Wednesday, October 3, 2007

"The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It"

If you don't want to read BEHIND THE LINES: WAR RESISTANCE POETRY ON THE AMERICAN HOMEFRONT SINCE 1941, watch THE GOOD WAR AND THOSE WHO REFUSED TO FIGHT IT, and you'll at least catch up on "a footnote to a footnote" of that war. Conscientious Objectors played a vital role in the progressive movements of this country, including in the Civil Rights struggle, the Anti-Nuclear and Anti-Vietnam War movements, the struggle for better care of the mentally ill, etc.

PBS re-broadcasts THE GOOD WAR AND THOSE WHO REFUSED TO FIGHT IT
shown locally on WVIZ channel 25 Thursday Evening @ 10 pm Beginning on October 4 at 10 p.m., PBS again nationally broadcasts the award-winning documentary on the conscientious objectors of WWII.

THE GOOD WAR AND THOSE WHO REFUSED TO FIGHT IT is the story of 40,000Americans who refused to shoulder weapons in 'the good war' becauseconscience wouldn't allow them to kill another human being. In theface of criticism and scorn, these CO's challenged the limits ofdemocracy and applied their non-violence to pioneer social movementsthat transformed America in the years to follow.

This untold story of 'The War' by Judith Ehrlich and Rick Tejada-Flores won both major US history awards in 2003. The programis now available on DVD for the home market with two hours ofadditional material including:* James Farmer on the pacifist roots of the civil rights movement* The poetry of William Stafford* Studs Terkel on 'The Good War'* Daniel Ellsberg on Thoreau AND the DVD release includes a brand-new Conscientious Objector's DVD with:* Draft Counseling 101* A dynamic workshop featuring current military conscientious objectors* Interviews with five Iraq War CO's.

2 comments:

RazRocks said...

Even though I don't go towards the left side of the political spectrum, I do not agree with the War we are currently in. Often times, I side with the Reagan, and Dole Republicans, but George W. just can't cut it. Abbie Hoffman once had a funny quote: "Don't do needle drugs, the only dope worth shooting is Richard Nixon". I like Richard Nixon, and I don't think he gets enough credit, but I think Hoffman's quote applies more to who is in charge now.
-Raz

Philip Metres said...

Hey Raz, thanks for checking in. As far as I'm concerned, as long as you're thinking deliberately, thinking critically, and living out for ideas and ideals (& aware of their consequences), then you're the ideal citizen. Many conservatives, good thinking people, are furious with the current White House clown.