recent blog posts

[retinal_strain]

Thought I'd post some links to some recent blog posts I made on http://linchpin.ca

BC dockworkers force feds to back down

The state robs the unemployed

Ontario Labour roundupand finally, here's a teaser

Comments

[retinal_strain]

yeah, pretty much. Here's an excerpt from an interview with him;

INTERVIEWER: Just before the Gulf War, when you heard that war is about to start, and that you may have to ship out there, what was the first thing that you did?

A. SWOFFORD: The first thing we did was go out and get fresh high and tight haircuts, which the name "Jarhead" comes from-the kind of absurd haircuts where there's nothing-no hair at all on the head except a little at the top.

INTERVIEWER: Is there a special reason for these haircuts?

A. SWOFFORD: It's just tradition. One of the more extreme traditions. It's the most extreme haircut, that kind of says, "Marine". and "Jarhead." So we sent some guys out to the town near our base and they bought a lot of beer, and some war films, and we went back to our rec room in our barracks, and started drinking and watching these movies, and it was this chance for us see, , what was forthcoming, in a way, and we were excited by it, and thrilled, and it was kind of a celebration of our, of our, well of our destiny in a way, and of the possibility of us as Marines.

INTERVIEWER: Which films did you watch?

A. SWOFFORD: we watched-mostly we liked the Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now kind of the-, the Vietnam films, because they were closer, , in proximity to us, and also they were gory. , they were the ones with the most vivid, violent images.

INTERVIEWER: Aren't most war movies anti-war movies?

A. SWOFFORD: I think they're supposed to appall the average viewer, and generally they do-but for the young man who's about to go fight, it's like , a woman's naked body, it's, it's sexy, it's war, it's the thing that you might soon enter, and it's sexy, and exciting, and thrilling. And not anti-war at all. Pro-war, even. Because it's-it's combat, it's war, it's what you're trained for, it's what you'll be doing. How you might be dying