Ron Kovic quotes from Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Ron Kovic

I'm here tonight to say that this war is wrong, that this society lied to me, lied to my brothers. They've deceived the people of this country, tricked them into going 13,000 miles to fight a war against a poor, peasant people who have a proud history of resistance, who have been strugling for the wrong independence for 1,000 years - the Vietnamese people. I can't find the words to express, and the leadership of this government sickens me. People say that if you don't love America, then get the hell out. Well, I love America. We love the people of America very much, but when it comes to the government, it stops right there. The government is a bunch of corrupt thieves, they are rapists and robbers. And we are here to say that we don't have to take it anymore. We are here to say that we are here to tell the truth; they are killing our brothers in Vietnam! We want them to hear the truth tonight!

Ron Kovic

I had a mother; I had a father, things - things that made sense. Do you remember things that made sense? Things you could count on? Before we all got so lost? What are we gonna do, Charlie? What am I gonna do?

Ron Kovic

Why did the Russians beat us into space, Dad?

Well, the Russians, they don't even bother feeding their people. They put all their money into weapons and things like that.

Ron Kovic

But we're supposed to be the best, right, Dad?

You bet we are, but we've been pretty stupid too. We put the Russians back on their feet after World War II and they took Hungary, Poland, half of Europe - and they still want more.

Communism is an insidious evil, Ronnie. They don't believe in God and if we don't watch out, they're gonna take over this country someday.
...

Ron Kovic

But don't people know? Why don't we stop them? We're supposed to be the best. We can't let them take over our country, Dad, what's wrong?

Well, people are scared of 'em... I think everybody's scared of 'em these days.

Ron Kovic

I'm not. I'm not scared of 'em! I hate the Communists. I really hate them. We're gonna come back and beat them someday.

Ronnie, Ronnie, you're doing the right thing! Communism has to be stopped! It's God's will that you go, and I'm proud of you. [gently pats his shoulder] Just be careful, that's all.

Ron Kovic

Don't you know what it means to me to be a Marine, Dad? Ever since I was a kid I've wanted this - I've wanted to serve my country - and I want to go. I want to go to Vietnam - and I'll die there if I have to.

Chaplain

How are you?

Ron Kovic

Tell them - they have to operate on me. There's something wrong with me.

Chaplain

The doctors are real busy right now. There's a lot of wounded here today. No time for anything except trying to stay alive, so you got to try and stay alive, okay? You hear me? Try and stay alive. [pause] I've come to give you your last rites. Are you ready?

Ron Kovic

Yeah.

Chaplain

I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. You brught nothing into this world, and it is certain that you will take nothing out of it. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Doctor

We want to make one thing very clear to you, Ron. The possibility of your ever walking again is minimal... almost impossible. You're a T6 - paralyzed from the mid-chest down. Probably... you'll be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life. [pause] Do you understand what I'm saying?

Ron Kovic

Well, doctor...

Doctor

Hmm?

Ron Kovic

Doctor, will I ever be able to - to have children?

Doctor

No. [pause] No, but we have a good psychologist. He's helped a lot of people.

Ron Kovic

I'll walk again.

Doctor

No you won't...

Ron Kovic

No, I know I'll walk again!

Doctor

No, let me tell you something, Ron. You will never walk again.

Ron Kovic

I've been laying in my own shit for the last three hours. I've been pushing my call button and nobody comes. Why can't I have a bath? Why can't the sheets be changed in this goddamn place? Why can't the vomit be wiped off the goddamn floor once in a while?

Don't you raise your voice to me Mr. Kovic, you watch your mouth.

Ron Kovic

Look at my leg. It's twice as big as it ever was. When are you people gonna help me? I wanna see the doctor now!

He's not available now. He's too busy.

Ron Kovic

He's always too busy.

Marvin

What's eating you now, Kovic? You going off the deep end?

Ron Kovic

**** shit! What do I have to do to make you people listen to me? I wanna be treated like a **** human being! [slaps the valium hypodermic out of the nurse's hand] I don't want this **** shit! You wann keep me drugged all the time so I don't know what's going on. This place is a ****in' slum!

Marvin

You want out of here, man? Fine. We take that leg of yours, and we can get you out of here in two weeks!

Ron Kovic

I want my leg.

Marvin

Why?

Ron Kovic

I want my leg!

Marvin

Why? You can't feel it no how!

Ron Kovic

It's my leg! I want my leg, you understand? Can't you understand that? All's I'm sayin' is that I want to be treated like a human being! I fought for my country! I am a Vietnam veteran! I fought for my country!

