Practical spirituality for a complicated world.
Dear Robert,
Your column in the January 11 issue
was one of the best you've written. My husband and I thank you for it. We especially enjoyed it because my favorite cousin is gay. We grew up together in East Texas, in the 1950s. I've sent him your column, because I know he'll enjoy it, too. There is one issue you glossed over, and I'd like to ask you about it. It is the question of minorities and poor being drafted for Vietnam, while whites got deferments. It did not seem to me that you gave it the attention it deserves. You are a brave man, Robert.
Thank you.
MC, Tesuque
Dear MC,
Thanks for your e-mail. I appreciate your support and your kind words, more than you could imagine. It really does mean a lot to me when I hear that my columns have touched someone. Thanks, too, for sending the column along to your cousin. I hope you included my email address, for I'd love to hear what he thinks about it.
Your question about minorities and the poor is a good one. I've heard for years that blacks fought and died in Vietnam in numbers far out of proportion to their percentage of the population. The people who say this are undoubtedly sincere, however they are wrong. When I got your email, I decided to do some research. It wasn't easy, but I found some documentation on the subject. According to the US Department of Defense, during the Vietnam era, blacks comprised 13% of the population, but only 10% of the military forces that served in Vietnam were black. Whites composed 85% of the population, while they composed 88% of the military forces in Vietnam. The same document states that of the men killed in battle in Vietnam, 12.1% were black, and 86.8% were white. I think at that time, Hispanics were counted as "white", but I'm not sure. The US Department of Defense statistics do not bear out the oft-repeated allegation that minorities served, or died in Vietnam in a far greater proportional percentage than whites. I don't know if this will make any difference. People believe what they want, and rarely let facts interfere with their beliefs.
I think it's a big mistake to pit one group against another. Those who do, at least on the left, seem motivated by the philosophy of Marxism. The clearest example of this type of class warfare and racist demagoguery is Michael Moore. It frightens me, because I tend to agree with him on many things, and usually with the social positions of the Democrats. Many in the leadership of the Democrats are white males, yet they assault white males through their racist, anti-white and anti-male rhetoric and policies. Are they hoping it gains them brownie points with their captive special interest groups? Probably. It's sad. But, perhaps they have a point. Where are we going to go? To the Republicans, who are totally dominated by the radical neo-cons and rabid Fundamentalists? They know we'll never support Wolfowitz, Rove, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, or the other hatemongers who run the Republican Party. I'll tell you what, Cindy Sheehan speaks for a lot of us died-in-the-wool Democrats, who aren't going to blindly toe the party line any longer. However, to tell you the truth, I don't think the politicians in either party care, as long as they get their personal share of the goodies. Actually, they make a very good living in politics, in the political system, but they often have to check their integrity at the door. It's the nature of the system. If you're tempted to play their game, remember, you can't wallow with the hogs without getting muddy, yourself. So, the liberals and conservatives continue to play us all against each other, and will continue to do so as long as we allow them. Let me warn you however, that we're not supposed to say these things. We're supposed to be good, obedient little boys and girls and follow the orders of which ever political party we belong to. We mustn't be naughty and think for ourselves.
The men who died in Vietnam were there because they believed they were serving their country, and doing their duty. They deserve to be honored for that, whether they were black, white, Hispanic or whatever. Their memory should not be dishonored by using them as political pawns after they gave their lives. When I was in the 11th grade, my uncle was killed in Vietnam. He was my mother's baby brother and only 19 years old. Up until that point, my parents had been supportive of President Johnson, and his war. After Harold was killed, they changed their minds. I remember being so surprised to hear my father ask why we were fighting in Vietnam, and that if the Communists wanted that godforsaken swamp, to let them have it. Before he could be drafted, my father enlisted in the navy when he was 17, in January, 1942. He fought in the Pacific throughout the war, and was with the first occupation troops to go into Nagasaki, while the radioactive ruins were still smoking from the atomic bomb. To hear my father withdraw his support of the Vietnam War was, believe me, a big deal.
When I lived in the South, I used to say things like, "These preachers are not telling us the truth. They're controlling our thoughts and actions though fear. They're bullies. Stand up to them." Of course, I sort of got run out of the South. Now, here in Santa Fe, I'm saying, "Look, these pseudo-liberal tolerance terrorists are trying to control our thoughts and speech. They say they're tolerant, but if you disagree with them, you'll soon see how open-minded and tolerant they are." We all need to stop fighting amongst ourselves. We're all on the same sinking ship, black, white, Hispanic, etc. We are not each other's enemies. The real enemy is the monstrous, ruthless power structure in Washington. They are extremely powerful, but the only way they remain in power is through our apathy. If we ever stopped attacking each other, and fighting amongst ourselves, then we'd clearly see who the real bad guys are.
Dear MC, I might have gone off on a bit of a tangent in today's column. I hope you can see my point, that the things we need to talk about should not be constantly framed within the context of race, sexual orientation, religion, or the other divisions the power structure uses to keep us distracted. This is a radical message. I realize that. But, when push comes to shove, you can only stand in your own truth. Anything else is but an act, a sham.
Thanks again for your very nice e-mail.
OM
To ask Robert a question, visit his website at www.RobertOdom.com, email desertrj@msn.com or send mail to PO Box 33, Santa Fe, NM 87504.
