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Letters To VVAW

By VVAW

The Veteran welcomes letters, comments and criticisms. Please write to us.
Also, if you have any poetry, drawings or stories you would like to see in the paper, send them along.

No veteran has escaped the chants and songs used in the military, particularly during training. Drill sergeants tell GIs the chants are designed to help march in step or pass the time, but they have more important purposes--they are written to build morale and trumpet the propaganda of the rich for whom the troops are fighting.

VVAW has said that "Once we fought for the rich, but now our fight's against them." And just as vets are taking telling the rich who run this country what they can do with their plans to stay on top and squeeze every last drop of profit out of us, we're also taking the chants and songs we learned in the military and rewriting them. We call it marching to a different cadence.

These particular chants were used by VVAW during the Bicentennial Demonstrations in Philadelphia on July 4th, and are being used still by VVAW chapters around the country.

The first song is written to be sung to the tune of "I Don't Know But I've Been Told..."

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 that funny,
we need jobs, and we need money.

(refrain)

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 then hell, we're building out fight.
Vets and workers unite.

(refrain)

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

(refrain)

(The following chant, also based on one used in the military, is done with a chant leader giving the lines and the people giving the responses.)

We gotta get rid of the rich,
(You're right!)
We gotta get rid of the rich,
(You're right!)
We slave for the bums, they throw us the crumbs,
We gotta get rid of the rich.
(You're right!)

The wealth of his land was made by our hands,
We gotta get rid of the rich.
(You're right!)
They're driving us day after day,
(You're right!)
They're trying to cut our pay,
(You're right!)

We know it ain't right, we're building our fight,
We're moving them out of the way.
(You're right!)
We gotta get rid of the rich,(You're right!)
There's millions looking for work,
(You're right!)

Standing in the lines for a few lousy dimes,
We'll stand together and fight.
(You're right!)
We gotta get rid of the rich,
(You're right!)
They want us to fight their wars,
(You're right!)

We're making it clear, our fight is here,
We know what we're fighting for,
(You're right!)

To The Veteran:

In the August/September issue of The Veteran, I enjoyed reading the article "Marchin' To The Tune of the Ruling Class." As a Vietnam-era veteran, I have gone to many American Legion Meetings only to find out that they're not concerned about us but telling the public the "good old stories of WW II and the Korean War." Recently, I have attended a job fair that was sponsored by the local American Legion, only to find out that I had wasted my time in filling out a dozen application forms.

Out of all those application forms that I filled out for jobs, there was only one "local merchant" that was interested in me. It was good old Uncle Sam (Army), saying that I ought to go back in the service. But before I stepped in the doors of the local American Legion, I was warned by members of VVAW that I was wasting my time going in trying to seek a job.

After I was released from active duty, I attended a local college for about a year. I did fairly well in school but it (college) wasn't my bag. Right now, I am lucky to have a job. It doesn't pay well but that's all right now at the time. Before I conclude, I want to extend my best wishes to the staff of the Veteran for putting out an excellent journal on veteran's affairs...

Gordon Howe
Box 215
East Brunswick
New Jersey