. Kerry’s shortcomings as a leader.

Second, Mr. Gardner spoke out about Mr. Kerry as a member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Mr. Gardner had been apolitical. He really hadn’t been involved in national politics at all until that fateful day when he discovered that his old commander, John F. Kerry, was running for president. Mr. Gardner could no longer remain on the sidelines. He had first hand knowledge that Mr. Kerry was unfit to be commander in chief of this country. He spoke out because he knew the truth about Mr. Kerry. He spoke out because he is a true patriot.

This country owes him, and all the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth members, a great debt of gratitude. Mr. Gardner has apparently been down on his luck for a while now. In spite of leftist blathering to the contrary, Mr. Gardner didn’t get any remuneration for his patriotic Swift Boat activities. In fact it cost him money. As his hometown paper puts it:

"Somebody asked me one time what I gained out of this, and I said, 'Not a darn thing,'" Gardner said. "I've been called a liar and ridiculed. I've been cussed up one side and down the other. I'm 56 years old. I'm looking for a job. I did this for one reason. John Kerry is not fit to be president."

John Kerry isn't president. Steve Gardner is broke.

And he's smiling.

The same cannot be said for the six or seven Swifties the Kerry campaign hired to accompany him all around the country. They were living lavishly as hired political stooges for the Kerry campaign. Mr. Gardner is now jobless, broke and about out of savings.

His plight has been exposed on several radio talk shows and on numerous blogs and hopefully, America will not let this patriot down. He deserves better. Men like Mr. Gardner help keep this county free and should be honored. The least America could do in return would be to provide them an opportunity to work and earn a living.