Red Dawn: No retreat, no surrender

As pure a piece of American propaganda as ever created, the neocon fantasy came just at the right time to boost Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign.

It was the summer of Ronald Reagan and Bruce Springsteen. Of Ghostbusters and Gremlins. Of Prince singing “When Doves Cry” and starring in Purple Rain.

It was 1984. Orwell’s year. I had just graduated from high school, and I felt particularly aimless. College at Ohio State was coming, and I felt no hurry to get there.  My mother was selling the house I h…