what is Un-American

There were times when my father had nothing to say about the current events of his life, my life and times when he would emphatically make a statement and become very adamant about how he felt and what he felt.

I was involved in the second national lottery of the draft for the armed services during the hey day of the Viet Nam War. My birthday October 21, when pulled in the lottery had me at number 243 out of a possible 365. I was assured by some not to worry, I would never be drafted and prompted by others to get my fatigues ready as a tour of duty in Saigon was imminent.

My father had enlisted in the Army and Navy and believed in service to his country and understood the value of the military. In 1967 the war in Viet Nam was prevalent on every news channel and suddenly not only 'hippies' and so called communists but the average Joe of America were beginning to question the purpose and practicality of the war. We witnessed death and destruction and many Americans did not understand why we were in Viet Nam or if there was an exit plan if we were to leave.

And then I received my number for the draft and in a family that never discussed the politics of the war, my Dad and I had a conversation. Basically a one sided chat, where my Father did most of the talking. He said people talk about this war (Viet Nam) and those who speak, many times only speak from emotion, prejudice, and project a future they would like to see not necessarily based on fact but mainly on a romanticized fiction. In speaking they are speaking their fears and in doing so likely stop speaking from their mind. Those who say not serving in the army is anti American have often never served in the army themselves. They like to toss around some kind of restrictive parameter of what makes us American. They, themselves, often times cannot live up to the expectation they set as the standard but expect others to do so.

I understand, he continued, about the value of democracy, but I don't understand how we force democracy on people who may not want the same things as us. I believe, he said, you would not be a coward, nor a communist, or a hippie if you decided not to fight in a war that seems impossible to win and more impossible to understand. Your lottery number scares me, and your life is dear to me so if you wish or want we can try and fight this.

My father then said, people speak out loud way too fast, and they do so because they know how harmful lies can become and like sores left unattended to can fester and envelop the entire body. And like cowards and bully's when confronted with their lies these people run away blaming others for misquoting or mis-understanding them and try to become the victim. If you, Gerry are true to your beliefs than move forward doing what is right for you. And no matter what you do, you are a true American because you are seeking the truth.

Recently we have people, politicians or 'wanna be politicians' who feel since the illiterate electorate, believed the cons and the sleight of hand of Republican/Baggers, and all their phony fabrications they now think they can now speak from their imaginary world of reality and make up facts. This group of liars can say something toss it out have it relished by the ignorant, the haters, the self victimized victims and when faced with the truth walk away from the accident they caused. And most of all those who disagree with the purported truth are of course Un-American.

My Father's words of advice about those who like to plant lies to cover their own inadequacies never owning up to their dis-ingenuousness resonate loud for me in 2011. We hear innuendo, supposition, fear mongering laid like traps for the foolish and angry to step upon and becoming entangled and enmeshed. We hear that the black man is only in power because of affirmative action, that the institution of marriage is less stable because of Gays, that Planned Parenthood's goal is not to sustain a healthy woman but to create more and more abortions, that America was to be a Christian nation as in that is what Jesus wanted, and that teachers, firefighters union members are the culprit and reason the for the great recession. We hear all of this and when confronted, those who say them out loud, kind of sort of never want to be held accountable for establishing the truth about the lies they spewed. But they can find the time to shout if you disagree with us you are Un-American.

I had to decide about the draft in 1967 and decide if I believed the facts told to me by those in power was true or just wishes wanted to come true. I had to listen to my Fathers words of choice and decide what was right and why it was right. That was 1967.

This is 2011 and I wonder how I will survive this next batch of bogus bragging and distortion of truth and how those around me will decide what is right, what is true, what is good? And watch as people ask the question what makes me Un-American?