Shut the **** up!

Ron Kovic

And I think that I deserve to be treated... decent!

Marvin

Vietnam? Vietnam don't mean nothing to me man, or any of these other people. You can take your Vietnam and shove it up your ass.

Ron Kovic

Am I good? Hey, [drags himself forward] am I good?

Willie

Man, you're one crazy Marine, Kovic - so gung-ho and everything, but you don't know shit about what's really happenin' in this country.

Ron Kovic

**** you, Willie.

Willie

I'm serious man. It ain't about burnin' the flag and Vietnam, man. While we fight for rights over there, we ain't got no rights at home. It's about Detroit and Newark, man. It's about racism, man.

Ron Kovic

Is that right?

Willie

Because you can't get no job at home. Vietnam is a white man's war, a rich man's war.

Ron Kovic

Where's my money?

Willie

I'm serious, man, you gotta read some books. There's a revolution going on, Kovic. Brothers are gettin' it together, and if you ain't part of the solution, man, then you're part of the problem.

Ron Kovic

They burned the flag and they demonstrated against us; it's on the cover of the paper today. They have no respect. They have no idea what's going on over there, Mom - the men that are sacrificing their lives. People are dying every day over there, and nobody back here even seems to care. It's a bunch of goddamn shit if you ask me!

Ronnie, don't take the Lord's name in vain - not in front of the children. I agree with everything you say!

Ron Kovic

I served my country - and they just want to take from it - just take, take! Love it or leave it, that's what I think.

Steve Boyer

You could start out as a cashier... and then work your way up to becoming a manager of one of these places - just like your dad.

Ron Kovic

I get $1700 a month from the government. I think I'm just going to lay low, and look around...

Steve Boyer

That's charity money, Ronnie; this isn't.

Ron Kovic

Charity?

Steve Boyer

All I'm saying is that you got to - you got to put the war behind you, you know; you got to forget about this chair you're in!

Ron Kovic

Sometimes, Stevie, I think people, they know you're back from Vietnam, and their face - changes: the eyes, the voice, the way they look at you, you know.

Steve Boyer

I know what you mean, Ronnie, but people here - they don't give a shit about the war! Yeah! To them it's just a million miles away. It's all bullshit, anyway. I mean, the government sold us a bill of goods and we bought it, and got the shit kicked out of us, and for what, huh?

Ron Kovic

What do you mean, "we," Stevie? You were in college, man.

Steve Boyer

You bought that Communist bullshit, Ronnie. Yeah, they were going to take over the world, you remember that? Fenelli, you, Walsh - the whole town was devastated. [pause] For what? For lies, for bullshit lies?

Ron Kovic

When I was in the hospital, I thought, yeah - yeah, this makes sense.

Timmy Burns

What makes sense?

Ron Kovic

Because I failed, Timmy.

Timmy Burns

What are you talking about?

Ron Kovic

Because I - I killed some - people; I made some terrible - mistakes!

Timmy Burns

Oh, for Christ's sake, Ronnie, we all made mistakes. I mean, you - you had no choice. That's something that those goddamn pansy demonstrators ain't never gonna understand! Now, you don't even have to talk about it, Ronnie; I mean, it was insane over there! It was crazy!

Ron Kovic

Sometimes I wish, I wish I'd - The first time I got hit, I was shot in the foot. I could have laid down, I mean - who gives a **** now if I was a hero or not? I was paralyzed, castrated that day; why? It was all so - stupid! I'd have my dick and my balls now, and some days, Timmy - some days I think I'd give everything I believe in - everything I got, all my values, just to have my body back again, just to be whole again. But I'm not whole; I never will be, and that's - that's the way it is, isn't it?

Timmy Burns

For Christ's sake, Ronnie, it's your birthday. You're alive. You made it! Smile.

Ron Kovic

We went to Vietnam to stop communism!... We shot women and children!

You didn't shoot women and children! What are you saying?

Ron Kovic

That was the war, communism, the insidious evil! They told us to go.

Yes, yes that's what they told us.

Ron Kovic

Thou shalt not kill, Mom. Thou shalt not kill women and children! Thou shalt not kill! Remember? Isn't that what you taught us? Isn't that what they taught us?

Stop it! Stop it!

Ron Kovic

But they're the evil, Mom. They're the ones we should be fighting. They lied to me growing up, they lied to all of us, but it's not gonna work anymore. Not for you... for me... for anybody else.

