| Gordon Lightfoot – Sit Down Young Stranger Lyrics | 11 years ago |
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"Come to do to Canada what he was unwilling to do the Vietnam" So draft resisters went to Canada to kill Canadians? As for "complacent" and "entitled" and "cowards": Since many resisters did truly believe that the war in Vietnam was unjust, the truly cowardly and complacent thing to do would have been to just go along with the draft and go to Vietnam anyways. For many, dodging the draft was an act of courage. And since it often meant leaving their families and friends for an indefinite period, it was also just about the opposite of "complacent." Oh, and as for "entitled" - I'd like to think that every human being has the right to not be forced into involuntary servitude and made to kill in an unjust and immoral war. Don't get me wrong, those who did fight should not be in any way blamed for their country's moral failure. But at the same time, many of those against the war were right - the war was an unjust and evil thing, and those who resisted being forced into uniform did not act dishonorably. And it's not like resisting the status quo and ignoring the moral condemnation of many of your peers is an easy or "complacent" thing to do at any time. Even at the height of the "anti-Vietnam" sentiment, a large portion of the country still looked down on anti-war protesters, draft dodgers, etc. It was never an easy choice. I don't condemn those who went along with the draft, and I don't condemn those who fought against it. |
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| Edwin Starr – War Lyrics | 17 years ago |
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No one has to fight for their freedom. There IS another way. And the more people refuse to go to war, the better off humanity will be. I take my hat off to all of those brave souls who refuse to participate in the conflicts of the nations. Those who realize that there is a better way, that war is not inevitable, and that there is no such thing as a "just war." Violence only perpetuates violence. A nation founded by bloodshed only guarantees the continuation of warfare - until enough brave souls stand up and refuse to participate. I'm reminded of a quote: "When you kill a man to defend an idea, you don't defend an idea. You kill a man." Whether that idea is freedom, democracy, or anything else, it's true. You cannot justify the murder of another individual, and there is ALWAYS another way to stop tyranny. The alternative often seems more difficult - but it's worth it. Contrary to popular perception, pacifism is the harder route - but it's also the far more humane, and moral. And just. Anyways - This is an absolutely fantastic song, and one of my favorite of all protest/anti-war songs. And unlike some of the songs from the Vietnam era, this is absolutely timeless. I also really like the versions by The Temptations and Bruce Springsteen. |
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