Comments on: Steve Trudel

By: Juan Manuel Gutierrez

Juan Manuel Gutierrez — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:57:13 +0000

Steve’s narrative is a reflection of a man who lives heroically. A man devoid of the usual posturing found in so many circles, so many places in our country. For as many years as I have known my good friend Steve, he has always questioned the roles Men play as they grow and mature. Their attitude towards women, their attitudes toward men and to themselves. He blurs the lines set by society and culture and dares men to be strong enough to be caring, strong enough to be sensitive and strong enough to be compassionate. At a time when young men regularly brutalize the homeless, the weak and the downtrodden, I think of Steve as a Hero for the times… A man who did not allow circumstances to rule him, but instead arose to challenge them, and then decided to do it for all of us as well. As a Man, I am grateful, and as friend, I am honored.

By: Sam Trudel

Sam Trudel — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:21:22 +0000

I’m Steve’s younger brother.

I’ll first say how proud I am of you Steve for participating in this narrative and sharing a painful story of your life. Your part in the war resistance is historic, and the way you weave your personal story with the themes of power and resistance is very compelling.

I feel this project is important, particularly as we find ourselves in another war with many societal, human rights and injustice parallels with the Viet Nam era. A tragic theme I see now is our inability to learn from history. Congratulations to Tom on an important project that holds our history up so that we might understand the complexity of the real human reactions to war. Just maybe, though I’m not optimistic, these stories can offer some perspective to the endless, simplistic propaganda we are subjected to in the “War on Terror.”

Well done!

By: lola

lola — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:47:51 +0000

Steve, finally getting around to rdg some more of Tom’s blog/book. For your contribution, absolutely no”cringing” necessary. We know it is an interview, that you are answering questions, not writing, and it hangs together well. In fact, at first I thought maybe you HAD written parts out because you are so articulate. Diversions are what happen in speaking and the story sounds so natural that way, not distracting at all. I love knowing your story of the draft and the history that led up to it. As usual, you openness is wonderful. Thank you.

By: me

me — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 02:22:46 +0000

Tommy
I still cringe more than a little when I read my side of the dialogue with you. Having your influence removed from the words I spoke to you makes my thoughts seem even more all over the place than they are legitimately. (Was I disoriented in retelling my story, in a way oddly parallel to my father, when he tried to tell me about his experience of war?).

I do need to re-edit a couple of places. I’ll copy my words and substitute the edits in a seperate e mail to you.