Changing times

 

I did protest the Viet Nam war in the sixties and early seventies.  It was allowed and deemed acceptable behavior.  We marched, held up signs and chanted, little else.  We were angry with Lyndon Johnson's carrying on of previous two administrations policies.  Nixon also felt the brunt of our collective anger.  It was an unwin-able war as spelled out in the Pentagon Papers.  No troops were deployed here except at Kent State University on May 4th, 1970, as the song goes.  Our voices were not silenced by the government.  Don't really know what was accomplished but, we could speak.  

Times have changed.   National Guard troops have been sent to LA  and Chicago  to scoop up immigrants; and now Portland (the current counter culture capital of America with its nose rings, man buns and numerous coffee shops and questions about the food sourcing on the plate.)  A very dangerous place where regular citizens no longer feel safe.  What bullshit!

Around here, we may finally get some rain today.  The lawns are completely browned out and flowers need to be watered 3 times a day.  I  just finished up my last homegrown tomatoes.  It was an adequate crop for an amateur grower like myself. 

I like to visit older music on occasion.  In the late forties and early fifties, an Italian trumpet player and singer, Louis Prima, emerged.  He san happy and heartfelt songs in English and Italian, in the jump blues style of music.  Being rooted in NOLA  jazz,  the music had a Louis Armstrong intonation.  The bands sax player, Sam Buttea, played in the raucous tone that was later popularized in rock and roll.  If you have Pandora, look it up, might be interesting.

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