During the Gulf War I went to many protest marches at Lafayette Park across the street from the White House. We played the drums in order to annoy George the Father and disturb his sleep. One day we all walked to the Lincoln Memorial. I had taken an acid trip with my next door neighbors the night before and during the protest I was still tripping. The parade permit was for a certain time period and it expired while I was there. Many people sat down in the middle of the street... to make a point... the protesters that were in the street got arrested and were hauled away in busses to jail. Those of us who were on the sidewalk were not arrested. I was faced with a choice... to stand in the street or stay on the sidewalk... LSD makes events and decisions much more significant. The police were dressed in Stormtrooper outfits and Big Black Boots... Like the Blue Meanies in Yellow Submarine... Anyway, I selected to NOT get arrested... Many sat down in the street... but not me. I stand by that decision today. Daniel Ellsberg DID get arrested.
When we were in front of the White House I was interviewed by the TV News. A couple of days later another neighbor of mine said that she saw me "Make a Jackass of Myself" on TV. I told her thank you, because if you thought I was a Jackass, I was doing the right thing...
On another day I played the drums with some Buddhist Monks. They were playing paddle drums in a very odd rhythm. I asked them why they played that odd rhythm and they said it focused the attention... They had to focus so they would be able to play it and THAT freed the mind to go into a meditative trance...
I also met Dick Gregory walking down the street in DC during those protests. I noticed that all the other people on the street were looking at this Old Black Man... Heads were turning... I Said: "I feel like something is terribly wrong in this country, but I'm not sure what." He said. "Thank You for your Opinion." In retrospect, I didn't say the most brilliant thing but... that's what I said.
We were the minority of people in the country... Most people thought that war was a good idea. Iraq had invaded Kuwait...
Years later a different War in Iraq was waged by George Bush the Son. That was a total disaster and eventually lead to Obama being Elected President... He promised to end the War. I went to MANY anti-war protests in Eureka about that War.
Read more of my AutoBiography at:
http://gvan42.blogspot.com/2018/03/growing-up-in-los-gatos-california-in.html
When we were in front of the White House I was interviewed by the TV News. A couple of days later another neighbor of mine said that she saw me "Make a Jackass of Myself" on TV. I told her thank you, because if you thought I was a Jackass, I was doing the right thing...
On another day I played the drums with some Buddhist Monks. They were playing paddle drums in a very odd rhythm. I asked them why they played that odd rhythm and they said it focused the attention... They had to focus so they would be able to play it and THAT freed the mind to go into a meditative trance...
I also met Dick Gregory walking down the street in DC during those protests. I noticed that all the other people on the street were looking at this Old Black Man... Heads were turning... I Said: "I feel like something is terribly wrong in this country, but I'm not sure what." He said. "Thank You for your Opinion." In retrospect, I didn't say the most brilliant thing but... that's what I said.
We were the minority of people in the country... Most people thought that war was a good idea. Iraq had invaded Kuwait...
Years later a different War in Iraq was waged by George Bush the Son. That was a total disaster and eventually lead to Obama being Elected President... He promised to end the War. I went to MANY anti-war protests in Eureka about that War.
Read more of my AutoBiography at:
http://gvan42.blogspot.com/2018/03/growing-up-in-los-gatos-california-in.html
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