Ron Kovic: ‘A Dangerous Country: An American Elegy’

Paralysis from the chest down as a result of serving in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War may sound like devastation beyond reconciliation, but for Ron Kovic, it became a transformative and politically enlightening experience. The two-tour veteran amplified his activism a few years after being discharged from the army with honest and insightful writing about what serving in this war was truly like. His best-selling memoir, “Born on the Fourth of July,” was published in 1976 and later was made into a film adaptation directed by Oliver Stone.
He continued his activism, most notably with his second book, “Hurricane Street,” following his nationwide organization of the American Veteran Movement, which fought for improved conditions in VA hospitals. Akashic Books recently published Kovic’s third book in his autobiographical trilogy- “A Dangerous Country: An American Elegy.”
In this book, Kovic explores his realization of empathy for the enemies he had been trained to hate and how it was the first step in the development of his anti-war position. “In the intensive care ward in Da Nang, days after I was wounded ... They brought a wounded Vietnamese gentleman, a man right across from me. They told me he was a Viet Cong. So I had the enemy directly across me. How ironic, how strange. And he had been wounded severely and he was literally fighting for his life, as I was at the time. We were across from each other. And I remember looking at him and, I didn't see the enemy anymore that I'd been taught to hate, to kill.”
He relates his experience to what is currently occurring in Gaza and Israel, “...We may not be sending troops to Ukraine; we may not be sending troops right now to Gaza, to Israel. We may not be sending our young men as we did in Vietnam but nonetheless, we provided tons of ammunition, bombs, bunker busters. Many of those casualties happening just the other day are consequences of our own country's involvement, our own country's contributing of these violent weapons of war and so we continue. I think we are dangerous in this world, dangerous to ourselves right now.”
Kovic wonders if the “average citizens who vote to go to war, in these different polls that come out before any war is ever fought … really know the true consequences of [what a] war does,” and hopes his books can trigger an awakening in the American public about what a danger this powerful country has become. Ron Kovic joins Robert Scheer on this week's episode of Scheer Intelligence to discuss the third installment of Kovic’s books about the dangerous culture of war profiteering that has taken root in American society with forever wars that serve no one but the war machine.
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[@leivabernie]

Oh wow the real Ron Kovic? What an awesome interview!!!

[@williamwallace2823]

If South Vietnam had remained free as South Korea did all the "anti-war" protestors would have faded away into obscurity as South Vietnam became a rich democratic nation ala South Korea. I mean think about it, when was the last time you heard a person argue that the Korean war was wrong/immoral and South Koreans would be better off living like North Koreans are forced to? If today South Vietnam were one of the 10 richest countries on earth, free and democratic as South Korea is, while bordering a poor, repressive, backward one-party marxist state in the north which serves every day as an example of the differences between the two, literally no one would have the nerve to argue we should have let the north conquer the south. Vietnam is viewed as a mistake because we lost, pure and simple. All the moralizing is just residual fluff. If we'd failed in Korea they would be making the same retroactive lost cause mythology.

[@d.p.carroll2214]

So great to see you my friend, Ron Kovic. Always wonder how you are doing, so great to see this was only a month ago. Bravo!! Thank you for continuing to speak the truth for others to hear. Hope you still have the portrait we presented you after filming the convention scene in Dallas. Last time Oliver was in LR, promoting his book, ask him how you were doing and he said they don't see you often. Will always remember you calling your mom over and the hug from your mom saying, 'That's him, you have my Ronnie'. Know it was hard for them to relive those memories. Think of you often and sending you blessings for great health and happiness. Still in Arkansas, still an artist, life continues. Peace my friend.

[@ResistEvolve]

I thought he was going to say it was Tom Cruise swimming in the pool! Lol.

[@2Uahoj]

The main problem with good folks like Mr Kovic is that their arguments are thin. What do I mean? If the Vietnam war had been "won" early - let's say by 1966/67 - and he had not been seriously wounded - would he have still said the war is wrong? Almost certainly not. And most of the other protests against the war would also have melted away. So, the "moral" arguments we hear that the war was "wrong," are not really about it being wrong, but largely that the US was taking longer and longer to succeed, and at great human cost. So, we need to be honest about that fact. Another mistake he makes is assuming all wars are the same - equally morally wrong. Well, ok, how would he apply that to a country like Ukraine fighting for its very existence? What would be his alternative proposal? The point here is that there is no "one size fits all morality" regarding conflicts. Each is different and has its own moral and practical dimensions.

[@Nike2030]

All wars are immoral equally. Why don’t the politicians go fight the wars they create? He’s saying peace over war it’s quite simple. Young men not old enough to drink but old enough to die!! Those that survive the war are scarred with PTSD and worse. Ron Kovic was only 19 and unable to walk ever again. unable to have sex with a woman. Did you read his book?

[@davidwright8432]

The reason the US finds it so difficult to 'wage peace, not war' is that we're incapable of accepting a win-win solution to disagreement. Only win-lose is acceptable to the US; nobody, and I mean nobody, ally or other, can win. The US is hugely aggressive and bullying. Having the Soviet Union around was the last time there was a plausible counter to the US - in the US' own eyes. Why? Fear versus fear kept both sides (somewhat) honest. The Soviet Union being long gone, it's a terrible shock to the US - either party - to find even near equals emerging. This cannot be allowed to happen. Hence, for instance, Ukraine. A kleptocratic oligarchy (let's put it politely) indistinguishable from Nazism. The Kiev regime being virulently anti-Russian, it's exploitable, to its onw people's great disadvantage. The war was on at least three occasions avoidable; the US had no interest in doing so.

[@dermotmeuchner2416]

We play a zero sum game that’s the problem.

[@MattAngiono]

​@dermotmeuchner2416 it's true. Capitalism is the system of psychopaths and narcissists. And we in the west still worship it...😞

[@robertrichard6107]

This has brought me back to April '71 at the big OUT NOW March down Pennsylvania Ave. I was a 17 yr. old junior, 'even met John Kerry briefly. I thought Tom Cruz did a great job in the movie. I can't believe these guys believe those lies about Hamas though. I've been to Haifa, Israel half a dozen times while serving on U.S. aircraft carriers. My VFP chapter no longer believes Israel has the right to exist. I flew through the Ozone Layer in Antarctica 1974 as one of Admiral Stockdale's crewmen, senior POW at Hanoi Hilton.

[@rickferyok2462]

Scheer, you interrupt too much.

[@PauloAdriano-zo2ng]

Yes, but he does it with Scheer Intelligence! 😅😂🤣

[@davidotness6199]

Two legends of my time, chronological and cultural contemporaries of good and great renown.