I've been in jail and in the hospital... For Protesting Viet Nam...

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

I really don't want to do it again. It's no fun.

But I'll do it if it's necessary,. And I wonder if it's enough.

[AX10]

1. Why were you in the hospital?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. Broken nose....

During an anti-Calley Rally....


(and cracked ribs)


Fun times.

[AX10]

5. Who did this?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. In the custody of the Huntsville Police and the Muskogee Cty (GA)

Correctionnal Camp.

And the second broken nose marching with Hosea in Ga...

[AX10]

12. Ah yes, the pigs of the south.

My condolences.

[Retired AF Dem]

77. And yet Tom is a pig of the south

Huntsville police is learning, one of their own, Daniel Golden was killed by an illegal alien, Huntsville Police arrested the killer and placed him into the Madison county jail in one piece. This didn't get much play since it happened the same day that Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?s=46f9b893d72ce5a03138d8fac1de8c8b&p=468492#post468492

[Ptah]

2. She would say, yes it is worth it:

[mike_c]

4. now THAT is quite a reminder....

Thank you.

[G_j]

78. we need literally thousands

with the courage
how I wish it were so
people get arrested at the SOA every year
80 yr old nuns go to fed prison
very few even know about this

what is needed is very critical mass of resistance
thousands upon thousands I would say

[mitchtv]

6. Tom, I am getiing tired of this stuff

In my 60's now, andit looks like every demonstration I go to, everyone is 50+. I won't be able to take my meds to Jail.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

11. LOL!!! Me too!

But someone's got to do it!

[tavalon]

72. That's just not true

Yes, your generation is coming out in force and that is good, especially since they can't therefore label this movement as youthful stupidity but other generations are being represented well. Look more carefully.

[patrice]

8. The Occupation of Iraq feels like living with someone who is dying

of cancer.

My husband died of lung cancer 9 years ago. It was 3 months from his diagnosis to the day he passed on.

Bush's war feels just like those three months, except that it's much longer.

I haven't been jailed or hospitalized yet, but I am protesting with others every week.

Like you TYJ I wonder if it's enough, whatever effect we manage to have on the course of things, I wonder if it will ever be enough.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

13. Dear god, dear.....

Please find peace in your heart.

[patrice]

30. If peace means accept the death of someone I loved for 33

years, it isn't going to happen.

I feel like my country is dying now. I will never accept that either.

I've met people like me, for whom there is no "Give it to the Lord", no way to make it acceptable, no peace. You just live with this presence in your life, a presence that you are constantly balancing with whatever goodness presents itself.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

35. Too true and understood. n/t

[bobbolink]

39. I operate in much the same way. Just stumble on the best way possible.

Blessings to you, and thanks for your honesty! It's a real gift.

:hug:

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. Were you one of those they locked up on Monday morning

during the Spring 1971 Washington demonstrations? I was there Fri-Sun and had Army duty early Monday. A friend of mine (civilian) was arrested there on Monday.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

14. Nope... I stayed in the SE.... n/t

[peace13]

10. Thank you for protesting Viet nam.

I was in High School and saw you on TV. Thank you.
edited for spelling, I give I am going to find my glasses

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

15. You're welcome... Now it's your turn....GET YOUR ASS OUT THERE!

Thank you.

[peace13]

18. IActually I have 2600 flags

in my front yard. Memorial to those fallen for this false war. Will continue to speak out as long as there is breath. Kim

[Elwood P Dowd]

16. I was one of about 200,000 in Washington

and I was in the fucking Army at the time. Lord knows what would have happened to me if my CO had found out about that.

[IChing]

37. Me too, times are transitory

Also at the first Earth Day in DC
My friend got on the cover of Time for burning his draft card, he's dead now.
Got gassed on the mall and run over by a mounted cops horse.

[Ptah]

40. Were you there that weekend that John Lennon was there?

I saw the buses parked all around the White House.

