Originally posted by BOFH:
Originally posted by gwellington:

It will frighten you, Tony, to know that I keep a copy of "Steal this Book" not five feet from my desk. Tho' old Abbie liked guns a bit too much for my taste. Nice quote from the Introduction: "Free speech is the right to shout "theater" in a crowded fire." Ah, the good old days....



I just find it ironic that he justifies his particular style of graft and theft by saying the corporations make too much money (I.E. they are stealing from the consumers.)

To me that means his is giving them a pass too by modeling the very behaviors he seems to abhor.

I have to say some of what is in there is very clever, but I don't agree with the premise.

For example, when he writes about "acquiring" gas, he instructs folks to look for a Caddy. The implication is because the guy is rich makes it ok to steal from him.

It just makes me shudder to think such people are probably in charge of tax policy in local, state and even federal governments now.

Don't get me wrong, I've got no problem with folks who want to put together a cooperative commune and farm the land to make their bread (double entendre intended.) But to simply steal from "the man" because he has more doesn't square with my largely protestant influenced work ethic.

TB



Actually, Tony, I agree with you. Back in the 60's, though I was what you would call a radical (and I would call a moderate), I thought Abbie was way over the top, with his promotion of actions which, I felt, betrayed everything we were trying to do. I keep his book nearby as a reminder that while so many were angry at the time, even Abbie was hopeful for the future (well, perhaps, in his case, after emptying a few clips into "the Man," but still hopeful). As for today, I am saddened by the disappearance (some would say the silencing) of radicals, liberals, and even those with moderate views. Today, conservative Southern boys like Bill Clinton are branded liberals, and total wackos (I need name no names) are held up as the flower of moderation. Strange times, when we've lost, or marginalized, a whole spectrum of views about where our nation should be heading. Sorry for the long rant, it's late and it's getting dark in here (apologies to Steve Goodman).