I met Gore Vidal and Scott Ritter tonight: True US PATRIOTS!

[BeHereNow]

I went to hear Gore Vidal and Scott Ritter tonight in Los Angeles.
It was simply an amazing evening. The event was hosted by
a local indy media organization and recorded by a Progressive Talk
radio program. The Harris Report, I believe.
The recording will be broadcast next week sometime,
according to the fellow from the radio station who acted as the moderator.
Both Ritter and Vidal were riveting, needless to say.
I bought Ritter's book for my Dad's birthday present and
he signed it for my father. He was so articulate and stressed
the points that matter and deflected, with grace, the gibberish
from the question and answer period.
Vidal was brilliant, in his unique style, in his scathing
social commentary and critique about our
current geo-political standing as a country.
I met him afterwards and we talked about Andy Stephenson.
He too, knew, and was fond of Andy- he referred to him
in one of his responses actually.

I have been toting a copy of one of his plays (we did it in my high school in 1974)
around since I was fourteen years old and the highlight of my
evening was having him autograph the cover of my original script.
He also agreed to having some pictures taken
with me which was REALLY wonderful because
I plan to send them to my high school English teacher
who introduced his work to me when I was fourteen.
She was also the one who introduced me to
Orwell, Huxley, and numerous classic philosophers.

Gertrude Slack- this one's for you.
BHN

[Cleita]

1. That must have been awesome. I love Gore Vidal and

especially now that he is making a real stand against these fascists.

[BeHereNow]

5. For me, meeting Vidal was the equlivalent of

an Elvis fan meeting Elvis.
I have followed his work for 32 years.
NEVER in my life did I think I would get the opportunity
to hear him in person, much less meet him and
have him sign my script form 1974!
He is a national treasure.
A brilliant man and sadly, the last of
generation.
I think oftenof the fact that people of his ilk
and understanding of history belong to such
a small minority of our population.
Helen Thomas, Gore Vidal, Kurt Vonnegut just
to name a few. They are all elderly now and
soon their voices will be gone.
What will become of us when such voices no
longer tell the truth?
There are, so far, no people to replace them.
BHN

[ReadTomPaine]

9. How is Gore Vidal holding up?

He's been looking a little rough lately.. love the guy!

from 04 :



Sheesh, he's morphing into Ariel Sharon!!

[BeHereNow]

11. I will never forget his EYES. What light pours through them!

His eyes struck me more than anything.
SO alive, so very alive.
His body may be fading, but trust me, the mind
and spirit are VERY present.
BHN

[Generic Other]

2. Very very cool

I can see why your were awestruck.

Both men so villified at the time, have in hindsight turned out to be so right.

[BeHereNow]

19. "have in hindsight turned out to be so right..."

A fact the moderator introduced them both with.
What's up with the Freeper thread about the
"swift-boating" of Ritter right after I posted this one?
BHN

[Judi Lynn]

39. People who would be interested in those people would simply

go there, anyway. People come here for communication with other Democrats, about things interesting to Democrats, or so you'd think.

Regarding your event with two powerful, courageous people in the same place at the same time. It must have been unbearably wonderful.

Each man has had the courage to stand on his own and confront the idiots alone. I have nothing but respect for them both.

[leveymg]

3. You had an excellent teacher in Ms. Slack. Congratulations.

She would be proud of you.

[BeHereNow]

6. Don't I know it! She was one of THOSE teachers.

The teacher who opens your mind and changes your
life forever.
I saw her a few years ago- she was on a RANT
about Bush. We laughed about the old days-
and I teased her about being such a radical
in the middle a small town in Indiana-
She had us doing absolutley ourtageous work at
the time- it was after Vietnam and she was light years
ahead of her time. We did staged readings of
Animal Farm, Aldous Huxley and numerous
classic philosophers. We also studied
classic philosophy and radical political views;
The fact that we were teen agers never entered her plan-
she never let on that we were doing advanced college
level work- she just presented the information
as though it were part of what was expected of us as high school
students.
All this in an extremely conservative town.
No one knew what she was up to- if they had
they would have fired her...
God I love that woman.
BHN

[leveymg]

15. Howard Zinn was mine. They would have fired him, too.

I had him every semester for two or three years at BU. One of those once in a lifetime things.

[BeHereNow]

16. That is why I work in education-

I want to BE one of THOSE people.
I know the impact "they" had on my life and I figure
it is my duty to "Pass it on."
ZINN?
How fortunate are you????
BHN

[Swamp Rat]

4. I'm feelin' jealous

:D

[opihimoimoi]

8. Me too...sniff....but once upon a time...I did meet John F Kennedy

when he came to Hawaii as a Senator...

But Gore Vidal...that is awesome...

