When Abbie Hoffman faced off the Klan in McComb, Mississippi in 1964.

[byronius]

He was a short-haired, straight-laced college student in a suit and tie when he joined friends during the summer of 1964 to register black voters in the worst part of the Deep South. He was beaten, chased, jailed, and nearly lynched on several occasions. William Kunstler met him during this period, and wrote this about him in his autobiography -- "As a liberal northern Jewboy in the argot of the southern rednecks, Abbie got beaten up a lot."

The experience radicalized him. By 1966 he had grown his hair out and joined the Diggers, and in 1967 planned and executed one of his most famous stunts, the 'bombing' of the New York Stock Exchange with dollar bills that stopped trading in its tracks and forced the NYSE to install expensive glass partitions to prevent further disasters of that kind.

I post this because I have always considered Abbie to be one of the bravest of Americans, fearless and pioneering, ruthlessly peaceful, politically creative beyond his peers and an expert in the art of guerilla theater. He thrust himself into the most dangerous situations seemingly without regard for his safety; his nose was broken eight times, his spine twice. Nixon can be heard on the infamous tapes calling him 'that damned dirty radical Jew', a badge of honor that should cement Abbie's posterity as a True American forever.

It's my personal opinion that he was murdered by former elements of Nixon's CIA shortly after H.W. Bush took office. He was found in his bed under the covers with his shoes on. The window was open. His brother had just spoken to him and said he was ebullient and positive. I had seen him speak a few months before, and he fairly brimmed with plans for the future.

Fearless. American. Willing to step up into the flame-wall that was and is American race-hatred, and he did it with intelligence, humor, and a dedication to non-violence that still astounds me considering the personal damage he suffered. I saw him debate Allen Ginsberg at the '81 Kerouac Conference, and he spoke brilliantly and honestly about his experiences, urging everyone there to rise to action. To the last moment of his life he was an inspirational activist, willing to put his life on the line for progress.

I miss him terribly during these Orange Hell days. May his spirit guide us.



"You are talking to a leftist. I believe in the redistribution of wealth and power in the world. I believe in universal hospital care for everyone. I believe that we should not have a single homeless person in the richest country in the world. And I believe that we should not have a CIA that goes around overwhelming governments and assassinating political leaders, working for tight oligarchies around the world to protect the tight oligarchy here at home." -- Abbie Hoffman, 1987

[GReedDiamond]

1. Kick and Rec for Abbie...

...I was a Yippie in the early 70s and well into the 80s, when I was a Pasadena/Los Angeles area distributor of their paper, Overthrow.

I met The Pieman (Aron Kay) in D.C. at the 1978 Smoke-in, and was his representative at Jack Herer's memorial service several years ago. The Pieman is quite a character, to say the least!

I agree with everything you wrote about Abbie, and I too am very suspicious of the actual cause of his death.

[Stonepounder]

2. K & R

If it weren't too long, I would take the Abbie quote you used as my sig. I was a leftist then and I am a leftist now.

[a kennedy]

3. OMGOSH......THIS, right here is the Democrats talking points!!!!!!

Seriously.....this is it...... use the exact words with honor to him. This is our talking points.

[bobbieinok]

4. Former Congregational minister here

(now dead) was in McComb in 64. I learned this only shortly before he died. He said the students working there that summer to register blacks called the place McBomb MS. Apparently whites blew up homes, churches, anyplace associated with their work.

[SHRED]

5. One of my heroes

[BigmanPigman]

6. I wrote a paper about him in high school

and even had a small crush on him. Years later when I learned he died I never imagined that it was under suspicious circumstances. I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be true though.

[MrPurple]

7. I'm with you up until the assassination conspiracy

I've always liked Abbie Hoffman. I attended his alma-mater (Brandeis). But, he was a marginal enough figure by the late 80s that I think it's far fetched to think that the government would have bothered to assassinate him. He had an autopsy that confirmed that he overdosed on barbiturates. I guess a government conspiracy could fake an autopsy, but if Bush, Sr. was going to take out people, I think he'd have bigger fish to fry.

[byronius]

9. Possible. However --

Bush was Nixon's CIA head, and Cointelpro/Operation CHAOS was part of his job.

