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It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no no no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no
My favorite movie is Forrest Gump. I watched it for the first time with my father when I was 12 years old. I really began to realize its significance when I was around 15 years old. I remember asking my father about the Vietnam War (where my grandfather was drafted), why America was involved, and what it means to be a 'fortunate son.'
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s anti-Vietnam War song does address an injustice of the war, one in which lower and middle-class families were sent to war while the 'ruling class' was not “being touched by what their parents were doing.” John Fogerty, the man that gave a tune to arguably one of the most influential songs in American history, wrote in his 2015 memoir, “You’d hear about the son of this senator or that congressman who was given a deferment from the military.” The Vietnam War era had a myriad of famous songs that voiced anti-war sentiments, ranging from The Rolling Stones’s 'Gimme Shelter' to Joan Baez’s 'Saigon Bride.' However, there was no other song that captivated me quite like 'Fortunate Son.' While the song was written in the 1960’s, it delivers a message that is timeless.
I am now a junior, with knowledge from courses that teach about discrimination and injustice, but I still ask myself, what is a 'fortunate son?' I have recently watched Forrest Gump and asked my father, again, what does it mean to be a 'fortunate son.' This time, my father did not give me the literal 1960’s interpretation of the lower and middle classes fighting the battles for the ruling class (which is still a very important and apparent problem today). After I asked the question, he told me that what made this song an eerily crucial narrative, was that, in a sense, the concept of the 'fortunate son' was redefined after the Vietnam era. Around 58,000 members of the U.S. Armed Forces died or were missing as a result of the Vietnam War. Protests during and after the war argued that continual U.S. involvement led to senseless death and suffering for both innocent Vietnamese citizens and American soldiers. 2,709,918 Americans served in uniform in Vietnam and one out of every 10 was a casualty. The concept of the 'fortunate son' is for the ones who came home. The generation that endured the drafts has aged to the generation that chronicles the truth of Vietnam.
I am from Appalachia, Kentucky. Faced with the continual stereotype of being a poverty-stricken and 'backwards' area, we endure a continual narrative of, “I ain’t no senator’s son… I ain’t no millionaire’s son… I ain’t no military son…” The original and redefined concept of the 'fortunate son' still applies to Appalachia. About 106,000 Kentuckians served during the Vietnam War. The ones who came home brought back stories that will never be told, and some that tell of pain and survival. I grew up hearing stories from Vietnam veterans that told of both the beautiful countryside and unimaginable violence. I have kept these retellings with me since childhood. They continue to give me perspective and help me to realize the importance of understanding history. I have known many 'fortunate sons,' one being my grandfather, and their importance to society is a timeless theme that can be applied to every aspect of the past. The Vietnam War was arguably one of the most horrific and senseless wars in American history. Injustices were apparent abroad and on the homefront. To prevent history from repeating itself, I do believe that we should listen to and can learn from our 'fortunate sons.'
Isabella Martin is a McConnell Scholar in the Class of 2021. She is studying political science, economics, Russian studies, and International Business at the University of Louisville.
Commentary presented here is not necessarily a reflection of the McConnell Center. Thoughts are those of the author.