From The Living
Archives Of Boston Veterans For Peace-They Ain't Your Grandfather's Veterans
[Ralph Morris who has
lived in Troy, New York most of his life, been raised there and raised his own
family there, went to war, the bloody, horrendous Vietnam War which he has made
plain many times he will never live down, never get over what he did, what he
saw others do, and most importantly for the long haul, what his evil government
did with no remorse to people in that benighted country with whom he had no
quarrel never was much for organizations, joining organizations when he was
young until he came up a group formed in the fire of the Vietnam War protests
-Vietnam Veteran Against the War (VVAW) which he joined after watching a
contingent of them pass by in silent march protesting the war in downtown
Albany one fall afternoon. Somebody in that contingent with a microphone called
out to any veterans observing the march who had had enough of war, had felt like
that did to “fall in” (an old army term well if bitterly remembered). He did
and has never looked back although for the past many years his affiliation has
been with a subsequent anti-war veterans’ group Veterans for Peace.
Sam Eaton, who has
lived in Carver, Massachusetts, most of his life, been raised there and raised
his own family there, and did not go to war. Did not go for the simple reason
that due to a severe childhood accident which left him limping severely thereafter
he was declared no fit for military duty, 4-F the term the local draft board used.
He too had not been much for organizations, joining organizations when he was
young. That is until his best friend from high school, Jeff Mullins, died in
hell-hole Vietnam and before he had died asked Sam that if anything happened to
him to let the world that he had done things, had seen others do things, and most
importantly for the long haul, what his evil government did with no remorse to
people in that benighted country with whom he had no quarrel. As part of
honoring Jeff’s request after Sam found out about his death he was like a whirling
dervish joining one anti-war action after another, joining one ad hoc group,
each more radical than the previous one as the war until the fateful day when he
met Ralph down in Washington, D.C.
That was when both in their
respective collectives, Ralph in VVAW and Sam in Cambridge Red Front, were
collectively attempting one last desperate effort to end the war by closing down
the government if it would not shut down the war. All they got for their
efforts were tear gas, police batons, and arrest bracelets and a trip to the
bastinado which was the floor of Robert F. Kennedy stadium which is where they would
meet after Sam noticed Ralph’s VVAW pin and told him about Jeff and his request.
That experience would form a lasting friendship including several years ago Sam
joining Ralph’s Veterans for Peace as a supporter, an active supporter still
trying to honor his long gone friend’s request and memory.
No one least of all
either of them would claim they were organizing geniuses, far from it but over
the years they participated, maybe even helped organize many anti-war events.
One day their friend, Josh Breslin, who writes a by-line at this publication, and
who is also a veteran asked them to send some of events they had participated in
here to form a sort of living archives of the few remaining activist grouping
in this country, in America who are still waging the struggle for peace. So
periodically, since we are something of a clearing house and historic memory
for leftist activities, we will put their archival experiences into our archives.
Report Back On Honk!
Parade And Octoberfest In Harvard Square-Sunday October 7th -Thanks
To Smedley Honk! Marchers and Octoberfest Booth Volunteers
Special thanks to Dan H.
and Jain R-H for bringing materials, etc. over from the wilds of Quincy to the
Wild West of Harvard Square
Kudos to the Smedleys
and supporters, carrying flags furling in the breeze, who marched to the music
of our allies in the Leftist Marching Band in the Honk! Parade on Sunday
October 7th starting in Davis Square, Somerville, and wending (nice
word, right) its way to Harvard Square, that is in the high rent district of
Cambridge. We got, as usual in this “choir” parade, a good response along the
way and a great response, again as always, in Harvard Square propah. The parade
stepped off at noon or a little after and we got applause from the start. A
special feature this year was a banner brought by leading Smedley Pat Scanlon
from our “banner-maker” in North Andover (kudos to him)-captioned with our big
Armistice Day push to get one and all to ring the bells at 11 on November 11th.
We also passed out VFP informational leaflets and our Armistice Day parade and
program announcement. (We will be presenting more info on that event as we get
closer to the day.)
Octoberfest in Harvard
Square, still in the high rent district of Cambridge-about 10 AM to 5 PM
Dan Higgins and Jain
R-H brought our canopy and other materials sometime before 10 AM (8-10 is when
vehicles were allowed to unload, etc.) and he and others helped set the booth
up with literature and our new expanded inventory of clothing. As we go to
press, oops, to cyberspace, I have no figures on the day’s take, how much moola
we made, but we had steady business and conversations all afternoon. (I will
amend this for the Minutes to reflect our “take,” how much moola we made, on
the day minus the $135 graft to get the booth.)
[We made $254,00 on
the day-Scribe]
The divine Jain Rudivich
(maybe sic)-Higgins staffed the booth early. Irrepressible Jon Niles committed himself
to spending time at the booth as did Pat Scanlon-Doug Stuart Kebartas and John
Robinson -and also helped after marching from the wilds of Somerville. At a
little 5 PM before as the rains which seemed predestined to plague this event several
people helped pack up after a long day. Thanks to all marchers and booth
volunteers who made our work easier by their presence.
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