The song by Buffalo Springfield has always hooked me.  From the shimmering melody intro, to the subject matter of war by a colonial power, whenever this one is played on the radio, time stops for me.

I came to adulthood during the Vietnam War.  I had no strong feelings pro or con with respect to the war.  At that stage of my life I was focused upon my religious commitment.  Thus I was sleepwalking while my contemporaries were sweating, and killing and dying in the jungle.  Others were demonstrating in the streets to bring a halt to the madness.

Many years have passed since that war.  Two contemporary wars, equally pointless, are still at a low burn with occasional reports of American casualties.  I refer to Iraq and Afghanistan.

The potential for violence is endemic to human nature, the way-of-being-human in this world, a world which we are making.  The dissonance between the felt experience of our environment, and our obligation to form a conception of that “reality” is one of friction, of conflict.  You can see this played out in the school yard.  Its played out in a video clip of any president taking questions from reporters at a press conference.  If you just observe without getting lost in the details,—you will see the incipient elements of conflict.

Much has changed since the Presidency of Richard Nixon, and Lyndon Johnson.  Argument can be made that things are now in a much worse state. Policing agencies have multiplied all in the name of “security,” and are well militarized.  Brutal policies are being enacted at our southern border.  Our President, with no regard for the Constitution, believes the Attorney General’s job is to function as his personal consigliere.

One element of the 60s remains with us.  Now as then, “There’s a man with a gun over there, telling me that I’ve got to beware.”  Guns, and the threat of deadly violence go hand in hand.

You will find the photos used to contextualize the Buffalo Springfield song quite hard to watch.  I am particularly moved by the faces of the Vietnamese mothers and children.  The still photos convey the blood, filth, shit and piss of warfare.  That being said,–it is better to know, than not to know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct8IizwCFNA

This comment, ironic, was appended to one of the Youtube music videos:

There are over 550 million firearms in worldwide circulation that’s 1 firearm for every 12 people on the planet the only question is…. how do we arm the other 11?