I'm choked up, as brilliant as this is, it is equally sad. God Bless our Troops and may someone find the smarts and courage to keep them out of harm's way. Those serving America in this wrong headed, completely illegal war deserve a better future than a trip home in a body bag thanks to a demented ego maniac and an imbecile and drunk secretary of offensive war.
Iraq/Iran 2600 BCE. Being all powerful, perhaps God is on the side of good people on both sides of this war. Our troops and the innocent people of Iran
Thank you Greg. I always, always learn something when I read your substack. I just this morning referenced the VC (weirdly bc I know almost nothing about it) to my bf explaining hybrid warfare & how it’s really hard to fight something you can’t see.
When a woman of my era wonders why she never met her "Mr. Right," I think, because he was sent home from Vietnam in a body bag. Republicans say they want more babies. Maybe preach in their religion of dollars about numbers of consumers to be lost. Thanks for the important Easter message. I bet their Easter baskets are full of skewered rabbits and ketchup-covered Peeps.
And, so many of the ones that did come home left unaware of what war really was; then returned drenched in resentment, violence, fear, guilt and a wide variety of substance abuse problems.
Republicans only want more babies so they can have more soldiers to die on the battlefield. And more cheap labor to exploit. The last nine years have moved any benefit of the doubt towards anyone in that party. May they dine on ketchup covered Peeps!
I am with your wife. Only I would add that your ending paragraphs gave me chills. For decades, through mostly GOP administrations, I have thought I would leave this country before my children could be conscripted. And never can I grasp how military families support any administrations that dgaf about the “commoners” being killed and wounded in their names.
Thanks, Sue. I like to believe that more responsible administrations only use military intervention as the last resort. Probably I’m being naïve about that. But I think a lot of the interventions (to use the euphemism) were at least understandable. Iraq is one exception. That was stupid even in the moment. This is even worse. No justification at all. No planning. Nothing. Shameful.
That’s a great antiwar song, there is no doubt about the point they’re making. There’s a newer song called “Who Would Jesus Bomb” that I wish would played on repeat over the pentagon speaker systems.
I wrote this before I saw what he wrote. I had to check it three or four times from three or four sources to make sure it was true. Even for him, it’s really something.
Thank you Greg. You somehow manage to tie history to the present, even the recent history of Sierra Leone, and the Texas Rangers of the past. Leaves me “chilled” as your wise wife said. But Happy Easter anyways- today I will try to have some hope….
Texas Rangers and my time as a cop in Arizona, Unwritten policy was any bad dudes wanted by in Arizona and captured by Texas Rangers was to have the Rangers do the first interrogation!
Reporters: Freedom is dependent on Reporters. Particularly on the Ground reporting. My friend Charles Bowden preferred Reporter to Journalist.
"Stay Home" at 19 the DRAFT required me to make a decesion about home. Not wanting to find myself carrying a rifle in a muddy Foxhole I choose to be a Air Force Paramedic.
Due to a completel lack of knowledge I cant comment on music.
Stoll at 85 the only time I put a coin in the Diner jukebox is to play Ring of Fire.
An Air Force paramedic! We learn new things about you every day, Cal.
I’ve actually never seen blood diamond. I talked about the movie with Aja Raden… in some sense as a propaganda film, and it’s interesting that DiCaprio owns a big stake in a diamond company.
Greg.....you are far more knowledgeable about music than I. I listened to Buckley's version of Hallelujah. I am aware of him but do not know his music. Then I had to listen to KD Lang's Hallelujah at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Nothing beats that. One of the most pure voices on Earth.
As the grandson and grandnephew of WW I conscientious objectors—both imprisoned, the latter dying there—and a Vietnam Era Veteran myself, I have a stake in this conversation. Fortunately I avoided being deployed, and spent nine years of the war being responsible in Georgia, DC and Alabama for computer software. The ‘was it worth it’ question was ever-present: resist illegal avoidance of the draft; get into the Air Force rather than the Army; get out before being deployed. But I was in lo enough to appreciate the significance of the oath to the constitution, the ethos of ‘defense’ (vs ‘war’), and the overall integrity of the DoD. The corruption and cruelty of Hegseth are mind boggling.
The World War One conscientious objectors are some of the bravest people in the history of this country. Much respect to them.
I’m sure that, if I was in the position you were in, I would’ve done the same thing. I’m not brave enough to not go with the flow in that kind of situation.
But this is different. There’s no draft. It just seems incredible that we’re even considering sending troops to fight the Epstein war, and sate the bloodlust of two inferior men. It’s just all so sad.
Thanks for the essay, Greg. It covers a lot of ground, and I didn't know most of this. The calling of reporter is completely essential, but often thankless. I have to agree, though, that it wasn't worth it in the Sierra Leone case. Martyrdom usually dismays me; you shouldn't give up your life unless you are very, very sure it will count.
Thank you Gregg. As a veteran I feel badly for those caught in military service under this psychopathic leadership. "The Prince of Peace" - let us reflect, in this which is now called "The Anthropocene", what happened to our The Prince of Peace .... "give us Barabus" they chanted.