Some flashbacks:

1968 Democratic National Convention

The Walker Report to the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention
of Violence pinned the blame for the violence in the streets on the police, calling it a "police riot."

1970
April 29 - The U.S. invades Cambodia to hunt out the Viet Cong.
Massive protests against the war occur in the U.S.

# May 4 - The Kent State shootings: Four students at Kent State University in
Ohio are killed and 9 wounded by National Guardsmen at a demonstration
protesting against the incursion into Cambodia.

There were significant national consequences to the shootings;
hundreds of universities, colleges, high schools, and even
elementary schools closed throughout the United States
due to a student strike of eight million students, and the event
further divided the country along political lines.
The delicate situation was made all the worse by the fact that most
of the victims were Democrats while most of the shooters were Republicans.
As such, Republicans tended to be more supportive of the National Guard's
actions and Democrats tended to be in opposition to them.

[Elwood P Dowd]

48. Was Lenon there?

This was late April in 1971. John Kerry was sure as hell there. There were many celebrities in the crowd and performing Sat/Sun. Just don't remember them all. I was pretty wasted if you know what I mean.

[Ptah]

50. Maybe it was a dream. A dream that there were many people

that wanted the war to stop.

It breaks my heart and soul that we seem to have made no progress.

:cry:

[IChing]

51. The draft made a lot of us stand up and take notice at 15

you saw seniors that went in and were buried not soon after.

[Ptah]

54. I won the first draft lottery. #26

Two of my high schoolmates are here:

:patriot: :patriot: :patriot:

:patriot: :patriot:

[IChing]

63. #117 three of my friends I helped bury

one at Arlington cemetery with full military honors.

[Elwood P Dowd]

65. I was almost 24 when I won the lottery

Had finished college, flunked the induction physical, and thought I was home free. Passed the next physical after the lottery, and this out-of-shape ole' fool was off to basic training. I think there was only one guy older than me in my basic training company.

[Ptah]

71. Thanksgiving?

And I proceeded to tell him the story of the twenty seven eight-by-ten
colour glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and the paragraph on
the back of each one, and he stopped me right there and said, "Kid, I want
you to go and sit down on that bench that says Group W .... NOW kid!!"

<snip>

"Kids, this-piece-of-paper's-got-47-words-37-sentences-58-words-we-wanna-
know-details-of-the-crime-time-of-the-crime-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-
you-gotta-say-pertaining-to-and-about-the-crime-I-want-to-know-arresting-
officer's-name-and-any-other-kind-of-thing-you-gotta-say", and talked for
forty-five minutes and nobody understood a word that he said, but we had
fun filling out the forms and playing with the pencils on the bench there,
and I filled out the massacre with the four part harmony, and wrote it
down there, just like it was, and everything was fine and I put down the
pencil, and I turned over the piece of paper, and there, there on the
other side, in the middle of the other side, away from everything else on
the other side, in parentheses, capital letters, quotated, read the
following words:

("KID, HAVE YOU REHABILITATED YOURSELF?")

[bobbolink]

17. You can only do what you can do.

Those of us from that era are ready and needing some peaceful times. It's time for the next generation(s) to pick up the ball. If it isn't important to them, we can't make that happen.

Also, I think there's a need for a different approach. The US is immune now to 60's style demonstrations.

Thank you for all your efforts during that era. We learned so much, and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything. It has colored everything in my life since then.

But, the time comes for a well-deserved rest. And, there are other ways to serve.

Ya done good! :hi: :hippie: :hi:

Take care of YOU! :hug:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

19. Back at you... I think I'm done right now....

getting too damned tired.

[bobbolink]

21. For what it's worth to you, you have my permission to rest.

:)

There's some roses out there that need smelling. ~~gigglesnort~~

Oh yeah.... can a broken nose still smell? :+

A balance is necessary. Can't build a new society without having a balanced life.

Malama pono, Tom! (take care, in Hawaiian)

There's no flowers emoticon, so you'll have to settle for this :pals:

[peace13]

20. It truely amazes me

The Mexicans can get hundreds of thousands in the streets and the dead ass Americans can't take a stand. So sad. They take so much for granted!

