That was a crazy time. I remember in late ‘69, the US held its first draft lottery, which gave young men a random number corresponding to their birthdays. I got a really high number from the lottery and so was never drafted. I think I have something like survivor’s guilt... whenever I meet and get to talking with a Viet Nam vet – at some point I get teary eyed and choked up. The last time that happened to me was a few years ago – on vacation in Westcliffe, Colorado. I paid the check for him and his family at this little bar & grill…To all you vets and current military, thank you for your service!
That was a crazy time. I remember in late ‘69, the US held its first draft lottery, which gave young men a random number corresponding to their birthdays. I got a really high number from the lottery and so was never drafted. I think I have something like survivor’s guilt... whenever I meet and get to talking with a Viet Nam vet – at some point I get teary eyed and choked up. The last time that happened to me was a few years ago – on vacation in Westcliffe, Colorado. I paid the check for him and his family at this little bar & grill…To all you vets and current military, thank you for your service!
I was in the last draft lottery. My number was very high. There was no way I was going to be drafted, but I had two uncles who were career USAF NCOs. Funding for college was a big issue for me at the time. I enlisted in the Air Force, with the good fortune that I was able to select a career field (according to qualifying tests we took in high school) that pretty much assured that I would never be directly exposed to combat.
It was the best series of decisions I made as a young adult. Of course, no young adult goes long without making plenty of bad decisions. Thankfully, none of mine have had as long lasting impact as the one I made to get involved in a religious cult... in O-HI-O. Even that one I no longer regret... due to the greatness of how a person can take tragedies/mistakes and turn them into life changing triumph.
Thank God this more or less passed me by. I'd'a been, what, 15 or so, no real understanding, and not such a big deal in the UK. UK was involved, though. No draft.
I liked CSNY, but never realised this was a "protest song" and never knew about this incident.
Thank God this more or less passed me by. I'd'a been, what, 15 or so, no real understanding, and not such a big deal in the UK. UK was involved, though. No draft.
I liked CSNY, but never realised this was a "protest song" and never knew about this incident.
When this happened, I was living about an hour away from Kent State. Living so close and being of draft age the incident really hit home with me at the time.
I was in the last draft lottery. My number was very high. There was no way I was going to be drafted, but I had two uncles who were career USAF NCOs. Funding for college was a big issue for me at the time. I enlisted in the Air Force, with the good fortune that I was able to select a career field (according to qualifying tests we took in high school) that pretty much assured that I would never be directly exposed to combat.
It was the best series of decisions I made as a young adult. Of course, no young adult goes long without making plenty of bad decisions. Thankfully, none of mine have had as long lasting impact as the one I made to get involved in a religious cult... in O-HI-O. Even that one I no longer regret... due to the greatness of how a person can take tragedies/mistakes and turn them into life changing triumph.
Rocky, that was a smart move on your part. A friend of mine, Bob – who worked with me as a security technician – worked in “crypto” when he was in the Air Force. He had some interesting stories – like the last resort fix-it trick – “the 3 foot drop” – which was to deliberately let a piece of equipment fall to the ground from a height of about 3 feet. Sometimes it actually worked…guess it re-seated some components…or shook loose the dust-bunnies or something, I dunno…Thinking about my frame of mind and decision-making back then – joining the Air Force in some technical support role…or even just going for a degree in electrical engineering would have been the smart and practical thing to do…but alas, I went to college to major in fine arts…yeah that’s how I was going to stick it to the man, by making anti-war posters.
18 hours ago, waysider said:
Don't feel guilty, my friend. Just be grateful you didn't have to needlessly kill innocent people for a meaningless war.
Yes – I hear you on that one, Waysider.
== == ==
Hey – off topic
I saw on the news the other day that in just a few months U.S. deaths from covid-19 pandemic surpassed the U.S. deaths from the Vietnam War in the time span of 1964 to 1975.
As of April 29th 2020:58,355 U.S. deaths from covid-19 pandemic (that's just within a few months of 2020)
1964 – 1975:58,220 U.S. deaths from the Vietnam War
…and the covid-19 war between humans and the corona-virus is still going on…
Stay safe, stay home and wear a mask when you need to go out in public. Maintain a physical distance as much as you can and practice good hygiene and health habits. Also, avoid anything recorded by Donald "Duck" Dunn in order to maintain a positive level of musical self esteem.
The article the following quote is from appears in The Atlantic. The overall message of the article is political (therefore, I'm not going to provide the link, but will to anyone who wants it and asks by private message. But this concluding passage is not political as such, but is taken from a Nobel Prize acceptance speech decades half a century ago.
