Lingg Brewer, former Michigan State Representative and author of the book Dreams Gone Wrong, uncovered the story of MSU and their involvement in the Vietnam War, as well as the tragedies that followed for local Lansing residents.

Brewer said his inspiration for the book came from curiosity as the story of MSU’s involvement in Vietnam was quiet and remotely known. Brewer spoke with Pauline Adams, wife of former MSU president Walter Adams, who said the story needed to be told after Hannah left.

“Hannah was an internationalist, had the best of intentions,” Brewer said. “He was concerned that the whole world was going to go communist, and he had the MSU group in there in 1954, long before Kennedy and Johnson widened the war.”

Brewer said when Hannah was helping the military and CIA conduct the war, East Lansing and the campus of MSU stayed pretty peaceful.

“I think the 60’s ended with huge pessimism,” Brewer said. “It was a time about sex, drugs and rock and roll and people were going off to war and dying.”

Brewer said this attitude changed the country and a whole generation for the worse.

He said a good example for that is when former East Lansing resident and heavy gambler Rick Fowler, an all-state wrestler and football player, went to outside places, like Lansing, they found a rougher, more dangerous and more violent place.

The violent atmosphere in Lansing eventually led to Fowler’s murder.

Brewer said as much as gamblers were not interested in politics or the war, the country’s situation had a bad influence on them, too. The pessimistic ambiance of the war at the time brought citizens, like Fowler, down a bad path. A path that sometimes led to illegal actives such as gambling.

“Some were drafted, some realized they needed to stay away from the military and the changing times also helped lead them down the road less traveled,” he said. “If the war hadn’t taken place … they might not have succumb to the lifestyle they did, or not in such an extreme way. They might still be alive.”

The story further discusses the deteriorating morale of the U.S. in the midst of the Vietnam War.

He said events of the decade influenced the respect for politics and political institutions, leading to deterioration in common respect.

“My message (through this book) is to pay attention to politics,” Brewer said. “As much as people don’t like politicians and the present political environment, politics is worthy and deserves our attention as citizens.”