jmg@houxk.UUCP (J.MCGHEE) (11/24/83)
The following is an original poem which I wrote as on a spur-of-the- moment impulse. I don't usually write poetry. But I'm presenting it here as a tribute to Freedom Fighters around the world such as the 11,500 men who died aboard British prison ships in New York harbor during the American Revolution. I'm presenting it at this time to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the British withdrawal from New York on November 25, 1783 - 1983 which is officially called Evacuation Day. It is not for those who build and maintain empires nor for those who fight to maintain the status quo nor for those who fight because they get a good salary and pension or an extra bit of gold on their uniform, but for those who struggle against all odds and without reward except the appreciation of the oppressed and downtrodden people they try to liberate. Patriot Graves -------------- When patriots fought and died to stem the tide Of tyrant armies strong, And found their grave 'neath the willow's shade With turf and heather for a bed, You'd think that they had earned their rest And long would sleep in the glen. But a patriot grave is a restless place With spirit strong and true. Before long the spirit is gone To find life anew. And a child is born with spirit strong That many a battle knew. His youthful gaze never betrays The cunning warrior's way, Till the lad is grown and again is shown The cause for which he died. And the ranks are swelled That will send to hell The tyrant's bloody horde! J. McGhee
donald@utcsrgv.UUCP (Don Chan) (11/27/83)
J. McGhee's recent submission is the most appalling example of
American jingoism and ethnocentrism I've seen in a while.
He probably *likes* the unsung verses of the Star Spangled Banner.
I could ignore the ravings about the Evil British, but this is
the last straw.
No doubt America (the brave, free, pure, etc.) can do no wrong,
as it helps the oppressed freedom fighters of Central America and Grenada.
Talk about "building empires"! America doesn't build empires right?
America liberates the downtrodden.
While I am in general pro-American (Canada's in NATO remember?),
jingoists like McGhee with their rose-coloured glasses make me want
to reconsider. Countries are not separable into angels and devils.
McGhee's ilk has such a primitive view of international politics
("we're right, they're wrong, an' either yer fer us or agin' us")
that sometimes I get alarmed that some of them control the nukes.
And his poem tops it all off with lines like
...
Till the lad is grown and again is shown
The cause for which he died.
And the ranks are swelled
That will send to hell
The tyrant's bloody horde!
God save us from idiocy like this. The "tyrant's bloody horde"
are a bunch of poor saps with mothers, wives, and children too.
Oh yeah. Anybody that's not American is evil and inhuman
Glorious to die while killin' the dirty bastards ain't it?
I seem to recall that the Evil British outlawed slavery long
before the U.S. As for tyrants, remember the Shah of Iran?
Who was pals with him? How about the attempted "liberation" of
Canada in 1812? Vietnam? The list could go on. There is little point
in doing it, as that would be resorting to the jingoists' methods.
So stop crowing about your moral superiority. You aren't.
Glad I live in Canada under Evil British Domination, (McGhee'll probably
think this is a serious statement!)
--
Don Chan, University of Toronto Department of Computer Science
{ utzoo linus ihnp4 floyd allegra uw-beaver
ubc-vision cornell watmath hcr decwrl }!utcsrgv!donaldkissell@flairvax.UUCP (Kevin Kissell) (11/29/83)
Blind dog, you know only the pack-smell, and slash unseeing at the other-scent. They are not dogs in your darkness. They are not dogs in the death you wish them. But they are dogs, blind dog.
sam@rocksvax.UUCP (11/30/83)
---------------------------------------- "--America, America, god shed his grace on thee---" "My nation, right or wrong." "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States--" "America: love her or leave her." "Breathes there a man with soul so dead Who never to himself has said: 'This is my own, my native land---'" ________________________________________ Don, we're raised on this stuff. While I can't excuse McGhee's jingoistic excesses from a rational point of view, I sure can understand their emotional origins. Don't you get a little tingle when you hear "O' Canada"? If not, what purpose does it serve? Some days I think patriotism has outlived any usefullness in today's world.....Now, if I could only get rid of my tingle when I hear our national anthem------ sam (weltschmerz from the USA)
cjh@ihuxr.UUCP (12/05/83)
I agree with Don. There is no country who's government is immune to abuse. All of the nationalistic garbage only serves to cause wars of 'justice' and 'right'. The recent events show that uncle ronnie may have us in a peace action (war) in the middle east as a christmass present. I don't see how the govt. can harass the couple in N. Y. who don't want to allow an operation for their deformed child, which will only live about 2 yrs with the operation, and then send people, with a higher probability of a long life, to get shot in another country. We were not at war a month ago, but we appear to be now. The only thing I see is that ronnie wants to get re-elected by the 'moral' majority and by reducing un-employment. To do this he has taken a token stand on minority rights and is in the process of sending some of the excess population to another country to be killed. Viewing ones own country as good is OK but if we forget that our leaders are just like us, human, both gready and self centered, we end up with Nazi germany and/or Viet Nam. Always look at the negative side of government, C. J. Holzwarth ihuxr!cjh