Eugene McCarthy, RIP - pipTalk Forums

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

wandering glider
Senior Member

since 2001-04-04

Posts 501
aloft

0 posted 2005-12-10 09:29 PM

Dead today at age 89.
One of my heros.

A link to some of his poetry:

Gene's Poems

iliana
Member Patricius

since 2003-12-05

Posts 13434
USA

1 posted 2005-12-11 10:23 PM

Can't believe it. Thanks for his poetry link. This has been one of those days.

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

2 posted 2005-12-11 10:45 PM

I had no idea he wrote poetry. Thanks for that link!

RSWells
Member Elite

since 2001-06-17

Posts 2533

3 posted 2005-12-14 01:25 PM

Yes, thanks for the link. I supported Gene in 1972 as a 19 year old voter. At least he was a leading democrat willing to take a firm stand against an insane war. Too bad he later on had a bit of the bitterness found in Ralph Nadar and saw fit to endorse Reagan.

Ratleader

Member Rara Avis

since 2003-01-23

Posts 7026
Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass

4 posted 2005-12-15 09:06 AM

A poet....and one who did a great service for America, by preventing Lyndon Johnson from running for a second (really third) term. He gave us Nixon four years early, but I'll spot him that for the gift of limiting Johnson's damage.

~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº>
______________Ratleader______________

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

5 posted 2005-12-15 11:47 PM

This has been a very very rough week
Seeing his name with an RIP
left me stunned and speechless.
I campaigned for him,
I listened to him, I loved him.
And now, I shall miss him.
But I shall never forget him.
Thank you, dearest glider, for this honorable mention of one of the best choices we ever had,
but failed to elect.

something he wrote:

MY LAI CONVERSATION
How old are you, small Vietnamese boy?
Six fingers. Six years.
Why did you carry water to the wounded soldier, now dead?
Your father.
Your father was enemy of free world.
You also now are enemy of free world.
Who told you to carry water to your father?
Your mother!
Your mother is also enemy of free world.
You go into ditch with your mother.
American politician has said,
"It is better to kill you as a boy in the elephant grass of Vietnam
Than to have to kill you as a man in the rye grass in the USA."
You understand.
It is easier to die
Where you know the names of the birds, the trees, and the grass
Than in a stranger country.
You will be number 128 in the body count for today.
High body count will make the Commander-in-Chief of free world much encouraged.
Good-bye, small six-year-old Vietnamese boy, enemy of free world.
*

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.