VLVL (6) Working for the Man

[Terrance]

> 
> Long Binh Jail was a US military jail. You might argue that any prison
> system is a product of society; certainly Long Binh was a product of the US
> presence in Vietnam. Interesting, therefore, that Pynchon's list should
> start here.

What's interesting about it? Robert misspelled the name, but he made the
same connection you make here, to Vietnam. This is a list of independent
contractors. 
Of course, Vato & Blood were independent contractors in Vietnam, doing
business with the Vietcong. And, their business partners gave them
information about Vietcong strikes in US soldiers. Vato & Blood got out
alive. Lots of their brothers did not. Of course the novel condemns the
Vietnam war in no uncertain terms, but those looking to blame all the
deaths on all sides on the hunchos at the top had better take a look at
the ground beneath His feet.