I read about the Texas Rangers in the context of the bloody Indian wars…with tribes each having their own personalities, organizational systems, values…the kidnappings of women and girl settlers were horrible. The taking of Indian land and displacement of righteous owners was horrible. This is why we need to talk about sin. Small and huge. The impulse, deed, result. Lately I’m thinking a lot of , “Hi, I’m Ron Reagan and I’m an atheist.” I always liked his voice saying that; it was always an arrival of balance for me.
Yes, the slaughter and displacement of the Native Americans is one of our two original sins. I was reading in some book, now I can’t remember which one, that in that early period, whenever a Native American was kidnapped and made to assimilate into European culture, they always try to escape and return to the tribe. But when the situation was reversed, the Europeans always preferred to stay with the Native Americans. Tells you all you need to know about the two systems. And as usual. The crappier of the two systems is what prevailed.
Guess we never solved the brutish and short part. It doens’t look promising like we will. Bet you never thought your 📕 EMpress would be under the category of current events either.
Great stuff, Greg. Your music essays are often my favorite. Funny thing about Born in the U.S.A., Bruce actually recorded it as a slow acoustic song for the Nebraska sessions. Didn't make the album, then he turned it up a notch with the E Street Band and put it on the next album. Not sure if you knew that, but now you surely do. Here it is: https://youtu.be/HcqZvbrfa_s?si=JiXj18psRidV7TNt
One more thing. My parents met in Sierra Leone in the mid-sixties when they both worked in the Peace Corps. I forwarded your essay to my dad. Not sure if he knew that little piece of history.
Oh Greg, you sure have a way to cheer me up on a rainy Easter Sunday. Sob!
I'm choked up, as brilliant as this is, it is equally sad. God Bless our Troops and may someone find the smarts and courage to keep them out of harm's way. Those serving America in this wrong headed, completely illegal war deserve a better future than a trip home in a body bag thanks to a demented ego maniac and an imbecile and drunk secretary of offensive war.
Do we know what side the gods are on?
Sumer/Elam
Iraq/Iran 2600 BCE. Being all powerful, perhaps God is on the side of good people on both sides of this war. Our troops and the innocent people of Iran
I respect your optimism.
Thank you. And well put, as always. I’ve been saying for a long time that this is unsustainable. But now it’s really unsustainable…
Thank you Greg. I always, always learn something when I read your substack. I just this morning referenced the VC (weirdly bc I know almost nothing about it) to my bf explaining hybrid warfare & how it’s really hard to fight something you can’t see.
Thanks, Jenn. The Vietnamese general during the war was particularly brilliant. Much to the detriment of our troops. Tragic.
🙏
When a woman of my era wonders why she never met her "Mr. Right," I think, because he was sent home from Vietnam in a body bag. Republicans say they want more babies. Maybe preach in their religion of dollars about numbers of consumers to be lost. Thanks for the important Easter message. I bet their Easter baskets are full of skewered rabbits and ketchup-covered Peeps.
And, so many of the ones that did come home left unaware of what war really was; then returned drenched in resentment, violence, fear, guilt and a wide variety of substance abuse problems.
So tragic, all of it. And very difficult to understand even now why.
Mr. Wright
Left seat
Strap up
Sit tight
your copilot
has taken flight.
Not home tonite
Vietnam was so wrong.
For the French and The US.
Today there are Communist Billionaires in Vietnam.
Time to slip my dvd into the machine for a rewatch of The Quiet American.
Republicans only want more babies so they can have more soldiers to die on the battlefield. And more cheap labor to exploit. The last nine years have moved any benefit of the doubt towards anyone in that party. May they dine on ketchup covered Peeps!
I am with your wife. Only I would add that your ending paragraphs gave me chills. For decades, through mostly GOP administrations, I have thought I would leave this country before my children could be conscripted. And never can I grasp how military families support any administrations that dgaf about the “commoners” being killed and wounded in their names.
Thanks, Sue. I like to believe that more responsible administrations only use military intervention as the last resort. Probably I’m being naïve about that. But I think a lot of the interventions (to use the euphemism) were at least understandable. Iraq is one exception. That was stupid even in the moment. This is even worse. No justification at all. No planning. Nothing. Shameful.
Barry McGuire and his Eve of Destruction keeps playing in my head as we trudge down this path again.
Great article, plus the Easter rant from Dear Leader surely brightened our day.😱
That’s a great antiwar song, there is no doubt about the point they’re making. There’s a newer song called “Who Would Jesus Bomb” that I wish would played on repeat over the pentagon speaker systems.
https://youtu.be/lQa3JvF7GKU?si=nMVKlseaHWoGZ3SD
Thanks for the reference to Rainbow Girls and their song.
Me too. Hadn't heard it; just posted it to Facebook.
I wrote this before I saw what he wrote. I had to check it three or four times from three or four sources to make sure it was true. Even for him, it’s really something.
Thank you Greg. You somehow manage to tie history to the present, even the recent history of Sierra Leone, and the Texas Rangers of the past. Leaves me “chilled” as your wise wife said. But Happy Easter anyways- today I will try to have some hope….