Stop it, stop it! As long as you're in this house, you will not talk that way. Eli, please stop him.

Ron, come one now... you made your point.

Ron Kovic

No, I didn't make my point. Tell her, Dad. They're killing everybody now. It's all falling apart, Mom! King. Kenndy. Kent State. We all lost the war, Mom. **** Communism won! It's all for nothing! Tell her, Dad, it's all a lie. Tell her God's as dead as my legs. There's no God and there's no country. It's just me... and this wheelchair... forever.

Ron Kovic

In church they said that it's a sin if you play with your penis, I wish I could.

Don't say penis in this house!

Ron Kovic

Penis! Penis! Big **** erect penis! Penis!

Stop!

Ron Kovic

I'm sorry, I just had to come here to tell you. I've been afraid for years to come here and tell you. But, I've lived with this long enough. I can't live with it anymore... I can't bring him back. Forgive me... I want to live. I want to go on with my life. I'm sorry, but that's what happened. That's the way it happened, and I can't change a thing.

We understand, Ron. We understand the pain you've been going through.

We understand, son, we do understand the way...these things happen... in war.
...

What's done is done, sir. I can't ever forgive you... but maybe the Lord can.

Ron Kovic

Do you hear me? Can I break through your complacency? Can I have an inch... a moment of your compassion for the human beings that are suffering in this war? Do you hear me when I say this war is a crime? When I say I am not as bitter about my wound as the men who have lied to the people of this country? Do you hear me?
...

Ron Kovic

Why do they want to hide us? Why won't they let the veterans of that war speak tonight? Because they don't wanna know, they don't wanna see us. They wanna hide us because they've lied and cheated to us for so long - but we're not gonna run away and hide anymore. We're gonna win because we love this country. We love this country more than they could ever know. We fought for it. We gave our bodies because we loved it and believed everything it stood for, and tonight we're ashamed of it. And we've come from all the little towns, thousands of us to get this country back again; to make it whole again. Truth, honesty, integrity - this is the lost American dream here tonight, and we're gonna take it back!
...

Ron Kovic

We're never, never gonna let the people of the United States forget that war, because the moment we do, there's gonna be another war, and another, and another. That's why we're gonna be there for the rest of our lives telling you that the war happened - it wasn't just some nightmare - it happened, and you're not gonna sweep it under the rug because you didn't like the ratings, like some television show. This wheelchair, our wheelchairs, this steel, our steel is your Memorial Day on wheels, we are your Yankee Doodle Dandy coming home...

Traitor! [spits in Ron's face]

Ron Kovic

Is that what we get? Spit in the face! I've got as much right to be here as any of these delegates. I fought for that right. You're not gonna stop me! You're not gonna shut me up! I'm gonna remind you of this war for the rest of my life so what happened there never happens again!

What happened in that war? What happened to you? You need help, Ronnie, you need help.

Ron Kovic

No, you need help! All your God and your bullshit dreams about me!

You'll wake the whole neighborhood. [She starts telling the other children to go to bed]

Ron Kovic

YOU ARE ASHAMED OF ME! You're EMBARRASSED by me.

Tommy Kovic

Please, Mom, let me talk to him.

You go to bed!

Ron Kovic

**** YOU!

Don't you talk to your mother like that!

What did you say to me?! [Comes back to Ron's room, enraged] WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?? [Smacks Ron's face a couple of times and leaves; Ron strolls after her]

Ron Kovic

**** YOU!!!

Ronnie, that's ENOUGH!

You're gonna wake the whole neighborhood!

Ron Kovic

OH, WAKE 'EM UP! TELL THEM! CUSACKS, CAMELLETTIS, WALSHES!! You tell them all! Tell them what they did to me. What they did to this country.

They're gonna call the police this time

Ron Kovic

We went to Vietnam to stop communism!... We shot women and children!

You didn't shoot women and children! What are you saying?

Ron Kovic

That was the war, communism, the insidious evil! They told us to go.

Yes, yes that's what they told us.

Ron Kovic

Thou shalt not kill, Mom. Thou shalt not kill women and children! Thou shalt not kill! Remember? Isn't that what you taught us? Isn't that what they taught us?

Stop it! Stop it!

Ron Kovic

But they're the evil, Mom. They're the ones we should be fighting. They lied to me growing up, they lied to all of us, but it's not gonna work anymore. Not for you... for me... for anybody else.

Stop it, stop it! As long as you're in this house, you will not talk that way. Eli, please stop him.

Ron, come on now... you made your point, now stop.

