My Lai

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Philip E Jenks
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About Philip E Jenks

Philip, a synodical deacon in the ELCA Metropolitan New York synod, is a retired communicator for American Baptist Churches USA, the U.S. Conference for the World Council of Churches, the U.S. National Council of Churches, and two Philadelphia area daily newspapers. He and his spouse, the Rev. Dr. Martha M. Cruz, are the parents of six adults and are members of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rye Brook, N.Y. They live in Port Chester, N.Y.
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1 Response to My Lai

  1. Frank Vee's avatar Frank Vee says:
    March 16, 2026 at 2:53 pm

    Deacon Jenks,

    Sadly, Americans in those times were indoctrinated by the educational system, media, and by some of our elders, that the enemies we warred against were sub-human. Japs, Gooks, Communism is a cancer were common terms used during WWII and post-war period. When children in my all-white suburban classroom exclaimed slavery/segregation doesn’t seem right. Our teacher (instead of saying that slavery was a sin of America’s past) stated that the colored folk were uncivilized savages cannibalizing each other in Africa. She went on to say slavery and then segregation was a “good thing” in order to civilize these uncivilized, barbaric people. Similarly, she used the same argument to dehumanize the Native Americans to justify the evils perpetrated against them. This process of dehumanization of the enemy was rampant during the Viet Nam War.

    Today we are in a similar situation. I am appalled at the venom being spued and contempt I see on social media, and even among associates, friends, and neighbors. Americans today are being indoctrinated to hate anyone who calls Allah their God.

    True, there is a miniscule percentage of violent followers among them, however, we have our own home-grown Americans committing mass shootings and acts of violence. [Does that imply all Americans, be they Christian or Jewish are terrorists]

    Woefully, humanity is unable to learn from history.

    Albert Einstein had this to say: “He who joyfully marches to music rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.”

    Sorry for the long post. Your cartoon brought on a flood of thoughts, memories, and Biblical passages.

    Keep up the good work with your cartoons. Hopefully they arouse in your readers cause for introspection as it did with me today.

    Pray for Peace.

    Frank

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