(no subject)

[scottopic]

Proper addressing of Independence Day, thanks to the Rude Pundit for the reminder of the words of Kurt Vonnegut:

"We are gathered here, friends," he said, "to honor lo Hoon-year Mora-toorz tut Zamoo-cratz-ya, children dead, all dead, all murdered in war. It is customary on days like this to call such lost children men. I am unable to call them men for this simple reason: that in the same war in which lo Hoon-year Mora-toorz tut Zamoo-cratz-ya died, my own son died.

"My soul insists that I mourn not a man but a child.

"I do not say that children at war do not die like men, if they have to die. To their everlasting honor and our everlasting shame, they do die like men, thus making possible the manly jubilation of patriotic holidays.

"But they are murdered children all the same.

"And I propose to you that if we are to pay our sincere respects to the hundred lost children of San Lorenzo, that we might best spend the day despising what killed them; which is to say, the stupidity and viciousness of all mankind.

"Perhaps, when we remember wars, we should take off our clothes and paint ourselves blue and go on all fours all day long and grunt like pigs. That would surely be more appropriate than noble oratory and shows of flags and well-oiled guns.

"I do not mean to be ungrateful for the fine, martial show we are about to see – and a thrilling show it really will be…"

He looked each of us in the eye, and then he commented very softly, throwing it away, "And hooray I say for thrilling shows."

We had to strain our ears to hear what Minton said next.

"But if today is really in honor of a hundred children murdered in war," he said, "is today a day for a thrilling show?

"The answer is yes, on one condition: that we, the celebrants are working consciously and tirelessly to reduce the stupidity and viciousness of ourselves and all mankind."

Comments

[scottopic.livejournal.com]

If you wish to jump so broadly, you are freely given the space.

[servingdonuts.livejournal.com]

My sincere thanks for the space. But as it's yours to give, if I've jumped too broadly I'm happy to be shown the context I jumped over.

[scottopic.livejournal.com]

Because you're always gracious, even in the face of snide come-backs (*innocent blink*)...
even with the examples above, which cases would not working to "reduce the stupidity and viciousness of ourselves and all mankind"? Sure, a flowery abstract in some ways, but is this a case of projecting motive onto, say, just the US of A in his statement?

And do you consider Vonnegut ignorant of the events of WWII, having actually been in it?

I find this phrasing perfectly apt in a war I consider to be irresponsible at best, and selfishly fraudulent as the most likely scenario (as the prime push, as this onion has many layers, and most of them stink).

[servingdonuts.livejournal.com]

I see I overstepped into something I hadn't intended.

Rude Pundit's post, which I skipped the first time, makes the context clear. I was twigging off your connection to Independence Day and felt like a counterpoint was needed, which of course was stupid of me to think that you'd think something like that.

The merits of our current war and its attendant moral consequences is a (scot)topic I'll leave to another day.