"A later investigation by the Senate's Church Committee (see below) stated that "COINTELPRO began in 1956, in part because of frustration with Supreme Court rulings limiting the Government's power to proceed overtly against dissident groups." CHAOS was the CIA's version. They would have been utterly hostile towards Abbie, especially after H.W. took office, since Abbie often spoke publicly about the CIA's foreign assassination/destabilization plots. Perhaps Bush Sr. had no direct role, but certainly frustrations ran deep about Abbie.

Also, from the wikipage --

As reported by The New York Times, "Among the more vocal doubters at the service today was Mr. Dellinger, who said, 'I don't believe for one moment the suicide thing.' He said he had been in fairly frequent touch with Mr. Hoffman, who had 'numerous plans for the future.'"

The autopsy discovered 150 amphetamine tablets in his stomach, and suggested 'there is no way to take that amount of phenobarbital without intent.' However, there was no prescription for that amount in his name, it is difficult to imagine swallowing that many pills, and there was no attempt to search for possible esophageal irritation from the insertion of a gavage, a technique well-known to the older CIA crew.

To me, he was never marginal. And the joy the right wing took in his death was scarring for me. They publicly reveled.

[grantcart]

21. Loved your homage to Hoffman, a lot that I didn't know

Your comments about a government murder are a conspiracy in search of facts.

Bush was not Nixon's head of CIA. Bush served as head of CIA slightly less than a year 76-77 (Nixon left 1974). Bush had little operational involvement in the CIA and was mostly involved as a titular head involved in politics and budget in the 12 months he was CIA head.

The reason that Bush was made head of the CIA was a clever move by Cheney who was Sec of Defense and wanted to run for president and wanted to move Bush out of competition for the nomination and reasoned that someone that was head of the CIA would have difficulty running for the nomination.

Schlesinger, Walters, Colby were head of the CIA under Nixon.

[byronius]

23. Awesome correction.

I'll admit most of my conjecture along these lines is less than rational. It just didn't seem possible at the time. Still doesn't ring true. Still seems suspect.

[MrPurple]

38. Yeah, interesting history grant and nice response byron

Last edited Tue Aug 22, 2017, 09:53 PM - Edit history (1)

I think Abbie Hoffman did have a Prozac prescription at the time of his death, so he might have put on a happy face to people at the time while having some struggles. I agree that he had a wonderful, creative approach and seemed like an all around very cool guy.

I enjoyed "Steal this Movie" with Vincent D'nofrio. Not an Oscar caliber film, but I thought it was better than its reviews.

[dchill]

31. 'there is no way to take that amount of phenobarbital without intent.'

Exactly. "Whose intent?" would be the next logical question. Talk about overkill.

[TomVilmer]

24. Yep!

[H2O Man]

29. At the time,

Abbie was very interested in some of the Iran-Contra scandals. He had made a phone call to an editor a short time before his death, saying he had uncovered proof of Bush the Elder's connections. He was, according to that editor, sure that this evidence would lead to Bush's downfall. That editor believed Abbie was murdered. I do, too.

[Hoyt]

8. Dear Abbie, I'd write you this letter. But your address is unknown

Dear Abbie, I'd write you this letter
But your address is unknown
I'd tell you the world ain't no better
Since you left us all alone

First verse from a song by Roger McGuinn called "Partners in Crime."

[byronius]

45. I just listened to that. What a great song.

[apkhgp]

10. Taking a stand

With 45 taking a stand could mean something as simple as a can of paint and a brush. The stuff he talks about is so out in the open crazy. It is not like you have to read between any lines. Abbie Hoffman would have him for lunch.

[H2O Man]

11. Recommended.

Abbie was a real patriot, with a wonderful sense of humor. He was friend's with Tommy "the Rabbi" Trantino when Tommy was in Rahway with Rubin. I met Abbie a couple times, and have always respected him.

Thanks for this OP.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

14. Oh man...I was so sheltered then, I didn't know...but I grew up near Rahway, NJ.

Saddens me that I had no clue back at that time. A little too young and too much other stuff taking all my attention.

