HOWARD ZINN: "Holy Wars"

When Howard Z was a kid, living around here in Brooklyn, something in his gazing across the mead in Prospect Park, something about a book he found in his parent's attic, some star in the cloud of stars that hung over the streets - gave him this life that was such a gift to us. He made completely brave and original ch...oices from very early on. He happily took the total risk. He dueted with the world so that he could pry underneath and behind the versions of historical events sanctified by traditional power. The "Peoples' History" books give us that freedom that he had, and now we'll always have it.

I'd like to post the most recent of his lectures that came into my life. "Holy Wars" asks a question that few of us would think to ask. Why do some American wars become good wars, beyond criticism, sentimentally and even religiously beloved. And what does that do to us? How are bad wars - a constant thing in our country lately - protected by the good ones?