By Baxter
This Memorial Day weekend, let's annoy the right wingers by saluting a patriotic lefty, the actor John Garfield.
Born in New York City in 1913, Garfield was unable to serve in World War II because of a heart condition. So he and Bette Davis threw themselves into opening the Hollywood Canteen and selling war bonds instead. And he starred in memorable war-era films like "Air Force," "Destination Tokyo," "Pride of the Marines" and "Gentlemen's Agreement" — that last one particularly (and sadly) relevant today in its tackling of the issue of anti-Semitism.
Garfield was blacklisted in the 1950s and died early, in 1952. The country he loved and served the best he could ended up treating him pretty shabbily.
Today, President Biden said in his Memorial Day address that "all of us who remain have a duty to renew our commitment to the fundamental values to our nation...the values that have inspired generation after generation to service and that so many have died to defend." We cats count patriotic Americans like John Garfield among that number, because even though America didn't believe in him, he believed in America. And we PURR.
(IMAGE: Garfield, George Tobias, and Harry Carey Sr. listen to reports of the bombing of Pearl Harbor in "Air Force," 1943)
No comments:
Post a Comment