[BeHereNow]

10. Ah, don't be jealous you guys...

be happy that they are still here among us
and they are now touching you through me.
Isn't that what DU is all about?
I met Vidal for ALL of us.
He met all of you through me!
BHN

[Pachamama]

34. Me too....wouldn't that have been a great thing to have attended tonite?

Hi Swamp'r! :hi:

My exciting Sat nite consisted of doing my Mommy duties, falling asleep next to the Pachababy and then waking up to watch the end of SNL and catching up on DU...not that those things are not impt. and good, but I'll confess, going to that event w/Gore Vidal and Scott Ritter would have been interesting...topped off by lively conversation and drinks w/ my fav rat! :beer:

[Swamp Rat]

47. Well, I went out for lively conversation and drinks with my band members

last night. Two members are leaving the group because they are moving abroad. We got to see some great photos of us playing in the French Quarter during Mardi Gras, and in parades, but it's too bad nobody recorded my 2-second-appearance on the Anderson Cooper show. :D

[wtmusic]

7. Dang...how did I miss that one?

Where in LA?

[BeHereNow]

12. So sorry, I posted it here earlier today

I just found out about it last night.
I got an email from my friend Frank Dorrel (Addicted to War)
He forwarded it to me from a fellow named
Jeff Norman who is part of the the LAindymedia, I believe.
Not sure exactly.
None the less, the event was held at a HUGE church on
Wilshire. They have a media publication here in LA
called "City Beat."
3300 Wilshire Blvd., near the Silver Lake area.
BHN

[gunsaximbo]

13. Before the war the ONLY person I percieved as credible was

Scott Ritter. He was the only person with the exception of a few others that I really paid close attention to. He knew what was going on. In the face of the beating of the war drums Scott Ritter was the only person saying THERE ARE NO WMD. I've was just there and there are no WMD.

He made his case well and as soon as Bush co. started to try to discredit Scott and try to swift boat him I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

God Bless SCOTT RITTER - HE IS TRULY A Brave Marine and a GREAT American.

Joe Serra aka. Gunsaximbo
<http://www.serra06.com>

[BeHereNow]

14. Ritter was incredibly articulate- clear as a bell and ON point.

Never once did he meander into anything that
could border into "conspiracy theory.
He stuck like glue to what MATTERS.
The FACTS, if you will. the facts as he knows them.
The question and answer period was somewhat depressing
that way, it became depressingly clear as to WHY the so
called left is completely ineffectual.
However, Ritter did not falter- he stuck to the facts.
He opened his talk by saying that if any of us
believed in a "Democratic" or "Republican" party,
that was, in itself, part of the problem.
He said until we understand the problem,
their can be no solution.
I agree completely.
In short, there ARE no "democrats" riding in
to rescue us- they are ALL owned by the very same
interests who control the more visible "republican party."
Barbara Boxer voting for the renewal of the Patriot Act
is proof of the pudding, in case any one is not paying attention.
BHN

[gunsaximbo]

17. HERE HERE!

Total agreement. I'm running for office - I'm new to politics and frankly, I'm Nieve. I would never have voted for the patriot act. I was screaming at the television in 2001 or 2002 when it was passed the first time. I guess I just don't understand why everyone in politics speaks out of both sides of their mouth.

Can you tell me?

Joe Serra aka Gunsaximbo

[BeHereNow]

18. The ONLY thing that I can figure is this:

The infiltration of the multi national corpoRATs influence in diverting
our tax dollars to THEIR interests (while they continue offshore accounting
while not paying taxes back into our economy)
has progressed to the level that they can
effectually threaten Boxer and her colleagues with the loss of her /their
representative seats if she/they were to vote against it.
Yes, I firmly believe it has gone that far.
BHN

[upi402]

20. Yep, Ritter and Noam Chomsky

:kick:
recommend

[BeHereNow]

21. Disagree- I would not put Ritter and Chomsky in the same class.

Nor would any one who is paying attention.
Chomsky is part of the "controlled dissent" team.
Ritter is simply telling the truth.
BHN

[upi402]

22. i must not have been paying attention for

a few decades I guess

Ritter is a newby, Chomsky is a seasoned vet

[BeHereNow]

23. Perhaps you should investigate further?

AS in WHO funds Chomsky?
And no, I will not do your research for you.
BHN

[upi402]

24. huh?

who asked you to? i sure wouldn't.

[Disturbed]

27. Isn't Gore Vidal a Libertarian?

I have read a few of his books. He is a fantastic writer.

