To Fight Another Day

By Karen Haberland

[1] Ron Kovic has always been a fighter. In his young life, he played war games, trained hard on the wrestling team, and was obviously destined to join the marines. So it comes as no surprise at the end of the film that we see him fighting for a new cause. Only now we see not a naive boy with a glorified vision of war but a man who has been through hell and wants to save others that same agony. Oliver Stone uses the scene of Ron's first protest to portray Ron's new beginnings, to clearly state his opinions on the war, and to ask for the support of veterans that is obviously sorely lacking.

[2] Up until this point, Ron has been lost. After being shot, he has lost his manhood, his sense of identity, and his belief in America. But as we hear the chanting and see the veterans being wheeled into the convention, we understand that he has begun to rediscover and redefine himself. Gone is the boy who sat in rapt attention listening to the Marine recruiters' spiel about the nobility of fighting. Before us now is the man who knows he has been wronged and wants to do something about it.

[3] Completely opposite from his previous drunken rantings and depression, the Ron in this scene is strong. He proudly chants the anti-war sayings and boldly rolls into the hostile territory of the 1972 Republican National Convention. And he doesn't just sit there shouting but takes a leading role in the protest. By raising himself onto the arms of his wheelchair, he brings himself to eye level with the reporter and, more importantly, with the camera. He doesn't allow himself to be literally looked down upon but positions himself on an equal playing field with the viewers as he begins his speech.

[4] The look Stone is trying for here is empowerment. Ron is no longer the helpless vet strapped into a hospital bed. He has come to terms with his handicap. This is a message that Stone would want other veterans to hear: though they come home broken, they are not worthless. Ron has some serious baggage to deal with, but he is not rotting away in a brothel in Mexico. He has found a way to face everything he has been through, and that is by speaking out about the war.

[5] On top of the negative images of war that Stone blasts us with throughout the film, we now get the finishing touch: the staunchly patriotic war hawk has become the film's main advocate for peace. In his speech, Ron mentions that "people say if you don't love America, then get the hell out," but he is still proud to be an American. This is made perfectly clear as he waves a giant flag while marching into the convention center. He is spit on and called a traitor, but all he wants is someone to hear the truth.

[6] Ron's interview is Stone's most bluntly placed call for action against the war. The camera is focused in on Ron's face, staring straight into his eyes as he cries out for accountability from the government and questions why they were sent to fight such a proud people. In such close proximity, we cannot look away. His eyes and his words hold us and make us believe that, indeed, this war is a crime. How can we not accept that, yes, corruption has sentenced a whole generation of young men to death?

[7] Intertwined with the outcry against the pointless killing, Stone again slips in his call for support of the veterans. Even as Richard Nixon asks for Americans to "give those who have served in Vietnam the honor and the respect that they deserve and that they've earned," Ron is forlornly questioning why they won't. Why? Why haven't they met with the support that they need? His patriotic nature wonders why no one will come to the aid of their "Yankee Doodle Dandy come home."

[8] The Vietnam veterans left the jungles behind only to find a different kind of battle at home. While previously the veterans in the film had mostly been met with animosity and uncaring mistreatment, they are now met with a literal battle. Complete with smoke bombs, night sticks, and helicopters, the protest outside of the convention closely resembles a war scene. Naturally, the veterans fall back on their training. We see them fighting together, and even the scene of Ron's rescue is reenacted. But the most compelling part is when one man begins to list off the casualties. Men have been arrested, gassed, beaten, and one definitely has a concussion. But these men aren't in Vietnam anymore. They're home. So why are they still counting up survivors?

[9] Nevertheless, Stone finishes the scene on a strong note, as the remaining protesters band together for one last charge. We don't see the result, but we don't have to. The message is clear. These veterans have been wronged, and they want someone to take notice. They aren't going to sit idly by as the nation spits on them. They were trained to be fighters, so that is what they're going to do. Through the words of Ron Kovic, Oliver Stone, and all the other veterans who refused to disappear into the night, we see a pride that will never give in.