Skirmishes with Patriotism Looking for America in the Long Shadow of Vietnam

In the late 1960s, as the country divided over the Vietnam War, millions of young Americans faced the choice of how to respond to conscription. Some accepted conscription and went to fight, while others participated in protests or fled the country.But most men of draft age, to avoid fighting and exile, stayed home, did their jobs, watched Walter Cronkite shows, and mowed the grass as history unfolded around them. Decades later, members of this forgotten majority are still living with the consequences of war, wondering how they will react to the most polarizing conflicts of their time.“Confrontations with Patriotism” is Tad Toliga's poetic and highly personal memoir, which addresses this marginalized segment of his generation. Toliga traces his journey from an enthusiastic scout to a frustrated humanist grappling with the consequences of his refusal to serve, exploring the complex pressures of family, expectations of manly duty, and the frenetic nationalism that still dominates the United States today.