On August 18th 1969, I was in the mud at Max Yasgur's, real close to the stage, when Jimi Hendrix came on to perform. He was wearing a fringed white leather outfit with a red bandana around his head and he went into the very best version of our national anthem that I have ever heard. I think now that at that moment I became an American. But what kind of American??
Back on May 4th a number of diaries reminded me of that period in my life, 1970, when the National Guard shot the four students at Kent State and then others were shot at Jackson State. And there were demonstrations everywhere against the shootings and the invasion and bombing of Cambodia. I was 16 and organized a strike at my Catholic HS. I was already a far lefty. My two older brothers were draft resisters (not dodgers) and I had come to see the Vietnam war as an imperialist adventure. It was a time that allowed a young man like myself to dream of revolution. Black Panthers, SDS, The Young Lords - this was all pretty heady stuff. Being too young to vote made it easy to reject electoral politics. There was no difference between the parties. Johnson got us into the war, Nixon was expanding it. They were all part of the Establishment (anybody remember the establishment?). Voting was a sham only demonstrations were going to do anything.
A while back one of us Kosmonauts posted a diary that those of us familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous would call a drunkalog. This was my favorite diary since I've been here. Why? Because it gave another reason to feel at home here. And I learned that some of my favorite people here have sobriety dates. And because the people that don't have or need sobriety dates were quite solicitous of the others. It was beautiful man!
Now I'm thinking that maybe there's some value in AA's odd stance on religion. More??
Delaware Dem got to me today and convinced me of the error of my atheist ways. So tonight I am founding my own religion based on the Parable of the Blues Brothers. It's something like Christianity but not really. Aww who am I kidding? Find out more after the flip
Apparently Pastordan has invited diaries describing people's faith journeys(I avoided the original diary) and today I find several of these on both the recommended diaries and the regulars. This kind of saddens me.
In the wake of Nov. 2 with the "values voter" meme it seemed that all we would talk about for the next 4 years would be religion. I watched Hardball with right and left ministers and recently watched MTP's Easter Christothon (with special guest theocrat J. Lieberman).
Our Story Thus Far:
Slick Riddles is having recurring dreams in which he is conversing with Joe Hill. In reality Joe Hill was an IWW organizer and song writer, who was executed by the state of Utah in 1915. He is known as "The man who never died" thanks to a song written by Lee Hays in the 1930s. In Slick's dreamworld Joe is a blogging, working class mentor. They meet in the Central Cafe in Gavle Sweeden which is Joe's Hometown. (More)
This evening's diary is a continuation of Last Night I had the Strangest Dream Slick Riddles is dreaming that he is drinking coffee with Joe Hill in the Central Cafe, Gavle Sweeden.
Joe: Hey Slick you're back, how'd the Sultan dream go?
Slick: Aw there weren't no dream was just me being woken up by "All things considered" which really should be some things considered.
Joe: Yeh you got that right. Hey it's your dream what ya wanna talk about?
Slick: (in a thought baloon) Bankruptcy, red-baiting, the working class??
I dreamed I was in the Central Cafe in Gavle Sweeden drinking coffee with Joe Hill.
Slick: Hey Joe! What's up.
Joe: Hey Slick how ya doin'
Slick: Hey didn't the copper bosses get you?
Joe: Very funny. I know you know the song, spare me.
Slick: What you doing in my dream and why am I in Sweeden?