[bobbolink]

22. Who are you directing that comment to???

[peace13]

28. To those who follow the current adminsiration

eating out of the hand of * and his evil pals. Not directed to present company in any way.

[bobbolink]

33. Good. Some of us did our duty to/for country.

We're tired.

Time for the youngsters to step up.

Dang, where's that flower emoticon... :hi:

[peace13]

36. Hear what you're saying!

[mitchtv]

64. I've been saying that for a while

I want to go freeway blogging however.
Partner worries about me driving at night.

[Elwood P Dowd]

23. All you need is a draft

and then all hell will break loose.

[bobbolink]

26. I agree. Universal service.

That was the mistake my generation made --getting rid of the draft. It should have been *expanded* to include ALL, be manditory for ALL, and include volunteer service for those who object to fighting.

Then ALL would have a stake in which wars are purchased. No bystanders.

[Elwood P Dowd]

29. My parents didn't wake up during Vietnam

until I was drafted in 1970.

[bobbolink]

34. Case in point! It should be a responsibility of citizenship,

and serves to keep everyone involved in the workings of the government.

Who knows.. might even stimulate the numbers of the voting public. :)

[peace13]

31. Sadly you are correct.

[havocmom]

24. My daughter wants me to make TWO Statue of Liberty robes

She says 2 because she figures one will get ripped up at one of the rallies she is going in costume to. The one she held together with safety pins for July 4 will not do. She is planning on being seen about town A LOT! Thinkin of making some cards and publicizing that she will do appearances at rallies.

She also wants me to rig up some pockets and pouches in the folds of the gowns for a water bottle, kerchief, a small camera, her ID case, and some BAIL MONEY.
:rofl:

Gads, I love that wayward daughter of mine. She's out there. Says Tucson always has a nice age mix for protest rallies. Old people in wheel chairs waiting at the gathering stop for end of march rallies, and lots of teens getting involved. People with kids & grandkids.

She has been known to go it alone and be a one woman protest



Edit to add: just got an email from the chip off my block. Said fabric is in the mail, priority. Guess I need to oil my sewing machines.

[bobbolink]

27. You can certainly be proud of your daughter!

Tell her I'm flashing her a peace sign! :hippie:

[havocmom]

41. Just a reminder for guys like our pal TYJ

that there are some younger folks paying attention and rolling up their sleeves.

It's their world now. I am truly sorry for the mess it is in. But each era has their part of the burden to shoulder. Like TYJ, my shoulders are getting tired.

She may be around DU tonight. She'll see your peace sign. She may play you a nice little protest song. She sends the new ones to her ol mom so I can keep up.

She is always happy when teens and twenty-somethings show up at marches where she lives. Gives her some hope at her advanced age - now in that 'anybody over 30 can't be trusted group' ;)

Gads, we really did say shit like that back in the day...

[bobbolink]

46. I've had tears come to my eyes when I've met those few

committed and energetic youngsters.

Yes, we did say that shit. :hippie: :rofl: :hippie:

Just hope she is able to hear some of the wisdom we've gleaned over the years. We may be creaky, but we know a thing or three.... :)

:pals: for you, mom!

[Luna_Chick]

75. She got your peace sign, Bobbo

And right back atcha :hippie:

[patrice]

32. She looks Great!!

Congratulations on such a good daughter!

[havocmom]

45. She takes a stand.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

49. YOU are a wonderful woman!!!!! n/t

:toast:

[havocmom]

53. No, but I'm related to one

Keep in mind, my dear internet friend, we are not alone. There are others following.

[alfredo]

25. I had a friend that went to prison for refusing to kill for

our imperial president Nixon. Amnesty International came to his aid, and now he is giving back.

