Hello again and welcome to this 4th segment of my reply to a post from 4/28. [FN1] 4/28 issued a “challenge to any Democrat” to explain how any of a list of statements “makes sense.” A couple of preliminary considerations are important before I continue my reply. [FN2] 1/22

A) 4/28 drafted the statements in a confrontational way. E.g., in the last reply, I noted 2nd part of #9 “is blatantly racist”: [FN3] “any illiterate gang member or terrorist who jumps the southern fence.” That certainly has racist overtones. 4/28 tipped his hand on a later post. 2/22

B) Vietnam. The full quote takes up two footnotes [FN4, 4a] and its jingoistic gist is in its final lines: “Certain groups of people never learned a thing from Vietnam. I say to those people....you disgust me. Do better. Country first ALWAYS!!!” [FN4a] The Pentagon Papers 3/22

disclosed that from the outset and as an ongoing matter, the President [FN5] and high-ranking officers of our military knew that the side we “backed” could not achieve a military victory. [FN6] Vietnam is big, w/tough terrain & population in the tens of millions. [FN7] 4/22

The only way to “win” was a joke: Put all the friendlies on a ship, sail the ship off-shore, nuke the country, then sink the ship. [FN8] 4/28 “never learned a thing from Vietnam” or Nuremberg and to say “Country first ALWAYS!” misses an important responsibility. 5/22

“Nuremberg Principle 4: following orders does not absolve responsibility if a moral choice was possible.” [FN9] The UCMJ requires illegal orders not be obeyed. [FN10] Intentional bombing of civilian targets w/o military value is a war crime. [FN11] Now, back to the points. 6/22

4/28: “10) $5 billion for border security is too expensive, but $1.5 trillion for ‘free’ health care is not?” 4/28 does not cite facts for the first half of #10. In fact, under President Biden, the budget for FY 2024 for border security was nearly $30 billion. [FN12] About health care: 7/22

Health care is not “free.” We pay far more, per capita, than any other country, yet we are 37th in the World for quality of health care. [FN13] Only two countries ahead of the U.S. do not have some sort of socialized medicine. 8/22

4/28: “11) If you cheat to get into college you go to prison, but if you cheat to get into the country you go to college for free?” Parents who tried to get kids into the “right” schools were arrested & later found guilty of fraud. [FN14] On the latter clause of #11, no state/fed rules/laws 9/22

bar an undocumented immigrant from applying for or attending public or private institution of higher ed in the U.S. [FN15] So what?
4/28: “12) If you cheat in an election nothing happens to you, but if you point out the mathematical errors of that election you are a conspiracy theorist & disdained.” 10/22

Au contraire! If you cheat on an election, you get to move into the Oval Office. Twice! [FN16] It’s a bummer if someone calls you “conspiracy theorist” or disdains you. Although you might be wrong on the math and people are being polite. 11/22

Intellectually gutless maga get off on tossing down gauntlets to debate. I’ve accepted such challenges, but either am ignored or my insistence on rules is not acceptable. The rules are basic: time limits for speeches during which the other side cannot interrupt. In 4/28's 12/22

post was a “challenge.” I’ve sought to address that challenge by the written word. If 4/28 meant for the challenge as one for debate, I accept, but subject to the rules I mention. We can discuss time limits. Otherwise I’ll add 4/28 to the list of maga cowards gone before. 13/22

Footnotes:
FN1. There’s been no response from the person who purportedly posted the challenge. I’ll continue to refer to the poster as “4/28" as I have in the prior 3 replies. 14/22

FN2. If someone posted the list in question without 4/28's permission, then 4/28 should let us know, but I believe that was the person in question.
FN3. Also, a person can make a statement that is racist and not her/himself be racist. 15/22

FN4. “So much anti-America self sabotage going on in this country it's truly treasonous. Shame on you if you just watch one news source and take it for the truth you too are part of the problem. Our heroes should be held up high and honored... 16/22

FN4a. “for the brave work they are doing. Certain groups of people never learned a thing from Vietnam. I say to those people....you disgust me. Do better. Country first ALWAYS!!!”
FN5. Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson. 17/22

FN6. “How Richard Nixon’s obsession with Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers sowed the seeds for the president’s downfall,” The Conversation, 4/23/21, accessed 1/25/26.
FN7. Wallechinsky and Wallace, The People’s Almanac, 1975, p. 467. 18/22

FN8. Michal Herr, “Dispatches.” I do not have a copy close at hand and cannot give a page number.
FN9. FN3. “Obeying Orders,” Facing History and Ourselves, updated 8/2/16, accessed 4/3/26. 19/22

FN10. See, Matthew Barry, “Unlawful Orders: This Article is intended to explain unlawful orders in the Military,” citing Art. 92 and Military Judges Benchbook, accessed 1/10/26.
FN11. Julian Barnes, et al, “U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says,” NYT, 3/11/26. 20/22

FN12. FACT SHEET: The President's Budget Secures Our Border, Combats Fentanyl Trafficking, and Calls on Congress to Enact Critical Immigration Reform, 3/11/24, accessed 4/30/26.
FN13. World Health Organization. 21/22

FN14. Sarah Hearon and Kaitlin Simpson, “The Biggest Names Associated With the College Admissions Scandal: Where Are They Now?” US, 10/2/25, accessed 4/30/26.
FN15. Gabriel Sealey-Morris, “Comprehensive Guide to College for Undocumented and DACA Students,” 4/25/25, accessed 4/30/26.
FN16. I respond by referring to trump because that’s necessary to respond to this point. 22/22