In the Presence of My Enemy: A Reflection on War and Forgiveness

Ron Kovic / Truthdig Jan 21, 2011 As this, the 43rd anniversary of my wounding in Vietnam approaches, and I once again try to find meaning in that day and the days which were to follow, my thoughts return to the northern bank of the Cua Viet River on Jan. 20, 1968. It is a day that will change my life forever. In the years that have passed, I have often thought about those days on the intensive care ward and about that young Vietnamese man. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Raise Your Voices, Protest, Stop These Wars

Ron Kovic / Truthdig Jan 1, 2011 As a former United States Marine Corps infantry sergeant who was shot and paralyzed from the mid-chest down on Jan. 20, 1968, during my second tour of duty in Vietnam, and as someone who has lived with the wounds of that war for over 40 years, I am writing this letter to ask you to join me as we begin a critical new phase in the growing anti-war movement.Change does not come easily, and opposing one's government during a time of war is often very difficult. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

McNamara’s Evil Lives On

Robert Scheer / Truthdig Jul 8, 2009 It was the stark evil Robert McNamara perpetrated as secretary of defense that must indelibly frame our memory of him. To not speak out fully because of respect for the deceased would be to mock the memory of the millions he caused to be maimed and killed in a war that he later freely admitted never made any sense. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Oliver Stone: The Director’s Cut

Staff / Truthdig Mar 10, 2009 The renowned filmmaker visited USC's Annenberg School for Communication on March 3 to talk with Truthdig editors Robert Scheer and Kasia Anderson and their students about "Wall Street," his 1987 classic -- suddenly all too relevant again -- and to give a panoramic take on his body of work and what the future holds for the movie industry. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Stopping the War Machine: Military Recruiters Must Be Confronted

Ron Kovic / Truthdig May 28, 2008 As a former United States Marine Corps sergeant who was shot and paralyzed from my mid-chest down during my second tour of duty in Vietnam on Jan. 20, 1968, I am sending my complete support and admiration to all those now involved in the courageous struggle to stop military recruitment in Berkeley and across the country. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Memorializing the Deadly Myth of John Wayne

Staff / Truthdig May 26, 2007 On the 100th anniversary of John Wayne's birth, falling as it does on Memorial Day weekend, Truthdig presents two pieces connecting the hype of the celluloid "war hero" who never fought to the hard human costs of war. It was the Duke's deadly myth, after all, that would lead young men like Ron Kovic to sacrifice life and limb in needless wars. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )

MoveOn.org Interviews Stone, Kovic in VideoVets Project

Staff / Truthdig May 7, 2007 Director Oliver Stone's commercial for MoveOn.org and VideoVets.org, featuring Iraq war veteran John Bruhns, airs on CNN until Thursday. To commemorate the ad and its subject, MoveOn.org assembled an array of videos featuring Stone (above) and Vietnam vet Ron Kovic, Bruhns and the others interviewed in the project. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Stone Shoots Ad Supporting U.S. Troop Withdrawal

Staff / Truthdig May 5, 2007 Director Oliver Stone has announced the winning entry, chosen by voting members of MoveOn.org, from a series of videotaped interviews with Iraq war veterans and their families. Stone has cut the interview with former infantry Sgt. John Bruhns into a 30-second TV spot, ending with a voice-over by Vietnam vet Ron Kovic saying: "Support our troops. Bring them home." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

In Pictures: Ron Kovic Today

Ron Kovic / Truthdig Jan 26, 2006 Paralyzed from the chest down by Vietnam War wounds, and confined to a wheelchair for almost 40 years, Ron Kovic stands as a symbol of the brutality of war. He also exemplifies a man's ability to transform such tragedy into a lifelong pursuit of peace -- for himself and his country. Listen to the audio, then come view the site's Kovic photo gallery. Dig deeper

Arts & Culture

Photo Essay: Ron Kovic Today

Zuade Kaufman / Truthdig Jan 18, 2006 Ron Kovic, the author of "Born on the Fourth of July," the classic personal memoir about the aftermath of the Vietnam War, remains a committed activistPhoto Gallery. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )