Cancelled in Berkeley

Veteran's Day, that is. I was scanning Michelle Malkin's blog when I saw this.

 Berkeley's Veterans Day ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 11, was abruptly canceled on Monday because the volunteer organizing committee split over the political content.

At issue was a proposal by the chairman, singer/songwriter Country Joe McDonald, to have Bill Mitchell, a co—founder of Cindy Sheehan's organization, Gold Star Families for Peace, as the keynote speaker.

You can read the complete article here.

Country Joe McDonald. A name that returns me to the Vietnam days. Somewhere in the basement or garage, I have a box or two of old record albums. One of those albums is Country Joe and the Fish. It has a version of Joe's Veitnam anti—war protest song, Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag, recorded at Woodstock. The most popular aspect of this verision is the cheer  at the beginning, which, in case you're curious didn't spell FISH. Hey, when you're a teenager, you're liable to listen to anything without thinking of its indoctrinating effects.

And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for
don't ask me I don't give a damn,
next stop is Viet Nam
And it's five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates
ain't no time to wonder why, whoopee we're all gonna die

For everyone who has been looking for a connection between Vietnam and Iraq: here it is. The same pot heads that protested then and humiliatated returning American Soldiers are willing to do it again. They long for their glory days.

Come on mothers throughout the land
pack your boys off to Viet Nam
come on fathers don't hesitate
send your sons off before it's too late
and you can be the first ones on your block
to have your boy come home in a box

I think it's clear how Joe would prefer to honor Veterans on their day and welcome them home. Same as he did then. Actually, I discovered Joe's newest song at his website. Yes, the website with great links like Pot News. <> Support the Troops is what Pot fan Joe calls his newest anti—war tune. I'm just not sure whose troops Joe supports.

Some day soon, don't know when
We?ll see the wounded women and men
Lining the walls of American streets
Hands out begging for something to eat

That's Joe's impression. Veteran — same as vagrant.

Hey Joe, since you're such a gifted writer and poet, maybe you'll recall this verse from Rudyard Kipling's Tommy.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool — you bet that Tommy sees!

Like Tommy, we see. Some of us old fogies also have trouble forgetting.

Joe is also proud of his perfomance as a witness in the Chicago 7 trial. The 7  started as 8, but Bobby Seale, Black Panther and murder suspect was removed from the trial. The 7 were charged and tried with inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He talks about playing at the Electric Theatre in Chicago. I was there more than once in my misguided youth. The hippies and yippies rioted, and Joe got his nose broken by a guy with a crewcut 3 years before I enlisted in the Army.

Come on all of you big strong men
Uncle Sam needs your help again
he's got himself in a terrible jam
way down yonder in Viet Nam so
put down your books and pick up a gun
we're gonna have a whole lotta fun

Just in case you?re curious, I checked the  Berkeley City Community Calendar and there are no Veteran oriented events scheduled on Veteran's Day. So I went back and finished reading Joe's latest tribute to Veterans. Do you reckon he would have played it at his Veteran's Day event? He could've started with the cheer and it would have been like the good old days.

Chicken hawk, draft dodging, son Of A Bush
Look at all the damage you did!
American war in the Holy Land
Blood for oil, not in my name!
Oh, not in my name
Oh, not in my name
Oh, not in my name
Not in my name
American shame
Not in my name
American shame

Thanks Joe, for not letting us down.