"The policies — determining who would be drafted and who would be deferred, who would serve and who would escape, who would die and who would live — were an antidemocratic disgrace ... I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well placed ... managed to wangle slots in reserve and National Guard units. Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Academics from the United StatesMilitary leaders from the United StatesMemoirists from the United StatesUnited States Secretaries of StateDiplomats of the United States
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Imported from EN Wikiquote
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Colin_Powell
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell (b. 5 April 1937– d. 18 October 2021) was an American politician, diplomat and four-star general who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African-American Secretary of State. Prior to the elect
85 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Colin Powell →
Related Quotes
"Palestinians must accept that they can only achieve their goals through negotiation. That was the essence of the agre…"
"That's not really a number I'm terribly interested in."
"Many of my generation, the career captains, majors, and lieutenant colonels seasoned in that war [Vietnam], vowed tha…"
"The people had fled at our approach, except for an old woman too feeble to move... We burned down the thatched huts, …"
"If a [helicopter] spotted a peasant in black pajamas who looked remotely suspicious, a possible MAM, the pilot would …"
"The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting in above-average effort."
"The United Nations will spearhead our efforts to manage the new conflicts (that afflict our world)....Yes the princip…"
"Dear Senator Leahy, thank you for your recent letter asking my views on the proposed flag protection amendment. I lov…"
"Americans revere their flag as a symbol of the Nation. Indeed, it is because of that reverence that the amendment is …"
"Our strategy in going after this army is very simple. First we are going to cut it off, and then we are going to kill…"