RP:
Thanks. This is the entry to which I provided a link in my post.
Semi-snarkily,
Semi???
I can't speak for Veronica, but I don't think she or I would ever
denigrate
the service and sacrifice of soldiers in war -- even if the war is unjust,
illegal and immoral as I believe Vietnam war was, and the Iraq war, and
probably the Afghanistan war -- but those decisions to go to war are not
made by those who put their lives on the line. The moral questions
involved in fighting in or even in paying taxes to support a war that one
believes is morally indefencible can only be answered by each
individual --
there are no easy answers. Such questions remind me of Anthony Hecht's
poem "More light! More Light!"
Composed in the Tower before his execution
These moving verses, and being brought at that time
Painfully to the stake, submitted, declaring thus:
"I implore my God to witness that I have made no crime."
Nor was he forsaken of courage, but the death was horrible,
The sack of gunpowder failing to ignite.
His legs were blistered sticks on which the black sap
Bubbled and burst as he howled for the Kindly Light.
And that was but one, and by no means one of he worst;
Permitted at least his pitiful dignity;
And such as were by made prayers in the name of Christ,
That shall judge all men, for his soul's tranquility.
We move now to outside a German wood.
Three men are there commanded to dig a hole
In which the two Jews are ordered to lie down
And be buried alive by the third, who is a Pole.
Not light from the shrine at Weimar beyond the hill
Nor light from heaven appeared. But he did refuse.
A Luger settled back deeply in its glove.
He was ordered to change places with the Jews.
Much casual death had drained away their souls.
The thick dirt mounted toward the quivering chin.
When only the head was exposed the order came
To dig him out again and to get back in.
No light, no light in the blue Polish eye.
When he finished a riding boot packed down the earth.
The Luger hovered lightly in its glove.
He was shot in the belly and in three hours bled to death.
No prayers or incense rose up in those hours
Which grew to be years, and every day came mute
Ghosts from the ovens, sifting through crisp air,
And settled upon his eyes in a black soot.
Mike Geary
Memphis
[Original Message]
From: Robert Paul <rpaul@xxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 5/24/2010 5:38:01 PM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Thank you for Smoking (Was: Superior Orders)
JL wrote
> In a message dated 5/24/2010 6:45:47 P.M., rpaul@xxxxxxxx writes:
>
> The phrase 'I was only following orders,' became Eichmann's refrain in
> Jerusalem, and nearly the only defense of his actions he offered. In
fact, I'd
> say it was he who contributed it to the lexicon of cynicism.
>
>
> Some fragments from the wiki entry on 'superior orders', below.
>
Thanks. This is the entry to which I provided a link in my post.
Semi-snarkily,
Robert Paul
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