News & Commentary from Veteran Writers/Activists
My local newspaper recently printed a trio of articles about fallen heroes. One was the story of a young Marine who died in a training exercise, months short of discharge. His body was welcomed home with 2200 American flags. Another was a comment by a columnist questioning the economics of providing military honors to people who died in circumstances other than combat. Still another opined that lots of people are heroes … [Read more...]
"The experience we have of our lives from within, the story we tell ourselves about ourselves in order to account for what we are doing, is thus a lie -- the truth lies rather outside, in what we do." Slavoj Zizek Soldiers and veterans from Iraq, Afghanistan and other wars are killing themselves, according to Sixty Minutes, at a rate of 22-a-day. For any fair-minded person whose mind is not locked into a dehumanized … [Read more...]
Backyard Productions presents COMMEMORATE THIS! A short comedy on history and the Vietnam War (To watch the film, click on the title above) In 2008, Congress created a 13-year, $5-million-per-year propaganda project to clean up the image of the Vietnam War. It's called The Vietnam War Commemoration Project and it focuses on issues of individual honor and bravery. It avoids the controversial historical and moral issues … [Read more...]
By JOEY KING “I have decided to henceforth say nothing that is not true,” said the student. “I’ll miss your voice,” replied the Zen master. I discovered the writings of Jeff Knaebel a few years ago. He was a US citizen who left the country of his birth in the mid-1990s for a life of voluntary self-exile in India. His writings were online articles that … [Read more...]
By Billy Kelly I am probably the only American alive who knows this hamlet's name. On March 15, 1969, I was involved in an all-day battle in this very area—mercifully, the only one of my brief military career. The combat took place within a two-kilometer by four-kilometer area. I remember the name because I received a few citations with this hamlet's name printed on them, and the date of the action was noted. I was … [Read more...]
Over the past decade or so, it’s become quite the fashion, when people learn that I once served in the Marines, to say to me, “Thank you for your service.” I’m sure they mean well, but I wish they would take just a moment to reflect on what they are saying. I went halfway around the world to a place called Vietnam, where I killed, maimed, brutalized and made miserable a people who had never done me or my … [Read more...]
"...the most unjust war ever waged by a stronger … [Read More...]
I have listed below more … [Read More...]
"The experience we have of our lives from within, … [Read More...]
Backyard Productions presents COMMEMORATE … [Read More...]
