Kent State, May4, Will Pitt, and my cute suede jacket

Okay, okay, the last one was just my "teaser." (Though DAMN I look good in it. But, I digress.)

I went to the KSU May 4 forum, which included Will Pitt on the panel, discussing the Patriot Act, among other things.

The bad news is that May 4 remembrances now seem to attract more people who were around for the actual event, rather than current students.

The good news is that Will was able to slap down (very nicely) this little conservative twerp/snotnose who writes editorials for the Daily Kent Stater - things like "America's Dislike For Islam Is Not Unfounded."

Questions followed the panel. I was not called upon, despite waving hand madly and actually having a bloody question, rather than the speeches that others, not attired in cute suede jackets, insisted upon making.

Following that, shoved my way past people to introduce myself to Will who graciously acting like he knew who the fuck I was and met another DU-er whose name I instantly forgot and I apologize and please identify yourself when reading this.

Will was doing the march and candlelight vigil while I. . .er, well see there's this place called Ray's and I met up with another friend and. . .

Okay, so at Ray's, our young waiter turned out to be a National Guardsman who is going to Iraq in September. We thanked him for his service and I even offered my "lucky" suede jacket, but he demurred (obviously noting that not only would it not have fit, but it would have detracted from my overall "cute" theme.) He saw the bumper sticker my friend had out to show me re: outsourcing Bush and a conversation ensued.

Basically, he is eager to go and "do his part". We did not argue about this - I mean, what's the point, right? But then he said that, while he didn't like Bush, he liked Kerry even less. When asked to elaborate, he really couldn't give a REASON and then asked me to tell him why Kerry would be better. And he wanted to know if Kerry wanted to pull out of Iraq immediately. My reply was that, while Kerry did not excite me (I was, after all, wearing the Suede Jacket Of Truth) both are committed to finishing what we started in Iraq (insert teeth grinding here.) BUT - I added that we KNOW that there ain't a chance in hell that Bush will be able to repair our relations with other countries and get us help in Iraq. Guardswaiter could not disagree. BUT, I said - there is a good possibility that Kerry COULD.

He really thought about this and kept coming back and asking more stuff about Kerry - obviously, he'd been fed a line of bull and it took a suede jacket filled with a womanly woman to cue him in.

I had several more beers, which is okay since my doc says I have a very rare "hops deficiency" and I think that the upshot is that Guardwaiter was swayed.

As I left, I couldn't help thinking, and hoping, and praying that a year from now I'll see my Guardswaiter again - home and whole. That will mean more to me even than a vote for Kerry. Or a suede jacket.

eileen from OH

when you're in an intimate conversation like that

A liberal militia in suede jackets (all women, of course)? Whaddaya think?

I'm warning you in advance...

I may live in the past (as evidenced by a recent trip to the Virgin Islands) but my couture is au courant. Fringe - it is to laugh.

eileen from OH

suede jacket helped seal the ring of truth in your Kerry words!

Rock on eileen from OH!! :thumbsup:

I remember all too well the day of Kent State...I was in art college in Philly...it was a wild time....never thought I would see similar days again.... :shrug:


Peace
DR

I only have black leather and suede bowling-style shoes... think those would work too?

Nice job :)

I do wish we had a candidate where we could answer that Guardsman's question about his position on Iraq with some CLARITY and forcefulness, instead of having to back and fill about how he's going to stay the course in Iraq but somehow do a better job.

This is getting to be more and more of a problem for me. Anybody have any good ideas about the answer to this question?

Good to meet you last night, eileen. I wanted to hang out with everyone at Ray's, too, but I had a virtual stack of assignments to grade last night that were about to become a tsunami if I had put them off any longer.

Were you able to make the memorial service earlier this afternoon? Will's speech was awesome!