Al Alessi
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4 Dates of Great Import: in my life, born in 1950. All was well like a Leave it to Beaver episode (and white) until these 4 episodes: 1) 11/22/63 JFK assassination, world exploded around me, mother crying, impossible to believe; 2) 4/4/68 MLK assassination, Senior year HS, a shock followed by
10:45 AM - Feb 19, 2023
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Al Alessi
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In response to Al Alessi.
3) 6/6/68 RFK assassination - still in school! It all seemed so tenuous, so fragile but went off to UMass, played lacrosse, good grades, etc until 4) 5/4/70 when a National Guard group shot to death students protesting the war in Vietnam.
10:48 AM - Feb 19, 2023
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Al Alessi
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In response to Al Alessi.
So from 11/22/63 to 5/4/70 -- not even 7 years -- with 4 massively upsetting events. I was radicalized quite a bit, we shut down UM, took over buildings, and upped our resistance to that war. Not re-arguing those events, not excluding others, but for a 13 to 20 year old it was traumatic.
10:52 AM - Feb 19, 2023
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Al Alessi
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In response to Al Alessi.
I think about those (and many other events), and how they effected choices I and many made on culture, lifestyle, work, politics, our government, and our system. To me it has felt like the original crack in the polished marble, but, again, whites saw it as marble to begin with.
10:55 AM - Feb 19, 2023
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Al Alessi
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In response to Al Alessi.
My thoughts have changed as I entered my 70s. I don't see it quite the same way. Nothing remains in black and white, as it did in May 1970. I appreciate the tenets of democracy more than I did, and despise autocracy. Errors made all over the place, bad acts, I get that, but...
10:59 AM - Feb 19, 2023
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Al Alessi
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...we had the opportunity to find our way out. Still imperfect, of course. The fifth date must be 11/18/16, where people seemed to vote for autocracy laced with kleptocracy. Grift, graft, crime, mafia-style actions. Further left and right both embraced conspiracy and then Trump. We must do better.
In response to Al Alessi.
11:05 AM - Feb 19, 2023
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