From: Susan Noel <sunst+@pitt.edu>
Subject: Re: Weatherman
The story of Mark Rudd and Sam Brown (and so many others) is much more
complex that some simple "degeneration" into "Fonda-ism." It is this kind
of dismissal that allows for "Sixties backlash" to flourish. If we
continue to participate in the general hegemonic discourse that wants to
categorize things, people, ideas, movements, into dichotomies of "good"
and "bad," "us" and "them," "sell-outs," and "the real thing," there's
never going to be any real revelatory or material engagement with
knowledge of the past or the present.
For starters on more of the story with these 2 figures anyway...read
_Growing Up Underground_, by Jane Alpert. And before we accuse someone of
"selling out," (EVEN, I'm loathe to say, Jane Fonda), we should make the
effort to question such terminology in historical, cultural, and
ideological context. I mean, in a very real sense, we're ALL sell-outs.
You can't live in this country and not be. But, more importantly, perhaps
this kind of moral and deeply-mystified category needs to be made
available for different kinds of investigation, questioning, and
historicizing. Unless, that is, we wish to just continue participating in
what gets called the "failure of the Sixties."
Just my humble opinion of course.
best,
Susan Noel
University of Pittsburgh
____________________
[2]
From: gillies@direct.ca (Kevin Gillies)
Subject: Re: Weatherman
Starluv31 wrote:
>I'm not being facetious here, but I think MArk Rudd and Sam Brown (of the
>Antiwar movement fame) have become Jane Fonda-ish people. Last I heard about
>Mark, he sold out, dropped in and changed his name. Good luck!
I don't know about Brown but Rudd didn't change his name, and like many of
the Weather people who surfaced since the 80s, appear to be pursuing their
ideals but from within the system. Rudd teaches at a south western college
and still seems to be analyzing the Weather Bureaus actions and ideals.
Kev.
____________________
[3]
From: RozNews@aol.com
Subject: Re: sixties-l-digest V1 #102
mark rudd did not drop out and become "jane fondish" He teaches at a
community college in the southwest and is very active. roz
_____________________
[4]
From: Sorrento95@aol.com
Subject: Re: Weatherman
In a message dated 98-09-27 14:56:59 EDT, you write:
>I'm not being facetious here, but I think MArk Rudd and Sam Brown
>(of the Antiwar movement fame) have become Jane Fonda-ish people.
> Last I heard about Mark, he sold out, dropped in and changed his name.
> Good luck!
>
I don't think you need to be so harshly judgmental with these
folks. A lot of us 60s activists gave a lot of time & energy
to our vision of a better America. Some of us were battered
by harsh reprisals from repression along the way.
In the end, we didn't realize our larger goals for social and
economic justice. The System won.
We ended up having to make our compromises in order to
make a living. Know of any Affirmative Action programs
for OSRs (Old Sixties Radicals)? Any veterans' benefits?
I somehow doubt if Mark Rudd is anywhere near as wealthy
as Jane Fonda.
You do what Mark Rudd did. Then you judge him.
-- Michael Wright