Wednesday, June 28, 2006
FTA
Saw a very good documentary on BBC2 last night about the anti-war GI movement during the Vietnam conflict. I really didn't know that the extent of anti-war organisation amongst American soldiers was so impressive. They were some really brave men and women - many of them faced stiff jail sentences, hard labour even the death sentence! The documentary, Sir! No Sir! - has its own website, here. My one gripe about it was that it was somewhat spoiled by hyper-active editing - you know, where the camera contiually zooms in and out and where each shot lasts for no more than 4 seconds before we have to jump to something new.
There's a really good flash mini-movie here, at the 'Not Your Soldier' counter-recruitment site, which makes use of extracts from Sir! No Sir! and draws some links between the Vietnam war and Iraq. Well worth a look.
Couldn't help noticing recently that Gene at Harry's Place seems to be advocating some sort of draft for the war. As we all know, Gene is deeply egalitarian and left wing and everything, and so he recognises that it's unjust that most of the kids doing the killing and dying in this dirty little rich man's war come from poor backgrounds. Gene's blood, it seems, absolutely boils at the sight of privileged, young, upper class Americans living it up at some society event (photo provided) while poor, mostly black kids, get sent to Iraq. These rich kids should shoulder some of the burden, Gene, the left wing egalitarian, remarks. Now, I don't know about you, but isn't there something disgusting about an ex-pat, middle aged, war supporting American like Gene pontificating about the injustice of a situation in which wealthy American civilians live it up while the poor have to fight their wars for them? It seems a teensy tiny bit hypocritical. I could be wrong, though, maybe Gene thinks that well-to-do, middle aged, American ex-pat bloggers should be drafted too, so that they can do their bit. Yes, that's probably it. Gene probably curses his luck every day - 'Goddam it, if only I was of fighting age, I'd be out there like a shot, you know! God, I wish I could go! Damn this military age limit thing!' he must say, wistfully, to everyone he can button-hole down at the club bar.
There's a really good flash mini-movie here, at the 'Not Your Soldier' counter-recruitment site, which makes use of extracts from Sir! No Sir! and draws some links between the Vietnam war and Iraq. Well worth a look.
Couldn't help noticing recently that Gene at Harry's Place seems to be advocating some sort of draft for the war. As we all know, Gene is deeply egalitarian and left wing and everything, and so he recognises that it's unjust that most of the kids doing the killing and dying in this dirty little rich man's war come from poor backgrounds. Gene's blood, it seems, absolutely boils at the sight of privileged, young, upper class Americans living it up at some society event (photo provided) while poor, mostly black kids, get sent to Iraq. These rich kids should shoulder some of the burden, Gene, the left wing egalitarian, remarks. Now, I don't know about you, but isn't there something disgusting about an ex-pat, middle aged, war supporting American like Gene pontificating about the injustice of a situation in which wealthy American civilians live it up while the poor have to fight their wars for them? It seems a teensy tiny bit hypocritical. I could be wrong, though, maybe Gene thinks that well-to-do, middle aged, American ex-pat bloggers should be drafted too, so that they can do their bit. Yes, that's probably it. Gene probably curses his luck every day - 'Goddam it, if only I was of fighting age, I'd be out there like a shot, you know! God, I wish I could go! Damn this military age limit thing!' he must say, wistfully, to everyone he can button-hole down at the club bar.
