Vantage Point Vignettes
Comments and Commentary by Dr. Ron Daniels
But for his ill-conceived and ill-fated support for the Vietnam War, Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) would be ranked as one of the most revered and greatest presidents in the history of this nation. There is absolutely no question that LBJ’s legislative record on civil rights and massive social safety net programs under his vision for a “Great Society” were consequential, monumental and historic.
However, LBJ’s legacy was forever tarnished because of his stubborn commitment to and entanglement in the unnecessary war in Vietnam; an entanglement rooted in what Dr. Martin Luther King called, America’s “morbid fear of communism.” The prosecution of the War in Vietnam ignited deep divisions in American society and alienated millions of people, particularly young people.
Therein lies the comparison to Biden’s current predicament. Though the massaging and narrative about the accomplishments of his first term have been ineffective, there is no question that President Biden’s legislative achievements are among the greatest of all time, particularly in the face of unrelenting resistance of the MAGA mad movement controlled by the Orange man aka Agent Orange.
Ironically, in a manner reminiscent of LBJ, Joe Biden’s legacy is now endangered by his entanglement in Israel’s war against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Biden was right to condemn Hamas for the savage slaughter of Israeli civilians during the October 7th attack. But he was wrong to essentially give the self-serving, political opportunist Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu a blank check to prosecute the war against Hamas with American supplied weapons. More than 30,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children, have been killed by the Israeli Defense Forces’ deadly assault on Gaza.
Israel’s unrestrained, “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people has produced outrage in the U.S. and around the world and massive demonstrations demanding a permanent cease-fire. Millions of young people in the U.S., potential voters, have soured on Biden because of his refusal to call for a permanent cease-fire and unwillingness to place strict conditions on aid to Israel; potential young voters that Biden urgently needs to defeat the Orange man in November’s election.
The massive dissent and disillusionment of young voters has become the Achilles heal of Biden’s reelection bid; a weakness that could result in a disastrous defeat opening the door to the fascistic rule of Agent Orange. This unwelcome outcome would eclipse the historic legislative record and legacy of Biden’s presidency. For the sake of the nation, I sincerely hope Biden will stand-up and avoid such a political catastrophe. #GazaWarBiden’sVietnam
