Emigre Questions


Someone else sent me a remark that was really telling: he said those of us who've lived through Vietnam and faced the prospects of draft, etc are veterans of the war in some sense. I would like to carry his rationale one step further: I think people who felt obliged to emigrate are casualties of the war in one way or another. You had to leave the life you knew behind you.

That must have been a difficult decision, and I think the anthology should explore the soul-searching that is involved. Did you start out as a patriotic individual? How did you feel about living in America as a child? As you approached draft age? What made your perception of America change, if it did? How did you finally reach your decision to emigrate? What kind of concerns did you have as you started to seriously entertain the prospect?

Did you leave because of being classidied 1A? Did you have a low lottery number? Did you get an induction notice?

What point in the war did you emigrate? Before 1967? Before 1969? 1971?

Was it difficult to leave your old world behind? Was it difficult to establish an entirely new identity?

Answer whatever questions you feel comfortable answering. I'm sure your answers will spawn some additional questrions on my part. Thanks for your help.