"He is a World War ll vet who fought at Guadalcanal and he was a strict Republican. He supported Nixon and Reagan. Now he wears a peace symbol and protests these wars (in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya).
(Guadalcanal was a fierce series of battles over Guadalcanal and other Pacific islands controlled by the Japanese. It was fought from August 7, 1942 to February 9th, 1943 between the U.S. led allied forces and Japan. The loss of life was horrific on both sides and it marked the first time in the war Japan had been defeated.)
"Across the street (during his peace vigil) is a group of George W. Bush supporters. They carry the flag and call back and forth to him."
"People don't know what happened 45 years ago (the Vietnam War) (and they don't care)," continued this Frenchman. "Teenagers don't care about these wars (Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya)." He explained to John Fortier and me that the U.S. media doesn't cover today's wars so why would they care, not knowing how horrible war really is.
This Frenchman then switched subjects. "Have you seen the movie, 'An Inside Job,' " he asked. Those people who nearly bankrupted (the global financial system) knew what they were doing. Nobody went to jail for it! There is a French saying, 'The law is for poor people.' I thought the Wall Street Crash would have awakened people and activated them. It didn't."
"Most of the people (Americans) don't know about the (U.S. government) budget. They don't care" He felt it was because they don't understand it nor fully grasp how the government's vast deficits will affect them.
And in frustration, he raised the question tying the Wall Street Crash, the huge U.S. government deficits and the wars together, asking what it will take to get Americans to care and to get involved.
It was a pleasure to have the company of this well informed and articulate man. He arrived at about 6:35 pm, 5 minutes after I arrived. Because my wife Anne was in surgery for a broken arm, I wasn't there when John began the vigil at 5:17 pm, a vigil that didn't end until 7 pm, as we said goodbye to this Frenchman.
John said most notably in the earlier vigil was a casually attired, but well dressed 55 ish man who walked up with his equally attired and somewhat younger wife. John said he had an "air of prominence" and thought he was a retired high ranking military officer. "Have you ever thought of retiring," this man asked John. "What I'm doing (conducting peace vigils) will be pertinent for some time to come," John replied.
In reply, the man laughed and said to John, who is a Korean War vet, "It's nice to see you out here," as he walked over and firmly shook John's hand.
Dick
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