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 ground away,
ground all rational approach vapid, let nothing left but to go left, 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
groupings in this country, in America who are still waging the struggle for
peace.
Periodically, since we
are something of a clearing house and historic memory for leftist activities,
we will put their archival experiences into our archives. One of the most interesting
parades they have attended over the past several years is something over what
used to be known in polite society in October as Columbus Day, then except
maybe in the Italian neighborhoods Discoverer’s Day and lately in those Cambridge-Somerville
precincts Ingenious People’s Day is the Honk! (that exclamation mark goes with
it) which starts in the latter town and end in the former town in Harvard
Square. This is what they laughingly call a “preaching to the choir” parade,
meaning of course those who are without some combination of progressive/leftwing/identity
politics while not excluded would be out of place in contingents of wild-eyed marching
bands (definitely not your John Phillip Sousa productions), jugglers, clowns, lithe
stilt-walkers and whatever including more cross-dressing than one would think possible
in such a relatively small space.
The beauty of this one
for Smedleys, the Smedley Butler Brigade, the designation of the local chapter,
made up of like Ralph many Vietnam era veterans is that the parade is mercifully
short by parade standards and moves pretty quickly. Best of all is the great response
they get from the crowds along the route. As Ralph mentioned to Josh one time
the rush that he got from the crowds especially in Harvard Square got him
through the year. Josh wondered if Sam felt the same. Site Manager Greg Green]
First Call-Honk!
Parade-Harvard Square Octoberfest Marchers and Volunteers for Sunday October 7th
-use this thread to response to announcement=Ralph Morris
Right now I am heading
a committee of Tommy Boucher, John Ratliff, John Robinson and Pat Scanlon as
marchers/volunteers
We need marchers to
meet at about 11 AM in Davis Square to march a mile or so to Harvard Square
with banners and flags. We can use someone to bring the materials to Davis
Square
Each year we set up
the canopy and tables with literature and clothing for sale. etc. so we need
help I am not sure exactly when but probably about 10 AM to set up, to staff
the table for two hour shifts and to help take down about 5 PM
Use this thread to
volunteer
Also I would like us
to use every opportunity to push our Armistice Day activities on the 100th
anniversary come Nob 11th so we will need people to make banners or
maybe Pat Scanlon can ask his banner-making to help us out yet again. Later Ralph Morris
