Blood On The Tracks: The Life & Times of S. Brian Willson -
Written by S. Brian Willson
Dear Friends of Addicted To War,
I am proud to announce that I am now distributing a second book. It is
titled "Blood On The Tracks: The Life & Times of S. Brian Willson". Brian
has spent the last five years writing his life story, which is such an
incredible journey. I first heard about Brian in 1986 on KPFK, when he was
fasting against U.S. foreign policy in Central America with three other
veterans in front of the U.S. Capitol. The fast lasted for 47 days & drew
national attention. I actually sent a check and a letter in support of Brian
& the others: Charlie Liteky, Duncan Murphy & George Mizo. Then a year
later, Brian was doing another protest at the Concord Naval Station in
Northern California, blocking navel trains that were carrying munitions
headed for Central America to be used against innocent civilians in
Nicaragua, El Salvador & Guatemala. On September 1st, 1987, Brian was run
over by this train and lost both of his legs. He came to speak in Los
Angeles the next year and I went to hear him. From that day forward, Brian
has been my hero & my favorite anti-war speaker. In 2000 I made my film
"What I've Learned About U.S. Foreign Policy" -
a ten-segment compilation which begins with Martin Luther King and ends
with S. Brian Willson. It has now been seen by millions of people. I have
hosted Brian on numerous occasions, giving talks in the Los Angeles area and
at our home in Culver City. Brian asked me to help him distribute his new
book. It is finally finished, available and has over 100 pictures in it.
Brian's amazing life story is one all people should know about, especially
those who are involved in the anti-war movement. I give this book my highest
recommendation!
You can read Brian's brilliant essay's at: www.brianwillson.com
The Book Costs $20. The Mailing Cost is $5. To have the book mailed to you
is a total of $25.
You can order a copy from me by calling: 310-838-8131 or emailing me at:
[email protected] .
Or you can send a check for $25 to: Frank Dorrel - P.O. Box 3261- Culver
City, CA 90231
You can pick up a copy from me at our house in Culver City and save the $5
shipping cost.
Or you can buy a copy & meet Brian in person at: 'A Book Talk & Signing with
S. Brian Willson' - on Saturday, September 3rd, 7:00 PM - at our house in
Culver City.
Blood On The Tracks: The Life & Times of S. Brian Willson - By S. Brian
Willson
https://secure.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=330
"We Are Not Worth More, They Are Not Worth Less." This is the mantra of S.
Brian Willson and the theme that runs throughout his compelling
psycho-historical memoir. Willson's story begins in small-town, rural
America, where he grew up as a "Commie-hating, baseball-loving Baptist,"
moves through life-changing experiences in Viet Nam, Nicaragua and
elsewhere, and culminates with his commitment to a localized, sustainable
lifestyle.
In telling his story, Willson provides numerous examples of the types of
personal, risk-taking, nonviolent actions he and others have taken in
attempts to educate and effect political change: tax refusal-which requires
simplification of one's lifestyle; fasting-done publicly in strategic
political and/or therapeutic spiritual contexts; and obstruction
tactics-strategically placing one's body in the way of "business as usual."
It was such actions that thrust Brian Willson into the public eye in the
mid-'80s, first as a participant in a high-profile, water-only "Veterans
Fast for Life" against the Contra war being waged by his government in
Nicaragua. Then, on a fateful day in September 1987, the world watched in
horror as Willson was run over by a U.S. government munitions train during a
nonviolent blocking action in which he expected to be removed from the
tracks and arrested.
Losing his legs only strengthened Willson's identity with millions of
unnamed victims of U.S. policy around the world. He provides details of his
travels to countries in Latin America and the Middle East and bears witness
to the harm done to poor people as well as to the environment by the
steamroller of U.S. imperialism. These heart-rending accounts are offered
side by side with inspirational stories of nonviolent struggle and the
survival of resilient communities.
Willson's expanding consciousness also uncovers injustices within his own
country, including insights gained through his study and service within the
U.S. criminal justice system and personal experiences addressing racial
injustices. He discusses coming to terms with his identity as a Viet Nam
veteran and the subsequent service he provides to others as director of a
veterans outreach center in New England. He draws much inspiration from
friends he encounters along the way as he finds himself continually drawn to
the path leading to a simpler life that seeks to "do no harm."
