I too was at the Cheney gathering. I realize now that I was probably somewhat obnoxious as I kept repeating to my fellow traipsers, “If this were in Chicago, there’d be HUNDREDS of people here!” Which I think is true, but Chicago has a long, occasionally proud history of public protest… I confess that I’ve attended many, many a rally (having gone to college in the Reagan years, also the pre-post-Apartheid years, and the “oh, no—Latin America’s going commie” years (wait—we’re in those years again, aren’t we? Senores Chavez y Morales—viva la revolucion!)... One of my major concerns, though, was that I often seemed to be having more fun than seemed appropriate to our various somber missions. That put me off political stuff for awhile, that sneaking suspicion that perhaps mine and others’ motivations weren’t pure. Now that I no longer believe in “purity,” that’s not such an issue. But oh, the fun we had weaving through tightly-packed bodies at a D.C. pro-choice march, heads pleasantly clouded with happy smoke, occasionally miraculously happening on some other friend from Philadelphia or Penn State, and—oh, joy!—stumbling upon one of the primary hipster/post-punk/cool-people-in-black/anarchist Philly/PSU women joined in a circle, singing unselfconsciously along as a guitarist strummed the chords to “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Oh, happy, happy day!

First off, I was delighted and astounded when you told me you were going to go protest. I’ve never done that before, and quite frankly am a bit terrified by the idea. In fact, the closest I’ve ever gotten to anything of the sort was knocking a Jack Daniel’s bottle out of Mr. Mooch’s hand once when he was trying to chuck it at folks in a pro-life rally. So whether it was a grand experience or not—it’s wonderful that you did it.

As to the book—I’m intrigued. I may have to pick this up, although it seems a bit out of my league.

Book sounds quite intriguing.