*Weather Underground*

seemed like an appropriate movie to watch while the snowy
weather overground was so beautiful and lyrical
to contemplate from the vantage point of a safe, warm, snug apartment.
Storms and violence are never far away- the weather people who advocated violence as a response to war tried to justify their actions as the only possible way to call attention to the passivity and helplessness of the individual in face of an implacable government determined to rule the world. Mark Rudd, who led many a demonstration that I participated in around Columbia U in the late 60's, turned himself in and is now a teacher in a community college. He still feels the situation in the world
vis -a- vis the United States has not changed; he admits he
doesn't know what to do. When he was younger he clearly passionately
believed in revolution, as did all of his fellow SDS weather people.
Nearly every one of the participants in the movie seemed deeply saddened
by what they did and what they believed caused them do what they did.
Most of the members of the weather underground didn't do serious
jail time because of the illegal tactics used by the FBI to try and capture them. The ones who did go to jail for long periods were involved in violent political actions way after they left this group. One went to jail for
life. Three were famously killed by their own bomb in a townhouse
in the West Village in downtown Manhattan.

After this I read Allen Bramhall's poem *Seize Song*. I enjoyed it
it and somehow it helped me to feel a little better after thinking so much about the many chaotic contradictions and conflicts, paradoxes and confusions so pointedly evoked by this movie.

I think if I couldn't enjoy reading the way I do I would go out of my mind.

Seize Song {click here}