Memorial Day is upon us and once again we're going to pay tribute to the men and women who have "given their lives in the service of their country" and "made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom" and various other platitudes. Not that I object in principle; giving one's life for another is a supremely laudable action and people do it every day. Men and women are thrust into situations where, by inclination or simply out of desperation, they choose to act in a heroic manner - and not necessarily in a combat situation. Such persons are to be commended and honored.

But I find it a bit sad and, frankly, irritating to hear (as I did on NPR the other day) someone in uniform carrying on in all sincerity about how he's willing to fight and possibly die in Iraq so those of us at home can sleep at night, taking comfort in the fact that he and his buddies are "making America more secure." Now, I appreciate the sentiment and I intend no disrespect, but that is a major load of horseshit. It is, in fact, the same horseshit I heard during my service in the Navy and it is no truer about the Iraq War than the Vietnam War.

These days, as a matter of fact, I personally feel less secure and more vulnerable. Thanks to the shameless perfidy and mind-numbing mismanagement of the Bush Junta, America is mired in yet another no-win situation. Our military is falling apart, our economy is smothering under endless debt, and our civil liberties are being offered up as a sacrifice to fear. Oh yeah, we've also managed to piss off about a billion people and helped foment a new generation of terrorists.

So while I appreciate the service and sacrifice of those people currently in uniform, I have to say - and this is just one vet's opinion - boys and girls, you've been had. Again. Most of your civilian leaders could give a rat's ass about you. Powerful people and organizations with agendas that do not include you, except as a useful tool, are serving you up as cannon fodder. Again.

People like our Beloved Prevaricator-in-Chief, who has brilliantly parlayed not one, but two enormous, breathtaking lies into a quagmire of epic, possibly biblical proportions. Or people like Dick Cheney, our Vice Sneer, who took a pass (actually, several passes) on Vietnam so he could get rich and who continues to line the pockets of his pals at Halliburton with taxpayer money soaked in blood - mostly Iraqi, naturally - but some of it yours.

Or, closer to (my) home, people like Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss; a man so devoid of honor that he won office by impugning the patriotism of Max Cleland, a man who actually did sacrifice - and mightily - for his country. Chambliss is a disgrace; and no, keeping Georgia military installations off the Pentagon chopping block does not make up for the fact that he is, like his President, a chickenhawk and a f**king cheesedick!

(Sorry... kinda went over the edge there. Pardon me while I inhale... OK, better.)

Ahem... and alrighty then. Let us lift our glasses high and wish a safe Memorial Day to all our men and women in uniform: May you return home as soon and as undamaged as possible. But understand that in my book, "support our troops" does not include supporting a conflict of choice, not necessity, based on lies. Bush's war in Iraq is FUBAR; I was against it from the beginning and have seen nothing that compels me to change my stand. So, whatever your reasons may be for fighting, please don't presume to include me as one of them. If that offends your sense of patriotism, I'm sorry - and so be it.

Tell you what, I'll buy you a drink sometime and we'll chat about it, one American to another... if you live. Good luck out there.

By Rodger French
May 20, 2005

[Originally published in the Spring, 2005 edition of "UP From the ROOTS" - the Journal of Alternate ROOTS]

I’m here to testify that having too much to say is a leading cause of writer’s block. The present situation in America is so outrageous, so appalling, so damned scary that I’ve been stymied for months in my admittedly sporadic attempts to address any issue, let alone arts stuff. But this is my space to fill, so here goes.

Our society is at a very precarious crossroads. Not so long ago, I might have hesitated to use the other “F word” to describe where America is headed, but no more. America is becoming a fascist state, with corporate, government and theological interests intersecting at an alarming rate. Not that this is an entirely unique development; American history is punctuated by periodic flirtations with totalitarianism. But when the people in power are also members of or sympathetic to dangerous cults, well, hang onto your butt.

Yeah, I know; cult is a pretty loaded term, but think about it. You got your political cult - the so-called NeoCons - and you got your religious cult - the Talibangelicals (check out www.bushfish.org - if you dare) – and, together with their pals the corporatists, they have conjured a disturbing vision of our future. Consider: the corporados want to dismantle the New Deal, the theocrats want to roll back the Enlightenment and the Reactionary Right wants to recast the United States as the Holy American Empire, capable of projecting its will and whims around the globe. All of this in God's name and, presumably, sometime before the "Rapture."

A perfect storm of arrogance, greed and hypocrisy - that’s quite a vision. Personally, I think hallucination may be a more apt term.

Oh, and incidentally, if you take exception to this charming fantasy, you will be condemned as – and you can mix & match here: unpatriotic, a Liberal, treasonous, a Democrat, moderate (yes, moderate), a feminist, a humanist, a Satanist or (ultimate horror!) a queer. Hell, you may even be an artist. (Kind of covers all my friends and acquaintances; especially my secular lesbian poker buddies.)

So… what to do. How does any thoughtful artistic-type person deal with all of this unsolicited manna? In the interest of never overlooking the obvious, I offer the following suggestions:

1. Resist Hate. Strong emotions are surely called for. Outrage? Absolutely. Indignation? Plenty to go around. Disgust? Oh, yes. But not hate. Don’t play that game. I know it's simplistic and it's corny, but it's also true and worth remembering: there's nothing wrong with peace, love and understanding. John Lennon has it right on this one. Which is not to say that in order to be a decent person, one must necessarily be a doormat.

2. Stand Your Ground. Easy enough in theory, of course; harder in practice, depending on your individual situation. But it's important to keep faith and courage in yourself and your work even when you sometimes have cause to doubt what you’re sure of. Should someone give you unreasonable grief about your work, you may need that courage to thank them for their comments and tell them - in a sensitive way, naturally - to stick it in their ear. In any case, remember: you are not alone out there.

3. Talk to Your Peers. Network, network, network. We all have experience, wisdom and resources that we can - and had better - use and share. Why, you may even find something or someone in this issue of UP From the ROOTS to inspire you in your art and in your life. Could happen. And if you come to the ROOTS Annual Meeting (www.alternateroots.org) this August, I guarantee it will happen.

Thanks and good luck to us all. Onward.