“The simple step of a simple courageous man is not to partake in falsehood, not to support false actions,” Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said in his mesmerizing 1970 Nobel lecture. “Let that enter the world, let it even reign in the world—but not with my help.”
"Solzhenitsyn went on to say that writers and artists can achieve more; they can conquer falsehoods. “Falsehood can hold out against much in this world, but not against art,” he said.
"But art, as powerful as it is, is not the only instrument with which to fight falsehoods. There are also the daily acts of integrity of common men and women who will not believe the lies or spread the lies, who will not allow the foundation of truth—factual truth, moral truth—to be destroyed, and who, in standing for truth, will help heal this broken land."
Indeed, T-Bone, the paint brush, the pen, the photographers' lenses, the keyboard, are all mightier than the sword.
Stay safe, stay home and wear a mask when you need to go out in public. Maintain a physical distance as much as you can and practice good hygiene and health habits. Also, avoid anything recorded by Donald "Duck" Dunn in order to maintain a positive level of musical self esteem.
I came to this thread today to get out from under the shadow of great bass players and all you did was push me in deeper.
Great album, Waysider – I bought that from Amazon in 2006 – and probably after you or someone on Grease Spot played a track.
The article the following quote is from appears in The Atlantic. The overall message of the article is political (therefore, I'm not going to provide the link, but will to anyone who wants it and asks by private message. But this concluding passage is not political as such, but is taken from a Nobel Prize acceptance speech decades half a century ago.
“The simple step of a simple courageous man is not to partake in falsehood, not to support false actions,” Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said in his mesmerizing 1970 Nobel lecture. “Let that enter the world, let it even reign in the world—but not with my help.”
"Solzhenitsyn went on to say that writers and artists can achieve more; they can conquer falsehoods. “Falsehood can hold out against much in this world, but not against art,” he said.
"But art, as powerful as it is, is not the only instrument with which to fight falsehoods. There are also the daily acts of integrity of common men and women who will not believe the lies or spread the lies, who will not allow the foundation of truth—factual truth, moral truth—to be destroyed, and who, in standing for truth, will help heal this broken land."
Indeed, T-Bone, the paint brush, the pen, the photographers' lenses, the keyboard, are all mightier than the sword.
Thanks for that, Rocky ! Some deep thoughts there… By the way, you mentioned The Atlantic on another thread – after which I added their website to my favorites…have not taken the time to check it out much since I’ve been bogged down with homework from your “Remember when, PFLAP, VP…” thread – I’m slooooooooowly reading Hamlet.
"But art, as powerful as it is, is not the only instrument with which to fight falsehoods. There are also the daily acts of integrity of common men and women who will not believe the lies or spread the lies, who will not allow the foundation of truth—factual truth, moral truth—to be destroyed, and who, in standing for truth, will help heal this broken land."
Solzhenitsyn was a pretty awesome writer.
We do well to carry out our own "daily acts of integrity" - and in this, I'm thinking (perhaps because I just finished reading Schindler's Ark (aka Schindler's List)) about the brave men and women who helped rescue many people condemned by Nazis as unworthy of life; also of the doctor in Wuhan who tried to alert the world to coronavirus and who was squashed by the state there; not to mention the KSU students' protest. There are events, trends, in all societies - yours, mine - that demand that we don't blindly follow the crowd. That's no small ask.
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T-Bone
That was a crazy time. I remember in late ‘69, the US held its first draft lottery, which gave young men a random number corresponding to their birthdays. I got a really high number from the lottery and so was never drafted. I think I have something like survivor’s guilt... whenever I meet and get to talking with a Viet Nam vet – at some point I get teary eyed and choked up. The last time that happened to me was a few years ago – on vacation in Westcliffe, Colorado. I paid the check for him and his family at this little bar & grill…To all you vets and current military, thank you for your service!
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Rocky
I was in the last draft lottery. My number was very high. There was no way I was going to be drafted, but I had two uncles who were career USAF NCOs. Funding for college was a big issue for me at the time. I enlisted in the Air Force, with the good fortune that I was able to select a career field (according to qualifying tests we took in high school) that pretty much assured that I would never be directly exposed to combat.
It was the best series of decisions I made as a young adult. Of course, no young adult goes long without making plenty of bad decisions. Thankfully, none of mine have had as long lasting impact as the one I made to get involved in a religious cult... in O-HI-O. Even that one I no longer regret... due to the greatness of how a person can take tragedies/mistakes and turn them into life changing triumph.
