From: "Marc J. Gilbert" <MGILBERT@nugget.ngc.peachnet.edu>
Subject: Re: Mario Savio (fwd)
I remember Mario as a waiter in Berkeley. I sure hope it wasn't the
free pizza that got him where he is--I think he was fired when he
gained public attention.
I saw Tim Leary then, too.
Hummmmm,
'cuse me, I am going to get checked out by my doctor!
Marc Gilbert
North Georgia College
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[2]
Sender: PNFPNF@aol.com
Subject: Re: re: Mario Savio
If you are forwarding any sort of well wishes to Mario or his family
(actually, I mostly knew Suzanne), please do add mine.
Paula Friedman (in Berkeley--knew Suzanne from Cornell philosophy, knew Mario
more in the '68-69 time in Berkeley)
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[3]
Sender: roscoe@halcyon.com (Stu Shiffman and Andi Shechter)
Subject: Re: Mario Savio (fwd)
I would appreciate any and all updates on Savio's conditoin. He is truly
one of my heroes - a major thrill during my days in Berkeley doing
anti-apartheid work was hearing him speak, once again, on campus at UC
Berkeley, as eloquent as he always had been. Please, anyone with
information, email or post it here.
Thanks,
Andi Shechter
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[4]
Sender: jstein@laedu.lalc.k12.ca.us (Julia Stein)
Subject: Re: Mario Savio just died
On November 5, 1996, Mario Savio who led the Free Speech Movement at UC
Berkeley in 1964 died. The Los Angeles Times said that last week he
"collapsed from heart failure and never regained consciousness, died at a
Sebastopol, Calif, hospital." Los Angeles councilwoman Jackie Goldberg who
worked with Mario in the Free Speech Movement said, "It was his passion
that made him such a powerful leader and speaker--passion for democracy and
justice, passion that everyone should have a place at the table."
The last time I saw Mario was at the 30th reunion of the Free Speech
Movement in 1994 at UC Berkeley. He spoke at the ralley which, like 30
years ago, had pulled a huge crowd in Sproul Plaza in front of Sproul Hall,
the administration building. I stood about 10 feet away from him watching
him speak, watching the big crowd hush to capture all his words. Listening
to Mario in 1994 it was almost as if I was 18 years old all over again. I
saw us gathered again (along with many young people who were students now
at Berkeley) and felt that belief again that we could change things, that
we could really make a difference. Mario had a way of inspiring that belief
in yourself and a belief in democracy. He quoted T.S. Eliot, and I realize
how much he cared about words, how much he crafted his speech, how much he
cared about poetry. He's the only speaker I ever heard who could turn a
speech into poetry. He was the best speaker I ever heard in my life.
The next day there was a panel and Mario was in the audience. After the
speakers, there were two open mikes. I got in line to speak at one of the
open mikes and Mario got in line right after me. I was moved. A lot of
times the speakers leave before the open mike starts, as if they are "too
good" to listen to the open mikes but not Mario. He patiently waited in
turn and then said his three minutes into the open mike.
That night he gave a speech at the evening program, again to a large
audinece. He used the words, "My friends" in his speech, and he sounded
like he really meant it--he 500 people in the room were his friends. I'm
sad that my friend has died.
Julia Stein
jstein@laedu.lalc.k12.ca.us
(213) 656-8704