Tracy Delgado cousin of William Garcia 1946-1966
This Memorial Day weekend I was thinking of a high school friend who was killed in Vietnam. I think of him often, but somehow he was on my mind more than usual. Maybe it was the recent sexual abuse and harassment that's come to light in the media. There were plenty of women in the service during the Vietnam years, but not anything like today. That's why the recent revelations about rape and assault, and the resultant cover-ups are so damning and so disappointing. The dilemma for pacifists like myself, of course, is to retain our beliefs while still "supporting the troops." It's a non issue in my view. I say that because anyone who is a humanist will always support others. If I disagree with the death penalty that doesn't mean I condone the acts of the criminal. So here I am thinking aout my friend Bill Garcia, and I happened to remember the time, about 20 years ago now when I went in search of his name on the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.