Ron Kovic

No, I haven't made my point. Tell her, Dad. They're killing everybody now.

I didn't force you to go!!

Ron Kovic

YES, YOU DID! YES, YOU DID!!! It's all falling apart, Mom! King. Kennedy. Kent State. We all lost the war, Mom. **** Communism won! It's all for nothing!

That is not true, Ronnie.

Ron Kovic

What do you know, Ma? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!?

Tommy Kovic

Ron.

Ron Kovic

What? Tell her, Tommy. You tell her, Dad! Tell her it's all a lie! It's a **** lie! Tell her God's as dead as my legs. There's no God and there's no country. It's just me... and this **** wheelchair for the rest... of my life. [Unzips his pants and sticks his hand in] It's just me and this... dead... penis.

OH MY GOD! RONNIE!!

Don't, Ronnie! Not with the catheter! For God sake!

Ron Kovic

DEAD... PENIS!

Oh, GOD! Eli, I can't take this anymore.

Go to your rooms. Go to your ROOMS!

THE HELL WITH YOU!!!

Ron Kovic

In church they said that it's a sin if you play with your penis, I wish I could.

Don't say "penis" in this house!

Ron Kovic

Penis!

Stop!

Ron Kovic

Penis! Big **** erect penis, MA!

STOOOOOOP!!

Ron Kovic

PENIS! PENIIIIIIIIIS!!!

Lord, he won't let go, what do I do?

Ron Kovic

I really don't have time to learn to use it. It's gone in some jungle. Some **** jungle over there. It's just gone. [Notices his mother sits down crying, and he, too, is in tears] I'm sorry it happened this way. I'm sorry if you're sad, Mom. [Softens] I'm so sorry you're sad. I'm sorry.

Ronnie, I think you should go. What can I do Ronnie? What do you want?

Ron Kovic

I want to be a man again. Who's going to love me, Dad? Who's ever going to love me? [starts crying] Who's going to love me?

Ron Kovic

What are we gonna do now?

Charlie

**** 'em.

Ron Kovic

Yeah. Sure. How are we gonna get outta here?

Charlie

**** 'em all. **** the whores. **** the cab drivers... **** Mexico. **** Nixon, **** Vietnam, ****'em all.

Ron Kovic

Yeah, Charlie, but how are we gonna get outta here?

Charlie

They made me kill babies, man. Little gook babies. You ever have to kill a baby?

Ron Kovic

Yeah, O.K. come on, we gotta get back to the villa.

Charlie

**** YOU! [drawing closer]

Ron Kovic

Gotta get back to the villa.

Charlie

What do you mean "ok"?! What do you mean "ok"? You ever have to kill a baby, you ever have to kill a little gook baby?!!

Ron Kovic

What the **** do you know what I did!! [wheels away]

Charlie

I didn't think so. I didn't think so, you're full of shit.

Ron Kovic

No, you are! The ****? Leave me the **** alone. You're nuts, you know that? You're nuts. The ****in sun is goin' down! what do you know what the **** comes out here at night? We gotta get outta here.

Charlie

Don't shit me, Kovic. [again drawing closer] You never killed a baby. You never HAD to kill a baby because... you never put your soul into that war. You never put your soul on the line, man!

Ron Kovic

How do you know? How the **** do you know? maybe I killed babies. Maybe I killed more babies than you did, you ****! Maybe I killed a whole bunch' a babies, but I don't talk about it! I don't have to talk about it.(wheels away)

Charlie

Why not? Wh-Why the **** not? What do you think you are- better than anybody else? You a hero is that it?

Ron Kovic

**** you!

Charlie

Maybe you got a whole bunch'a ****in' medals, but deep down you know you're full of shit. You never fought that war. YOU WEREN'T EVEN THERE, MAN!

Ron Kovic

What the **** did you mean "I wasn't there", man? What did you mean?

Charlie

What the **** are you hidin' from?

Ron Kovic

I'm not the one that's hidin'. You're the one that's hidin'- down here in Mexico- you're the one that's hidin'! What are you hidin' from you whiny ****!

Charlie

Don't shit me. You never killed anybody or anything, did ya, Kovic? Did ya?

Ron Kovic

Did you?!

Charlie

DID YA?!!!

Ron Kovic

Did you?!

Charlie

Ya ever look at yourself in the ****in' mirror?

Ron Kovic

Did you?

Charlie

**** you.

Ron Kovic

You.

Charlie

No. You! **** YOU!!!

Ron Kovic

No, **** YOU!!