The Business of War

All the Election Talk About Who's American and Who's Anti-American,reminded me of my Drill Instructor at Paris Island in 1966.


I wrote a poem(over 40 years old) inspired by a talk he gave.


He said,"You pieces of shit will all be Marines soon and like Marines,you will drink lot and likely throw up.

If you are a True Marine,you will puke red,white and blue!"





I Puke Red,White, and Blue Every Night





I puke red like the oceans of blood that were spilled

So a few can get elected in the business of war

I puke white like the nation of ghosts of the premature dead

So a few can profit in the business of war

I puke blue like my thoughts of killing on command

So a few can get promotions in the business of war





How people who make their profits and claim their patriotism

When their only relationship with this country is to hate the majority of the people.

They show this hate by their actions of paying no taxes on their profits,taking tax money to ship jobs overseas where wages are low because they use the threat of US or local troops(paid for with US tax money)to keep them so.

Rules and Regulations for Individuals,Not Corporations

The fact that there are rules and regulations for individuals is evident by the amount of people incarcerated in the US.

The fact that there are no rules and regulations for corporations is evident by how few CEOs are incarcerated.

Corporations are protected by the state as evident by police and military forces used to protect corporations.
Corporations appear to be an institution to practice class war without calling it so.
I would be happy for someone to post the various corporations that have benefited working people instead of exploiting them.
I would prefer honesty, when it comes to rules and regulations ,instead of a criminal justice system,which is totally based on class(money and power).

US War In Iraq-Losers and Winners

In my life,the US war in Iraq and the way that the US economy functions are two activities that do harm.
My observations are from people ,who use the University Transit Center and James Hailey Veteran's Hospital.
I have worked at a catered party, where I did meet some people, who did benefit from the US War in Iraq and the way that the US economy functions.
The first group of people were combat veterans from the US War in Iraq.
The second group were owners and executives from a corporation with a contract with the US government for a service for the US war in Iraq. The second group is also made up of retired military officers.

September 11-There Are Two In My Memory

When "terrorist" attacks took place within the US in 2001,that was the Second "Terrorist" attack that took place on September 11.
The first "terrorist" attack took place in Chile,overthrew an elected government and set up a Military Dictatorship.
To answer The Clash,I remember Victor Jara in the Santiago Stadium and what was done to his fingers so he wouldn't play guitar for anymore folk songs.
I was living in Atlanta,Georgia when September 11 attacks took place in the US.
The collapse of the World Trade Center had the most affect on me because I had lived in New York and had been in both buildings.
I call both attacks "terrorism" because those, who attacked,had no concern over "collateral damage" or civilian dead.
The first attackers claimed they were saving Chile from "Communism".
The second attackers claimed that they were saving the world from US imperialism.
I write these from translations that I have read of documents from the attackers.

I see both attackers by their actions as people who find it easier to hate and kill "the other".

Community versus Commodity/It's Money That Matters

The U.S. Presidential Conventions and Election has invaded "my world".

I attempted to block them out because to me,they are to chose the manager of "commodities".

Commodities,to me,means a world where everything(living and/or dead)is for sale.



I can't listen to casual talk about War(any war)because in my experience(from Vietnam)it means kill or be killed.

I live near the Veteran's Hospital in Tampa and also near the University Area Transit Center.

I have been here a few years,in which I helped to set up a support group for Combat Veterans.

The participants are veterans,who can't or won't get help from the VA,which was my experience after I got back from Vietnam.

The Veteran's Administration fought the idea that PTSD(Post Traumatic Syndrome Disorder)was real at that time.

Robert Jay Lifton,who supported the Vietnam Veterans Against The War(VVAW),helped to set up "rap groups" for those the VA "spit on".

His work provided the basis for the support group that I helped to set up.

I mention the support group as an example of" community".

Community,to me,is where life is valued for itself or the opposite of a commodity.



I don't expect what passes for media or politics to be anything except promoters of a commodity world.

It is a world that I find toxic to life but how do you help others to value life over death.

I would hope that it wouldn't require skills that I learned in Basic Training at Paris Island.

WINTERSOLDIER 2008-IVAW/WINTERSOLDIER 1971-VVAW

Politicans sit yourself down there's nothing for you here as the song is still true.

Now you can add the so-called mainstream media because it relates only to money and power.





I didn't go to IVAW's WINTERSOLDIER 2008 as Iam an angry old man ,who can only stomach so much pain from my working class brothers and sisters who are always cannon fodder for those who love money and power.





In 1971, I was an angry young man and member of VVAW and skipped VVAW's WINTERSOLDIER in 1971 because I had bad paper,which I still have.

The whores of war(with COINTELPRO) and open corporate worship of money and power were already attacking those with good paper,who gave their testimony and what it meant to,"JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS".

I did go to DC with VVAW for Dewey Canyon Three but I had no medals to throw.
The Battle of Hue, where I didn't yet have the guts to refuse orders,provided no medals for those that I killed.

I am proud to have resisted the US

Occupation of Vietnam even if my material life has paid the cost.

I am more proud of my brothers and sisters who stood for humanity then.

I want to thank those others and sisters who had the strength to be winter soldiers in the 21st Century.

My life may lack in material things but people like you help me to be rich in spirit

The War Is Over(Rant in North Tampa)

It's so wonderful to hear in the corporate media that,'The Surge" in Iraq is working.


If only it hadn't taken almost 5 years for the U.S. politicans to realize that it's better to let the local people fight the war then depend totally on occupation troops.








I still don't know what is being won except as a former U.S. Marine,who was part of an occupation force,I prefer less deaths.

Gas prices are up again and hopefully there will never be a "Surge" needed in Pakistan.





I still haven't found less cases of PTSD among recent returning vets but maybe that will change.