Comments on: Johnny Puts Down His Gun http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/johnny-puts-down-his-gun/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:35:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jerry http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/johnny-puts-down-his-gun/#comment-19439 Jerry Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:35:06 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1914#comment-19439 That is one damned heavy piece of poetry. That is one damned heavy piece of poetry.

]]> By: Erroll http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/04/johnny-puts-down-his-gun/#comment-19344 Erroll Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:05:33 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/?p=1914#comment-19344 As a Vietnam veteran, I found the imagery of this poem to be not only vivid and powerful but full of truth. "Hear me now, the weary warrior, who has always gone along to the sound of martial music and some flag-embracing song It's time to stop the sacrifice" As Dennis Rahkonen implies, it is time for the American soldier to finally realize that he, like I was those many years ago, has been conned by his government. There is no nobility in dying and ending up maimed and crippled for a disreputable cause. The hope is that there will be soldiers who will listen to Dennis Rahkonen's plea to them, when the nameless soldier states: "I'm not marching anymore!" As a Vietnam veteran, I found the imagery of this poem to be not only vivid and powerful but full of truth.

“Hear me now, the weary warrior,
who has always gone along
to the sound of martial music
and some flag-embracing song
It’s time to stop the sacrifice”

As Dennis Rahkonen implies, it is time for the American soldier to finally realize that he, like I was those many years ago, has been conned by his government. There is no nobility in dying and ending up maimed and crippled for a disreputable cause. The hope is that there will be soldiers who will listen to Dennis Rahkonen’s plea to them, when the nameless soldier states:

“I’m not marching anymore!”

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