> >>Maybe it is time to listen to those who have borne the battle for they
> >>understand sensless violence better than any of us and perhaps have the
> >>wisdom to save us from depressing chaos.
>
> >>country joe mcdonald USN
>
> Sorry, Joe. I cant equate "understanding" with "experience". I've
> known quite a few people who have immersed themselves in, and dished
> out senseless violence, yet are still surprisingly devoid of
> understanding the reason for their actions. Just because you were
> "there" dont mean you got the picture any better than an observer.
> Even tho being "there" was obviously the more real and intense
> experience. I think wisdom comes, not from experience, but from
> understanding (war can kill you). Dont have to die to know its the
> end.
>
> paul H
First allow me to tip my hat to Jeff Hale, for the unpleasant
reality that many of us have lived, namely that Vietnam was NOT
the only War in the World. As I have pointed out when it is of
value, I am not an 'in country' vet, I learned the trade the old
fashion way, in the lesser known games that got played over the
last 30 years. But try to tell that to the Nice Folks CONUS who
had no idea that there was anything unpleasant happening that did
not earn a 30 second sound byte on the nightly news.
Perchance "Vietnam, The Media Circus" was 'easier' for folks to
manage because there was such nice media coverage, colour commentary,
and clear illustrations that war is Really Not Socially Nice. But it
seems to have never clarified what 'low intensity warfare' really meant,
besides the cute beret's and the baggy field trousers, web gear, and other
fashion risks.
When the carter administration opted to re-institute the draft
registration system, as a part of the GeoPolticalMessagingMethod,
it was amusing to watch the trendy young college boys who had just
recently been flirting with girls about how 'anti-war' they were,
shuffle off dutifully to sign up for the slaughter. And were agast
by those of us who were so shocking as to bring out not ONLY our
growing collection of books on warfare, but to place them on the American Flag.
When I found myself tossed out of the student commons, I just plonked that
US Flag on the ground, put out my books again, and continued my 'performance art'.
One really could not call it an anti-war protest, since, of course we were not
at war, and were not asking any of these nice college boys to really risk
diddly. Since of course, none of them would volunteer to sail in harm's way
for any of their alledged ideals. And I would return CONUS, again, and be
pleased to hear that folks I had worked with had likewise made it home safely
and things were still safe, and they were falling in love, and having children
and growing old.
Sunday the tribe will gather in front of a CoffeeSpot, to play go, talk of
art, and life, and love, and tragic romance. Perchance we will wonder again
about what 'resistence' really was/is. Who are/were the war resisters? Given
that we will be invading a nice YuppyPuppyGatheringPlace, are we 'resisting' -
that collection of memories that have prevented us from risking being in
public for reasons of 'security precautions'???? Are we resisting a war that
has been over, and yet, never really finished, as we look around and recall
who's son/lover/brother/mother/daughter/father/kithAndKin are currently
operational, and where....
Which IS the senseless violence?
The bomb hurler? The person who has 'better security precautions'???
Or is mere Ignorance the worst of all forms of Senseless Violences???
Oh that it were as simple as 'being there' versus 'better understanding
of the data stream encountered by those who were there'....
Should we Scare the Natives? Freak The Straights?
Traumatize them with tales from beyond the pale?
As a nation, we still have not answered HOW to deal with the american
revolution, and whether or not it can be exported, or should be exported.
We have never resolved whether the Peace Corp was a Good Idea, or mere
EuroKentrikKulturalMyopia. Whether it helped prevent wars of national
liberation, and kept our marine brothers off some other beach... We still
can not resolve the questions of 'equitable employement' - for such fashion
risks as Nike, and the CathiLeeCrosbyLines.... yet would the grand armed
revolutionary struggle, of chant and flame, be the better path than the
gradualism that we have left the world staggering in???
Which is resistance, and which is mere Senseless Violence...
ciao
drieux
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E-mail: drieux@wetware.com
WebPage: http://www.wetware.com/drieux
Date: 09/26/97
Time: 21:46:03
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