John Lennon's murder and the birth of an activist

[prolesunited]

Although I was always idealistic (as a very young Catholic, I idolized St. Theresa), it did not translate into action until John Lennon's shooting when I was a junior in high school. Although I was working class, the majority of the students were preppy sons and daughters of professionals, doctors and business owners — not exactly a hotbed of activisim.

So, it was very unnerving to the administration when a group of us stoners and misfits got together to organize an anti-gun rally at the school. With the guidance of a very cool sociology teacher, we secured the necessary approvals, made signs and help our rally. I still remember the thrill of believing I could make a difference and be a part of something bigger.

Somehow, life got in the way, and attending college and building a career loomed larger than that initial enthusiasm. It wasn't until the 2000 election and the buildup to the Iraq war that my early activist spark was re-ignited. Among other activities, I joined others in the streets of Chicago. I remember the first time I attended a rally and march. I was alone and quite nervous. Based on the portrayals I had seen in the media, I was expecting a bunch of strange-looking people and was ready to bolt if they got out of hand.

Of course, there were people with spiked hair and the black-clad anarchists, but I was amazed that so many people looked like me, an average, non-descript person that populates our everyday lives. The feeling you get when you are marching in the streets with so many other like-minded people is indescribable, almost transcendent. I was hooked.

I participated in as many protests before and after the war that my time and work schedule would permit. By far, the biggest thrill was when I joined others for a march in D.C. in October 2003. Walking through the nation's capitol in defiance of the powers that be made me appreciate the freedom and greatness of our country's democracy all the more — and protect it from creeping fascism with even greater intensity.

Do I think protests make a difference? Well, the idealism has faded and I no longer believe so because the political heirarchy is so well insulated from the masses. But, perhaps it is enough to know, when an accounting of this period in our nation's history is made that I can proudly say that I took a stand and tried to make a difference.

[prolesunited]

1. Wow

I haven't failed this miserably on a post in a long time. Too self-absorbed? Uninteresting? Trite? What is it?