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Letters to VVAW

By VVAW

THE VETERAN Welcomes letters, comments and criticisms. Also, send poetry, photos, drawings or stories.

CARTER'S PHONE AMNESTY

Dear VVAW,

I am a veteran who spent two years in the Air Force (1970-72) and go an Undesirable Discharge for "Unsuitability." I've just received a discharge upgrade to "general Under Honorable Conditions" and was real happy about that. At least until I read the latest Veteran and found out that these "honorable discharges" that Carter's program "bestowed" on us are phoney! As The Veteran put it, these discharges are not quite "honorable" enough for bennies. Man, was I pissed off to find that out! Who the hell cares about their honorable discharge if we don't get bennies which we need (especially these days) to make it in this stinking rich man's system? As a matter of fact, I was damn proud of my undesirable discharge. I got it because while I was in the Air Force I was going up against the brass and they finally realized I was such a pain in their ass, they kicked me out. And that's what I was bucking for in the first place.

Well, I learned a lot while I was in. And the main thing I learned was that you got to fight back against their oppression and you can't do it alone. There ain't no VVAW chapter in D.C. like there used to be, but I know a couple of vets here. In the interests of getting some of us vets together, to stay in touch with VVAW, etc. I'm asking you to print my name and address along with this letter.

Patrick McCann
554-F Southhampton Dr
Silver Springs, MD 20903

PS Especially I would like to know what VVAW suggests for helping expose Carter's phone amnesty and discharge upgrading plan.

GIS DONATION

(The following letter is from a supporter of VVAW who helped build for--and collect money for--the VVAW action in the Bay Area on Veterans Day.)

To VVAW:

While leafleting for Proposition U (part of the fight around the International Hotel) in San Francisco, I got into a conversation with two servicemen about VVAW's participation in the I-Hotel fight. An Army Sergeant from New Orleans had heard about VVAW from a newspaper article about last year's Bicentennial takeover of the Statue of Liberty and supported the demands that were going to be raised at the Veteran's Day Parade. Unfortunately, he wasn't going to be able to join VVAW in the parade but he donated $5.00 to help build the fight.

Another serviceman, an Air Force captain from Houston, was really interested to know about VVAW. He had heard a free speech message on the radio about calling on all vets to join VVAW on November 6th and was glad to know that there was an organization like VVAW fighting for jobs and income, against GI Benefit cutbacks, and getting the U.S. out of Panama now! He also donated $5 to help build VVAW.

As the word gout out about the upcoming Veterans Day Parade and the stand that VVAW was going to be taking up, people at my office got together $10 to give to further the fight.

During the Veterans Day Parade, as VVAW was announced at the Reviewing stand the audience started to cheer, whistle and raise their fists in support. As the contingent voiced their demands to the rich some of the people I noticed in the crowd joined in with the chants or yelled out "Right On, To Hell With Their National Honor, We Won't Be Used Again!"

The Veterans Day Parade was a major victory in the fight to get decent benefits for all vets, to fight for jobs or income now, and to demand that the U.S. get out of Panama and South Africa right now. But the fight doesn't go on for just one day out of the year--the fight will continue until we win! "To Hell With Their National Honor--We Won't Be Used Again"

K.K.
San Francisco

MARCHING TO A DIFFERENT CADENCE

The following songs and chants were used around the country on Veterans Day by VVAW chapters, marching to a different cadence!

Oh there thy go,
   They're at it again,
Preparing for
   Their next big war;
They make us fight,
   For their rich sums
While people here
   Must live in slums.
To honor vets
   This day is for,
that's why they cut
   Our benefits more.
Oh profit is
   Their holy word,
they kill us all
   To make some more.
The moral of
   The story is:
Let's fight the rich
   Don't fight their wars!

(The following chant, based on a military cadence, has a chant leader--what many of us recall as a D.I.--giving the first lines and the people responding.)

It's the same all over the land,
(It's the same all over the land)
Jobs or Income's our demand.
(Jobs or Income's our demand)

(refrain)

Am I right or wrong?
(You're right!)
Are we weak or strong?
(we're strong!)
Are we movin' on?
(Right on!)
Keep on keepin' on
(Keep on!)
Unemployment, it ain't funny,
We need jobs and we need money
Vets are mad, we've had our fill,
Extend and expand the GI Bill.

(refrain)

We won't fight more rich man's war,
It's the working class we're fighting for.

(refrain)

We're madder than hell, we're building our fight.

(refrain)

Listen to this, it ain't funny,
We do the work and the rich get the money.

(refrain)