People's Park was a seventeen day seige. When did you become a part of it? Were you a demonstrator or an innocent bystander? Were you out on the streets at all, or did you hear it from your home? If so, what did you see and hear? What did you think was going on?
I lived on the east coast, so I don't remember People's Park very well. Did you think the press coverage of the park was fair? Did it misrepresent the issues of the seige in any way? If so, how?
Since I wasn't at People's Park, I wonder if you would read the lyrics of a contemporary song, which I believe was written about the seige:
Hide, witch, hide...
the good folks come to burn thee
their keen enjoyment hid behind
a gothic mask of duty.
...You unleash the dogs of a grade 'B' movie star governor's war
while you sit in the dark, insane with the fear of dying.
We'll ball in your parks, sane with the flash of living.
I am alive... I am human... I will be alive again...
so drop your fucking bombs, burn your demon babies
I will be again...
Hey, Dick...
whatever you think of us is totally irrelevant
both to us now and to you.
We are the present, we are the future
you are the past
so pay your dues and get outta the way
'cause we're not the way you used to be
when you were very young
We're something new
we don't quite know what it is yet
or particularly care.
We just do it. Do it.
[Paul Kantner]
Do you think these lyrics capture the essential feelings during the seige of People's Park? Why or why not?
I'm certain that I've missed some important questions about People's Park. Can you suggest any that I should add? Will you answer them?