DNC

 I was at the 1968 convention in Chicago

    I went downtown a couple of times, just to be there.  I was not witness to any of the violence and mayhem that happened.  I was safely at home during those times. 

    But I went because I was curious.

    I was standing at Gen. Logan's statue when I saw a fellow Lake View grad in the crowd.  I called her name, and she came over and said something like, "Terry, call me Gloria.  I'm telling people I'm from Connecticut  and need a place to stay."

    It was weird.

    The second time I went down, protestors were going to march down to the Amphitheater  where the convention was being held.  

    I don't know what happened,  because I got my first faint whiff of tear gas and went home.

    My friend Billy, whom I haven't seen in 1.000 years, put on a suit, and tie, and walked into the Conrad Hilton and took an elevator up to the McGovern headquarters, completely unchallenged.

    Once he got there, he was challenged and had to leave.  It seems to me before he left he got the phone number of a volunteer and ended up marrying her.  He may have even become a volunteer in the office, I don't remember.

    I'm  also a little fuzzy on another story.  I think Dave, maybe John, and a couple of other friends were there and decided to go home before things got crazy.  They got to a corner on Balboa ad the light was red.  But no traffic was coming, so. they decided to cross.

    Someone yelled out, "That's great!  Take the intersection!" And the crowd settled down in the street.

    Now, that was a while ago and my memory may be a bit fuzzy.

    But da Mayor's infamous "Police aren't here to prevent disorder, der her to preserve disorder" still ring in mu ears.

    In 1968 my generation was out to save the world.

    We were going to end not only the Vietnam war, but all wars.  We were going to clean the environment and protect the planet.  We were going to give equality to all people.  We were going to make government responsive to the people.

    So long ago.  So many lost causes.  So many failures.

    Protestors today want the war to end.  They want a clearer Earth.  They want al people treated equally.  

    Some things just don't change very much.

    Here's hoping there is peace in Chicago this week.

Peace and Love