Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
It was 35 years ago today...
Yes, what a horrible anniversary. I’m glad you didn’t use that immortal photo. I feel like it’s burned into my brain. I read an interview with the woman in the picture a couple years ago. She’s not only traumatized by the event, but also by being made into the symbol of the event.
Posted by Christine Hamm on from nimby 05/04 at 03:57 PMAgreed. Some photos are so overused that they lose impact.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/04 at 04:09 PMWhoa! What a flood of memories you’ve unleashed here, MickeyZ. What a time it was…
At first, as the years passed, I thought: “Well, everybody thinks back to their teen years (mine were 63 - 70) as being ‘an extraordinary time.’ I’ve probably just blown the period “The 60’s,” all out of proportion.” But, by the time I reached my 30’s (1980’s), I knew that that was not true: It WAS an astonishing time! Generations rising later seemed to be more conservative, then even more conservative, then simply comatose.
These times, now, seem to be disturbing the sleeping generations. Sometimes it seems as though that strange, wonderful, frightening smell of awakening, of freedom, is discernable in the heavy, still air here in the Reich. Oh, I hope so, though they could probably kill a lot more of us, now, and never even mention it in the media. Indeed, Jackson State never got much press, relatively speaking. A Black friend of mine, from Bed.-Sty., told me about it, sometime that fall. I’d not heard.
It IS a terrible anniversary - especially since, to all appearances - appearances - they died in vain. In fact, however, maybe there are many such ‘conversations’ like this one, going on all over the world, right now. Perhaps the influence of these events will help wake us all up - again.
Maybe these kids are, somehow, still struggling to make a difference. Thanks for recalling this, MickeyZ. Thanks Much.Posted by joe on from grants pass 05/04 at 06:24 PMThanks, Joe. It’s not easy to find the postive amid all that surrounds us today but I’m not so sure if they died in vain. Some things have changed for the better because of the 1960s...perhaps just much, much slower than any of us can stand. I just hope not too slow to stave the tide.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/04 at 06:32 PMLest we forget indeed, Mickey! Thanks for the moving reminder .. And do humans ever learn from the mistakes they made in the past?
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 05/04 at 08:19 PMNot often enough, Helga...not often enough.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 05/04 at 08:36 PM
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