U.S. War Logic
“It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.” —U.S. officer, speaking of Ben Tre, 1968 We had to burn their huts to protect them from the Communists. We had to napalm the people…
Category: Vietnam
Awakening to the Reality of Suffering in the World
Dear Friends, The original 4th precept of the Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing reads, “Do not avoid contact with suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of…
Tiger Tiger Burning Bright
They’ve got to be late 60s Some early 70s Same age as Gary Roi— Now what was Gary doing back in 1968 When the men of Tiger Force went about their war? How many of…
The Way It Looked in 1986
The United States was deeply committed to the French effort to reconquer their former colony, recognizing throughout that the enemy was the nationalist movement of Vietnam. The death toll was about half a million. When…
Patience
I believe it’s a thousand year project; I don’t think this thing is going to be finished in my lifetime or in anybody’s lifetime. I think we possibly can get something started that will open…
Take a Look
In 1969 or 1970, I began to re-evaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say…. I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well…
How Much John Kerry Learned to Forget
John Kerry, Winter Soldier Hearing, 1971: The country doesn’t know it yet, but it has created a monster, a monster in the form of millions of men who have been taught to deal and to…
Our Gifts to the World (A Very Partial List)
Please remember Victor Jara, In the Santiago Stadium, Es verdad – those Washington Bullets again —The Clash Washington Bullets (We’re still making the world safe for democracy) Washington Little Boy and Fat Man (We stand…
One-Sided!!!
Dear Bella So after my article on Agent Orange Day Was published in the campus newspaper Professor Lang Came up to me at Fatemeh’s Cafe and said “Why do you only talk about How the…
On Susan Sontag, Trip to Hanoi
Journal, July 2005 Susan Sontag spent two weeks in North Vietnam in 1968, and wrote 90 pages about her experiences. (Perhaps I will cull from those notebooks I kept in Gaza and the West Bank…