[BeHereNow]

30. Vidal is a PATRIOT-

And yes, he IS an amazing writer-
too bad he uses words bushbots need
dictionaries to comprehend.
He is even more astounding in person, as I can
now attest too.
BHN

[BeHereNow]

29. And I am sure that you wont do the research yourself-

BTW- Just curious and all-
About the Freeper thread you posted tonight, smearing
Ritter and all, when was that thread posted on the
Free Republic?
Do you have a date by any chance?
As I recall, that thread was from a few years ago-
correct me if I am wrong.
Is it a recent freeper tirade against Ritter?
Again, just curious to know the date of the thread
you posted.
BHN

[Robeson]

25. I'm totally fucking jealous. Vidal is a national treasure....

...please, and I'm not bullshitting, PM me with the broadcast when you find out it's available. Thank you in advance...:thumbsup:

[BeHereNow]

26. You got it.

I will bookmark this thread and reply to you in PM.
The moderator said the event would be broadcast next week-
I will contact Frank Dorrel (my contact to the event) and find out when
exactly.
BHN

[Robeson]

31. Thanks so much!....

...:thumbsup:

[Hissyspit]

28. Yes, they are!

:patriot: <-- Vidal
:patriot: <-- Ritter
:applause: <-- BeHereNow

[BeHereNow]

32. Oh, you captured me PERFECTLY!

That's exactly what I was doing tonight!
Standing and cheering for the TRUTH!
So HARD to find these days...
Even here, on DU.
BHN

[lala_rawraw]

33. they are both surely interesting

I think Ritter is the patriot and Vidal, well, he is who he is. You know, it is a good thing that my favorite writers are long since dead, because once you meet your icons/heroes and spend time with them, it ruins it for you. Vidal, while brilliant, is not someone who I would ever hang out with again. I told him once "You know, it is good that Nabokov is dead" and he asked "why" and I answered "so I can still respect him". What led to that I will not get into, but he is who he is. Perhaps Henry Miller could be seen as a sweet little boy next to him. Be that as it may, he is a brilliant historian and he has long said "the republic" has fallen.

Ritter is very brave I think given Dr. Kelly's final departure situation.

[Hissyspit]

37. Jose Ferrer as Toulouse-Lautrec in John Huston's "Moulin Rouge" (1952):

"You should never meet the artist."
"One is never as good as what one does."

Or something to that effect...

[lala_rawraw]

40. Yep... although

Some folks are better in person than they are in their public persona. Like Conyers for example. But in general, our heroes are human and to be heroes one has to be super human.

[EFerrari]

35. Hey -- that must have been WONDERFUL.

I'm simultaneously happy for you and jealous as hell, lol. :P

[bobbieinok]

36. are Gore Vidal and Al Gore related?? I've read they are

[Reverend_Smitty]

43. yes they are cousins

[Romis]

38. Here are the true Patriots

http://informationclearinghouse.info/article12168.htm
;-)

[im10ashus]

41. How wonderful, BHN!

What a thrill that would be for me too.


:kick:

[Citrene]

42. So glad BHN that you finally got to meet Scott and to have the

opportunity to spend a minute in time with Gore Vidal.

Our best moment this last year was to meet Daniel Ellsberg in Crawford.

We met Scott in the summer of 2004 when the Dallas Peace Center brought him to Dallas.

[coffeenap]

44. You know how much it would mean to Andy to have his friend,

Gore Vidal, mention him and honor him. One of our last conversations was about what Mr. Vidal was thinking regarding Ohio. Thanks for the report.:hi:

[Gregorian]

45. You're so lucky!

Ritter has totally blown me away. And I have my own prejudice against those who put on uniforms. But it's his absolute upholding of the truth, and his honesty, and logic, that keep me in awe when I here him speak. Both of them are like rays of light.

Your story brings me warmth. Thanks.

PS- I just heard Paul Robeson sing Old Man River. I guess that will be the backdrop for this cloudy and wonderful Sunday morning.

[ooglymoogly]

46. gore vidal is the true warp of america

(and sometimes some pretty spectacular woof) the seed without the chaff, truth teller extraordinaries. you should be made the adviser laureate for whats left of these no longer united states. goodonya gore, remember glorious rome back in the day....memories to die for

[WinkyDink]

48. SO FRICKIN' COOL!

Awesome! LOVE Gore Vidal!

[Terran1212]

49. Thats great; I've only met Republican thugs here in georgia

Homeland security, congressmen -- just Establishment folk.

[Schema Thing]

50. I met Scott Ritter too. He is a patriot, and brave as well.

Hell, considering his politics and career in the recent past, it takes a certain amount of bravery to face the hippy (I say that lovingly) audiences he puts himself in front of.

[goforit]

51. I am truely jealous....Hats off to your good fortune.

[radio4progressives]

52. BeHereNow, Scott Harris of "Between the Lines" Radio (Reference Links)

I'm on the email list, here's the most recent mailer:


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• The United Arab Emirates, entangled in a heated debate over their
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