Tom Hayden Returns To Canada
You remember the name Tom Hayden, former husband of actress Jane Fonda. His rise (mainly, because of marriage) making National headlines, almost daily during the Vietnam war. Well, he has once again surfaced, but with less wind under his sails.
The number of U.S. deserters in Canada from the Iraq War pales in comparison to the number of draft resisters who avoided the Vietnam War, longtime peace activist Tom Hayden believes the Canadian public is still as sympathetic. We also don't have a mandatory draft. And those currently serving our Country either volunteered for active duty or were already members of the National Guard and were sent into Iraq.
From an interview he gave on the BBC --"It's different from the Trudeau era and the Vietnam era," Hayden said in an interview Friday, referring to former prime minister Pierre Trudeau who opposed U.S. militarism. "But Canadian opinion is still unanimously against (President) Bush."
Hayden, a former student activist, longtime opponent of U.S. militarism and a member of the famous Chicago Seven, is in Canada this weekend to take part in the Our Way Home Reunion and Peace Event.
The reunion is to honour U.S. draft resisters who came to Canada during the late 1960s and early '70s and the Canadians who welcomed for the most part.
There is not much support for deporting Iraq war deserters back to the U.S., said Hayden.
It's not clear how many Iraq War deserters are in Canada, fighting to be allowed to stay, but it's only a fraction of the number of Vietnam War resisters and deserters who moved to Canada.
Hayden also expressed dismay at Canada's fighting role in Afghanistan, which is far removed from its traditional role abroad as a peacekeeper.
"Afghanistan has been a graveyard for many occupants and I see no prospect for Canada and the U.S. in Afghanistan," said Hayden, who now lives in Los Angeles and spends much of his time writing and teaching.
The close relationship between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Bush also concerns Hayden.
"It's a strange time to become a partner of Bush," he said, referring to the fact Bush has only a couple of years left in his presidency while Harper wants to endear himself enough to Canadians to form a majority government at the next election.
The reunion has drawn dozens of draft dodgers from Canada and the U.S. Many of the men and women remained in Canada but thousands of others returned to the U.S. and travelled back from as far as Tennessee for the event.
The reunion is being held in this West Kootenay city, of Canada where hundreds settled East of Vancouver.
Almost 50,000 Americans of draft age avoided the call in the late 1960s and early '70s by going to Canada, where for the most part they were welcomed.
Many returned after President Jimmy Carter granted an amnesty in 1977. It's believed that about half the original number chose to remain in Canada.
George McGovern, former U.S. senator and defeated presidential candidate, is the keynote speaker and will speak Saturday about the comparisons between Vietnam and the current war in Iraq. I'm guessing will see famous Mom, Cindy Sheehan someplace near Hayden, just as they were back in New York during a peace rally, if not for this event, then, sometime in the very near future. We could send them a basket Peanut Butter Sandwich's minus the jelly, this time, couldn't we?