[extvbroadcaster]

12. I saw him in 1988 and regret not talking to him

It was the last night of the Democratic convention in Atlanta in 1988. We were walking out of the building and my friend said - there's Abbie Hoffman! He was on a pay phone making a call. My friend yelled - "hey Abbie!" and he turned and waved. Since he was on the phone I did not approach him, but to this day I wish I had gone over and talked to him (after waiting for him to finish his call). I still can picture him waving at us with one hand, and the pay phone in the other.

[calimary]

19. Welcome to DU, extvbroadcaster!

Also makes you wonder who was on the other end of the conversation.

I bet everybody in the business has had some moment like that. I was in the business too, so I count myself in that statement!

[Lucca2]

13. I admired Abbie Hofman

so much. What a symbol and lightening rod he was for us. Thanks for the post about him in the early days.

[calimary]

20. Welcome to DU, Lucca2!

This is a great OP indeed. I loved reading that! It was like getting to know him a little bit better.

[raven mad]

15. K&R from another aging hippie.

When he said "Steal This Book", I did (still have it).

[hobnailed]

36. steal this book stolen

was that you who stole my copy?


i am still pissed. 45 years later!!!

[uppityperson]

43. That's a long time to hold a grudge about a minor issue.welcome to du

[raven mad]

44. LOL! Nah, I took it from the UAF Student Union Building -

and where that friend had found it, I have no clue!

[orangecrush]

16. Reporter - "What's your price?"

Abbie - "My life."

[Bradshaw3]

17. I got to see him speak once

and always remembered it. I admired him too for many reasons, but one thing I will never forget is when he was asked a pointed question about Rubin, who had gone on to become a business type. Hoffman refused to criticize him, saying he had done his time for the movement and was now on a different path. I thought that was magnanimous of him and said a lot about his character. As, of course, did his lifelong work for peace and justice.

[iluvtennis]

18. Thanks for this post...my learning for today

[G_j]

22. yes, thank you!

That was beautiful.

[CanSocDem]

25. Great thread.

One of my first counter-culture hero's.

It always bothered me that Abbie was marginalized after the Chicago 8 trial by, of all constituencies the Woodstock generation. It was very uncomfortable watching him being hustled off the stage by some of my musical hero's.

However, the makers of Forrest Gump appeared to pay homage in their movie.


.

[Zoonart]

26. I worked with Abbie...

When he came to Pennsylvania to join the group DEL-AWARE to help stop the local nuclear power plant from building a pumping station on the Delaware River.
We lost that fight. He was a truly special human being who was...in the end ground down, by the system he fought so fiercely.

I ran into him at the New Hope Post Office three days before he died in 1989. He seemed tired. I was not a close personal friend, so I don't know what else was going on in his life, but what I do know, is that you couldn't have a greater ally in a fight.

We could use him now. Thanks for this post.

[oppressedproletarian]

27. Thank you for this tribute. n/t

[jodymarie aimee]

28. My hero now and forever

If I were to die and could come back as anybody it would be Abbie.

[disillusioned73]

30. k&r..

""You are talking to a leftist. I believe in the redistribution of wealth and power in the world. I believe in universal hospital care for everyone. I believe that we should not have a single homeless person in the richest country in the world. And I believe that we should not have a CIA that goes around overwhelming governments and assassinating political leaders, working for tight oligarchies around the world to protect the tight oligarchy here at home." -- Abbie Hoffman, 1987 "

Very well said..

[Roy Rolling]

32. "Steal This Book"

His book was a must-have for every hippie radical. And "radical" back then used to be someone whose hair was longer than their shirt collar.

[byronius]

34. You win best avatar.

[Roy Rolling]

37. Great OP!

Not too shabby avatar, yerself. 🤔

[Bradshaw3]

42. Props to you both on your avatars n/t

[bucolic_frolic]

33. Abbie Hoffman went down in the same neighborhood as journalist

Jessica Savitch, probably less than a mile from each other.

Why do people probing power suddenly die in that neighborhood?

[malaise]

35. Great post

Rec

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

39. I lived in McComb in 1961

Vague memories since I was only about 3 years old then.

It was later that I learned about the civil rights struggle going on there.

[Hulk]

41. THIS is who we should have statues of across the country.

I'd be up for donating money for that cause.

At the very least, he should have a monument in his hometown as a "favorite son".