There are memorial day ceremonies today through the country and TV, especially Cable TV is filled with war films of WWII, cold war films of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, documentaries, etc. I thought that these two clips and one full film below would reflect the real spirit of patriotism, love of country and people and democratic principles. The first is a clip from the classic U.S, WWII film, Action in the North Atlantic, starring Humphrey Bogart. The film, written by John Howard Lawson, a founder of the screen writers guild and the most prominent CPUSA activist in Hollywood, told the story of a cargo ship and its men, union men, members of the then Communist led NMU, Their first ship is sunk but they back and make through to the their Soviet allies. This was a different brand of patriotism, a celebrating a democratic working class Amerca.
Most of our readers I am sure know the story of John Howard Lawson, a leader of the Hollywood Ten, screemwriters and directors who stood on their first amendement rights before the House Un-American Activites Committtee(HUAC) were held in "comtempt," forced to serve prision sentences and blacklisted after their release. Lawson like other blacklisted writers found work under assumed names(the actors of course were not so lucky) It was under a Pseudonym that Lawson wrote in 1051 after his release from prison in the U.S. the British made film, Cry the Beloved Country, on the savagery of the Apartheid system in South Africa., continuing in effect the internal polilcies of the fascist axis with the support of U,S, reactionaries and cold warriors. As a tribute to Lawson, the third clip is the complete film of the original Cry the Beloved Country
The second clip is more directly patriotic in the best sense. It is Paul Robeson powerful version of Ballad for Americans, the song which celebrated America, its history and diverse multi-ethnic culture, against all ractists and reactionaries. Robeson, like Lawson but at a higher level, faced relentless attack by the FBI and its minions in the postwar era, his passport lifted, concert halls that had booked him forced to cancel, his name in a truly crazy act being taken off the football all American team to which he was chosen at the end of his Ritgers career Both Lawson and Robeson fought for the United States with its people and government during WWII and for the United States and its people against its government during the high cold war era. In a sense they were both casualties and heroes of that era who deserve to be honored on memorial day
Norman Markowitz
