Date: Mon, 3 Aug 1998 12:33:26 -0600 (MDT) From: Mark Richer To: PROGRESSIVE SOCIOLOGISTS NETWORK Subject: Re: A patriotic epiphany? Hi PSNers, I enjoyed you comments Steve. Thanks for that. On Sun, 2 Aug 1998, Steve Rosenthal wrote: [ ... ] > Dowd continues: "Steven Spielberg has been giving interviews, > talking about having made "Saving Private Ryan" to honor the men who > fought in World War II and risked so much for freedom...Seeing the > long queues for the patriotic "Saving Private Ryan,' it seems a long > time from the days of the military as fascist." > > Historian Stephen Ambrose, whose books about World War II soldiers > Steven Spielberg used in producing "Saving Private Ryan," said on > National Public Radio last week that this movie shows soldiers what > they need to know about combat in order for them to be ready to fight > the next war. Tom Hanks, star of the movie, has said on many > occasion that he wants to act in movies that rebuild patriotic unity > in American society. [ ... ] This just reminded me, it's a project Maureen Dowd has been at for some time: getting over the "Vietnam syndrome" that's troubled warmongers since the 1960s. If you look back to the days when Dowd was praising George Bush, a man with "stark and vivid definition of principle," as shown by his slaughter of Iraqis and destruction of social programs in the US, she quotes Bush favorably: "By God, we've kicked the Vietnam syndrome once and for all" (NYT, March 2, 1991). For reference, the "Vietnam syndrome" was defined nicely by Norman Podhoretz as "the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force" (NYT, Oct. 30, 1985). However, I think Dowd is wrong. While not typically represented in prominent publications, there is tremendous popular opposition to the use of military force, and support for police accountability to the public. The events in Columbus, Ohio last February are a good example. note: thanks to N. Chomsky for the references Mark Richer New Mexico State University