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Letters to VVAW

By VVAW

Dear Friends,

Thank you for the copy of THE VETERAN. It is one of the few papers I have seen which stands up for us and our problems. Enclosed is a check for twelve issues; also, please send me information on becoming a member of VVAW.

Birmingham, Alabama, claims the dubious title of having the longest streak of Veteran's Day parades held on November 11th—a streak which now stands at 30 some-odd years. This past year was one of the biggest ever and came on the heels of the election of the ultra-right "victory" in the national elections. This event was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief Chaplain of the Air Force, a retired commandant of the Marine Corps ad nauseum, and the entire 3-hour debacle was televised by a local station.

However, this parade had a first: its first group of protesters! Several of us appeared in front of the city auditorium as the "dignitaries" arrived for a "World Peace Luncheon." (These guys have a "peace luncheon" has to be the absolute pinnacle of hypocrisy and jackassery.) It was a trip to hold up a sign which read "Stop World Terrorism: Shut Down the Pentagon" as these old fools walked by! Birmingham is the last place they expected to find people who would oppose their idiocy.

Of course, like Chicago, there was no mention of 'Nam or those of us who wasted our live being over there. And, as expected, there was the usual gang of retardates from VFW, American Legion and other butt-kissing organizations riding by in their convertibles waving like so many clowns.

Our protesting was brought to a halt by the local cops who were sent over by our mayor. The good mayor sent word that we were "embarrassing" the city. I suppose we didn't embarrass the city when we went to 'Nam and made war on the people who were struggling for their freedom.

Thanks again for the paper and for taking a stand for the 'Nam vet...

Sterling Lynn
Birmingham Alabama

Dear VVAW,

This Iranian hostage business was an insult and disgrace to all out vets. All our sons who were drafted were hostages of the U.S. government—what choice did a draftee have? If the former Iran hostages sue the government, every draftee hostage should counter-sue for being a U.S. hostage...

Ann Pine
Gold Star Mother
Trenton, NJ

Dear VVAW,

I thought you were a defunct outfit. Years ago I had correspondence with you, marched in demonstrations, etc.

Now, Like too may of us, I have a problem with dioxin. Could you send me any information you may have about treatment. Thank you very much and I hope the war ends soon.

San Antonio, TX

Dear Sirs,

I am a high school senior, I just recently have become aware of the awful episodes that were a part of the Vietnam War. It seems like no one wants to tell what happened in that war to my generation. Just recently also I have been assigned a research paper to write. My thesis question is, "What are the negative effects of having been in the Vietnam War on veterans?"

Would it be possible for you to send me some information? It would be much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter—

Ventura, CA

Brothers:

I just finished "Recollections" and I do agree, Vietnam has become the "in" thing for the media. It is all bullshit!

Enclosed is a copy of my recollections (soon to be a book, I hope). I hope enough of us contribute recollections so America will not be allowed to get amnesia about the war.

Peace,
New York, NY

Dear VVAW,

This is a belated response to your excellent October mailing. I don't know any veterans, really at least not any that would listen to me! I am 85+, have long fought against war, the utter insanity of making burnt sacrifices of human beings. Now one should really be scared. More power to you—success to your efforts..."

Dorchester, MA

Dear VETERAN,

As an anti-draft, anti-war activist, I've seen the VVAW do an excellent job of making the young kids of today think twice about Uncle Sam. Many of them are being blinded once again into thinking we need the draft, and how right this next war will be.

The last issue of THE VETERAN ( Feb/March '81) was particularly good with the interview on El Salvador and the article on Poland. Just where you get some of your inside info, I'd like to know.

When I was in high school the VVAW made a big impact on my life. I used to walk over to the vet house and learn the real story about the war. The VVAW did more to radicalize me than any other anti-war people I had run into. Of course, I was happy to see you're still here, fighting the good fight to stop their next war of aggression and to get Vietnam vets what's rightfully theirs.

Keep up the good work. You seem to get better with age.

NWSCARD
P.O.Box 190
Forest Park, IL 60130