I've been gassed a few times, been hit with a billy club. I got followed by an FBI informant, but he accidentally blew his cover. He made a big mistake by leaving me alone in his apartment. I was suspecting him because he kept trying to get me to commit acts of sabotage and violence. I found some FBI literature in his bookshelf. I took it from the shelf, laid it out on his coffee table and left. I never saw him again. He left town.

[havocmom]

42. Had a friend who limped up to the WH fence

to toss medals over it.

Went on to spend years communicating to young people that war is not glorious.

[alfredo]

61. There's a lot of unknown heroes like your friend.

[bobbolink]

38. How 'bout some recommends for this thread? Vietnam oldsters

need a moment in the sun. :)

[havocmom]

43. LOL need a VACATION in the sun!

TYJ and the rest of the vets especially.

Somebody, help shoulder the burden of democracy. It ain't no spectator sport.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

44. Thanks! I'm in a seriously pissed moment!

[bobbolink]

47. Well, I guess my "gentle" reminder got you a couple of votes...

I'll see your seriously pissed, and raise you a :nuke:

[havocmom]

52. New DU group idea:

Severly Pissed Geezer Group

Pass the prune juice and that Large Print edition of Abbey's book, will ya bobbolink?

Edited to add:
Burn baby burn? or is it heartburn now? :rofl:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

55. Fuck you! (LOL) I might do B & C and get a stronger lens prescription.

What was I talking about?

[havocmom]

57. and the walker I rode in on?

:evilgrin:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

62. LOL!!!! Serious LOL!

Thanks!

[havocmom]

68. And for a help changing your mood

take two of these and call me in the morning...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2077049

[BlackVelvet04]

56. I didn't get thrown in jail or go to the hospital but protested the war..

fought for the 18 year old vote, for the legalization of marijuana, and to get rid of school dress codes, the legalizaiton of abortions and I don't even know what else.

I'm tired, too. History seems to have taught us nothing and here we are again fighting many of the same battles.

The Vietnam War got personal when my brother joined the army. Those were some of the worst years of my life. My only brother....my big brother that I adored came back a changed man. At least he came back. He's still angry.

[havocmom]

58. Give your big brother a hug from us

And a flower.

[NMDemDist2]

59. I've been gassed and jailed for Viet Nam and jailed for Gulf War I

I'm ready

My knees aren't so good anymore and my wrists get tired holding the signs, but let's go

the problem I see is when we filled the streets in the 70s we got TV coverage, nowadays we don't

people don't know there's blood in the streets and people screaming

thankfully the polls are starting to get a little traction (but not much)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

60. I hate getting gassed.....

Thanks, I had completely forgotten the experience....

[NMDemDist2]

66. Vasoline and wet T-Shirts

not just for frat parties in those days



:blush:


:rofl:

[mitchtv]

67. Don't forget People's Park, Free Huey

, and a cast of thousands. I remember White Night as if it were yesterday
Police cars in flames lined up in front of the State Blgd. There have been many, and If I were single, I wouldn't worry about Jail, meds , etc.

[mikeybabe125]

69. god here is the...

sole K&R for the thread... K&R. just sad. Thanks guys for all you did/are still doing to get this country back. I know it may not be much, but I'm at the forefront of the younger generation to pick up where you left off.

[havocmom]

70. And we are damned glad to have you along

Help us when we stumble. Remind us the fight is still worth fighting.

Be our legs as ours fail us.

And thank you for picking up the burden.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

73. Thanks, if belated.

:toast:

[Luna_Chick]

76. Right on, let's keep the torch lit

With respect to those who somehow haven't seen the youngin's as they've marched at your side and screamed at the top of their own lungs... they ARE out there and the numbers are growing. Please don't lose hope in those of us in the "under 50" crowd, just as our kids who are out there marching, while being too young to even vote on their futures, try not to lose hope in earlier generations who supposedly do things "for the children."

My most heartfelt thanks to all of you who fought and sacrificed before us. You are an inspiration, a source of strength when even our bodies tire of the lash, an example of what we can accomplish. :hi:

[Montagnard]

74. V

Righteous