Throughout his personal journey Willson struggles with the question, "Why
was it so easy for me, a 'good' man, to follow orders to travel 9,000 miles
from home to participate in killing people who clearly were not a threat to
me or any of my fellow citizens?" He eventually comes to the realization
that the "American Way of Life" is AWOL from humanity, and that the only way
to recover our humanity is by changing our consciousness, one individual at
a time, while striving for collective cultural changes toward "less and
local." Thus, Willson offers up his personal story as a metaphorical map for
anyone who feels the need to be liberated from the American Way of Life-a
guidebook for anyone called by conscience to question continued obedience to
vertical power structures while longing to reconnect with the human
archetypes of cooperation, equity, mutual respect and empathy.
Praise:
"I was busted with Brian, but I never gave the ultimate as he gave. This
book is about a patriot, the kind of patriot you don't find anymore, the
kind of patriot who loves and believes in his country so much he surrendered
his legs in telling his country it's wrong. Read this book." -Edward Asner,
Actor
"Brian Willson's courage, compassion, and commitment to fighting for
freedom, and justice, and human rights is an inspiration to the rest of us
and a lesson in how to handle Adjustments in our Plans." -Kris
Kristofferson, Actor, Songwriter
"Brian Willson's courage, integrity, and dedication to peace and justice and
to a sustainable society have been an inspiration to all of those who seek
to change the course on which we are lurching towards destruction. His
memoir should be read and pondered, and its lessons should be taken to heart
by those who hope to create a more decent world." -Noam Chomsky
"Brian Willson has lived one of the more interesting and inspiring lives of
any peace activist in recent American history. His story deserves to be read
and absorbed by people of all persuasions: militarists as well as
anti-militarists." -Peter Dale Scott, Author of The War Conspiracy
"No one has gone deeper into the heart of American militarism and moral
despair than Brian Willson, paying an immeasurable cost, only to come out
intact on the other side. His brilliant extended reflection not only gives
us light but also hope: this is what it means to be an upright human being
in a world of violence and lies. He can't be stopped! Thank God Brian
Willson has written his story: we Americans need it desperately." -Mark
Rudd, Author of Underground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen
"S. Brian Willson's story is one of the most compelling and fascinating I
have ever known. His is an important message and I highly recommend this
book." Martin Sheen, Actor
This book is also endorsed by: Daniel Ellsberg, Ron Kovic, Father Roy
Bourgeois, William Blum, Blase Bonpane, Kathy Kelly, Norman Solomon, Charlie
Liteky, Staughton Lynd, Jack Ryan, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz,
Cindy Sheehan, Country Joe McDonald, Richard Falk, Camilo Mejia, Ray
McGovern & David Hartsough.
About S. Brian Willson:
S. Brian Willson is a Viet Nam veteran whose wartime experiences transformed
him into a revolutionary nonviolent pacifist. He gained renown as a
participant in a prominent 1986 veterans fast on the steps of the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, D.C. The fast was in response to funding of Reagan's
Contra wars in Central America. One year later, on September 1, 1987, he was
again thrust into the public eye when he was run over and nearly killed by a
U.S. Navy Munitions train while engaging in a nonviolent blockade in protest
of weapons shipments to El Salvador. Since the 1980s he has continued
efforts to educate the public about the diabolical nature of U.S.
imperialism while striving to "walk his talk" (on two prosthetic legs and a
three-wheeled handcycle) by creating a model of right livelihood including a
simpler lifestyle.
About Daniel Ellsberg (Introduction):
Daniel Ellsberg is a former United States military analyst who, while
employed by the RAND Corporation, precipitated a national political
controversy in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret
Pentagon study of U.S. government decision-making about the Vietnam War, to
The New York Times and other newspapers.
Product Details:
Author: S. Brian Willson: www.brianwillson.com
Introduction: Daniel Ellsberg
Publisher: PM Press
ISBN: 978-1-60486-421-2
Published July 2011
Format: Paperback
Size: 9 by 6
Page count: 536 Pages
Subjects: Biography, Politics-Activism, U.S. History
In Peace,
Frank Dorrel
Publisher
Addicted To War
P.O. Box 3261
Culver City, CA 90231-3261
310-838-8131
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.addictedtowar.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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