Granted, Pete wasn't in combat, but neither were a number of major American public figures who just about claim copyright on patriotism. Even when standing up to HUAC, he did so on thoroughly patriotic grounds. I don't know what happened to it, but there was a sporadic movement some time ago (supported by both ends of the political spectrum) to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize. TO tell you the truth, he would be better qualified than some laureates (yes, I mean him, and him, and especially HIM!).
In 1966, I was one of the kids backing Shlomo Carlebach at the Berkeley Folk Festival. It was the Jubilee Concert at the Greek Theater, pretty much the wind-up event, and Pete sang "Big Muddy" as what we thought was his close. Then he let the audience bring him back. He stood there a few seconds as the applause died down and started into "Bring 'em Home". I had enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, due to report for induction in about six weeks (for reasons having to do with the probability of winning the Army's lottery in the following month). I was having a lot of second thoughts about the whole thing, and then the lyrics wrapped themselves around my ears.
There's one thing I must insist
I am not a pacifist
I love my country just like you
If she were attacked, I know what I'd do
Any day, any time
You'd find me on the forward line
Though they brought their planes to bomb
Helicopters with napalm
In that place, at that time, I understood how Key's line about free men standing "between their loved homes and war's desolation" was more than jingoistic chest-bashing. The song also taught some of my friends (who were no longer speaking to me since they found out I volunteered instead of trying to lie my way out of service) to separate the war from the people sent to fight it.
OK, maybe a little simplistic, but the true stories behind our influences are seldom the stuff of great literature.
I'm in Oregon, 34 miles due East of Salem, on the edge of the wilderness, but I'm hoping the film either makes it to DVD quickly, or it's still playing in the Los Angeles region when I get down there for a visit in November.
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