That’s how I’ve tended to characterize the huge, diverse and boisterous movement working to stop the U.S, war against Vietnam, 1963-1975. I should have written an essay here about them last month, for the anniversary of the 1975 evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, but I could barely fit them in a chapter forContinue reading “On Memorial Day, remember these priests, poets, politicos and pranksters!”
Category Archives: World War II
“Hollywood’s conscientious objector.” The subtitle wrote itself.
I’ve been reading a lot of biographies of late. These days, most are marvels of narrative nonfiction. I just finished Jean Harvey Baker’s work on Mary Todd Lincoln, (via Michelle Dean at the New Yorker), which taught me that the much-reviled First Lady was less a loon than a feminist that coulda been. And sometimes Continue reading ““Hollywood’s conscientious objector.” The subtitle wrote itself.”
How long does the pain last – forever?
I’m far from the only one to have shared that heartrending New York Times essay by Shannon Meehan, entitled “Constant Wars, Distant Ghosts.” And perhaps as a result, veterans of all generations raised their voices and became this piece on “War and Conscience.” Some bits that hit the hardest: As a former World War IIContinue reading “How long does the pain last – forever?”
Howard Zinn, part two
One of the things that makes me personally sad about Zinn leaving us when he did is that I’d hoped to, when Ain’t Marchin’ finally came out, introduce him to Garett Reppenhagen (left), president of Veterans Green Jobs and former president of Iraq Veterans Against the War. The latter had told me, when I interviewedContinue reading “Howard Zinn, part two”
take a moment first
Right now I’m working on a post about today’s news, but until I post it, I think it’s crucial to honor the giants one more time — in this case, Howard Zinn. Check out Daniel Ellsberg, like Zinn a hero of my book, telling stories about getting arrested with Zinn in protest of the VietnamContinue reading “take a moment first”
I Ain't Marching Anymore 