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waysider
Don't feel guilty, my friend. Just be grateful you didn't have to needlessly kill innocent people for a meaningless war.
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Twinky
Thank God this more or less passed me by. I'd'a been, what, 15 or so, no real understanding, and not such a big deal in the UK. UK was involved, though. No draft.
I liked CSNY, but never realised this was a "protest song" and never knew about this incident.
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waysider
When this happened, I was living about an hour away from Kent State. Living so close and being of draft age the incident really hit home with me at the time.
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T-Bone
Rocky, that was a smart move on your part. A friend of mine, Bob – who worked with me as a security technician – worked in “crypto” when he was in the Air Force. He had some interesting stories – like the last resort fix-it trick – “the 3 foot drop” – which was to deliberately let a piece of equipment fall to the ground from a height of about 3 feet. Sometimes it actually worked…guess it re-seated some components…or shook loose the dust-bunnies or something, I dunno…
Thinking about my frame of mind and decision-making back then – joining the Air Force in some technical support role…or even just going for a degree in electrical engineering would have been the smart and practical thing to do…but alas, I went to college to major in fine arts…yeah that’s how I was going to stick it to the man, by making anti-war posters. 
Yes – I hear you on that one, Waysider.
== == ==
Hey – off topic
I saw on the news the other day that in just a few months U.S. deaths from covid-19 pandemic surpassed the U.S. deaths from the Vietnam War in the time span of 1964 to 1975.
As of April 29th 2020: 58,355 U.S. deaths from covid-19 pandemic (that's just within a few months of 2020)
1964 – 1975: 58,220 U.S. deaths from the Vietnam War
…and the covid-19 war between humans and the corona-virus is still going on…
Edited by T-Bonerevised to the max
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waysider
Stay safe, stay home and wear a mask when you need to go out in public. Maintain a physical distance as much as you can and practice good hygiene and health habits. Also, avoid anything recorded by Donald "Duck" Dunn in order to maintain a positive level of musical self esteem.
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Twinky
Shoot, you guys in the USA as at 20 mins ago are here. Please stay safe, keep your distance, wash hands.
Lockdown is temporary. Your finances will improve. Death is permanent. You can't take your money with you.
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Rocky
The article the following quote is from appears in The Atlantic. The overall message of the article is political (therefore, I'm not going to provide the link, but will to anyone who wants it and asks by private message. But this concluding passage is not political as such, but is taken from a Nobel Prize acceptance speech
decadeshalf a century ago.“The simple step of a simple courageous man is not to partake in falsehood, not to support false actions,” Alexandr Solzhenitsyn said in his mesmerizing 1970 Nobel lecture. “Let that enter the world, let it even reign in the world—but not with my help.”
"Solzhenitsyn went on to say that writers and artists can achieve more; they can conquer falsehoods. “Falsehood can hold out against much in this world, but not against art,” he said.
"But art, as powerful as it is, is not the only instrument with which to fight falsehoods. There are also the daily acts of integrity of common men and women who will not believe the lies or spread the lies, who will not allow the foundation of truth—factual truth, moral truth—to be destroyed, and who, in standing for truth, will help heal this broken land."
Indeed, T-Bone, the paint brush, the pen, the photographers' lenses, the keyboard, are all mightier than the sword.
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T-Bone
I came to this thread today to get out from under the shadow of great bass players and all you did was push me in deeper.
Great album, Waysider – I bought that from Amazon in 2006 – and probably after you or someone on Grease Spot played a track.
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T-Bone
Thanks for that, Rocky ! Some deep thoughts there… By the way, you mentioned The Atlantic on another thread – after which I added their website to my favorites…have not taken the time to check it out much since I’ve been bogged down with homework from your “Remember when, PFLAP, VP…” thread – I’m slooooooooowly reading Hamlet.
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Twinky
Solzhenitsyn was a pretty awesome writer.
We do well to carry out our own "daily acts of integrity" - and in this, I'm thinking (perhaps because I just finished reading Schindler's Ark (aka Schindler's List)) about the brave men and women who helped rescue many people condemned by Nazis as unworthy of life; also of the doctor in Wuhan who tried to alert the world to coronavirus and who was squashed by the state there; not to mention the KSU students' protest. There are events, trends, in all societies - yours, mine - that demand that we don't blindly follow the crowd. That's no small ask.
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waysider
Eleven days later, at Jackson State University, in Jackson Mississippi, 2 more students were killed and 12 were wounded.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_State_killings
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Twinky
Good lord, Waysider. America surely does know how to over-react.
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