Thanks, Helen. I hope you had a happy Easter.
Excellent weaving of events.
Some takeaways;
I've watched Blood Diamonds three times.
Texas Rangers and my time as a cop in Arizona, Unwritten policy was any bad dudes wanted by in Arizona and captured by Texas Rangers was to have the Rangers do the first interrogation!
Reporters: Freedom is dependent on Reporters. Particularly on the Ground reporting. My friend Charles Bowden preferred Reporter to Journalist.
"Stay Home" at 19 the DRAFT required me to make a decesion about home. Not wanting to find myself carrying a rifle in a muddy Foxhole I choose to be a Air Force Paramedic.
Due to a completel lack of knowledge I cant comment on music.
Stoll at 85 the only time I put a coin in the Diner jukebox is to play Ring of Fire.
An Air Force paramedic! We learn new things about you every day, Cal.
I’ve actually never seen blood diamond. I talked about the movie with Aja Raden… in some sense as a propaganda film, and it’s interesting that DiCaprio owns a big stake in a diamond company.
Interesting about the modern Texas Rangers!
Greg.....you are far more knowledgeable about music than I. I listened to Buckley's version of Hallelujah. I am aware of him but do not know his music. Then I had to listen to KD Lang's Hallelujah at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Nothing beats that. One of the most pure voices on Earth.
If you’re looking for an argument about your kd lang assessment, you’ve come to the wrong Substack comment section lol.
"Next to of course god anerica i"
e e cummings
Oops that was supposed to be america.
Oops, that was supposed to be America… That is itself a poem!
As the grandson and grandnephew of WW I conscientious objectors—both imprisoned, the latter dying there—and a Vietnam Era Veteran myself, I have a stake in this conversation. Fortunately I avoided being deployed, and spent nine years of the war being responsible in Georgia, DC and Alabama for computer software. The ‘was it worth it’ question was ever-present: resist illegal avoidance of the draft; get into the Air Force rather than the Army; get out before being deployed. But I was in lo enough to appreciate the significance of the oath to the constitution, the ethos of ‘defense’ (vs ‘war’), and the overall integrity of the DoD. The corruption and cruelty of Hegseth are mind boggling.
The World War One conscientious objectors are some of the bravest people in the history of this country. Much respect to them.
I’m sure that, if I was in the position you were in, I would’ve done the same thing. I’m not brave enough to not go with the flow in that kind of situation.
But this is different. There’s no draft. It just seems incredible that we’re even considering sending troops to fight the Epstein war, and sate the bloodlust of two inferior men. It’s just all so sad.
Thanks for the essay, Greg. It covers a lot of ground, and I didn't know most of this. The calling of reporter is completely essential, but often thankless. I have to agree, though, that it wasn't worth it in the Sierra Leone case. Martyrdom usually dismays me; you shouldn't give up your life unless you are very, very sure it will count.
Thanks, Susan. I quite agree.
Thank you Gregg. As a veteran I feel badly for those caught in military service under this psychopathic leadership. "The Prince of Peace" - let us reflect, in this which is now called "The Anthropocene", what happened to our The Prince of Peace .... "give us Barabus" they chanted.
Thanks, Gary. I tweeted out a screenshot of his horrible statement yesterday with the caption, President Barabbas has spoken.
I read about the Texas Rangers in the context of the bloody Indian wars…with tribes each having their own personalities, organizational systems, values…the kidnappings of women and girl settlers were horrible. The taking of Indian land and displacement of righteous owners was horrible. This is why we need to talk about sin. Small and huge. The impulse, deed, result. Lately I’m thinking a lot of , “Hi, I’m Ron Reagan and I’m an atheist.” I always liked his voice saying that; it was always an arrival of balance for me.
Yes, the slaughter and displacement of the Native Americans is one of our two original sins. I was reading in some book, now I can’t remember which one, that in that early period, whenever a Native American was kidnapped and made to assimilate into European culture, they always try to escape and return to the tribe. But when the situation was reversed, the Europeans always preferred to stay with the Native Americans. Tells you all you need to know about the two systems. And as usual. The crappier of the two systems is what prevailed.
Guess we never solved the brutish and short part. It doens’t look promising like we will. Bet you never thought your 📕 EMpress would be under the category of current events either.
Great stuff, Greg. Your music essays are often my favorite. Funny thing about Born in the U.S.A., Bruce actually recorded it as a slow acoustic song for the Nebraska sessions. Didn't make the album, then he turned it up a notch with the E Street Band and put it on the next album. Not sure if you knew that, but now you surely do. Here it is: https://youtu.be/HcqZvbrfa_s?si=JiXj18psRidV7TNt
Oh wow, I didn’t know that! So his initial sensibility was correct. Interesting.
One more thing. My parents met in Sierra Leone in the mid-sixties when they both worked in the Peace Corps. I forwarded your essay to my dad. Not sure if he knew that little piece of history.
Oh wow! Interesting piece of family history.