Reply to this post and tell me about yourself, or start a “topic” just like this one!
That I was born with a sixth toe.
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You are hereby granted exalted status and respect in our community: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/chaco-canyon-pueblo-bonito-social-implications-polydactyly-extra-toes
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I have a smaller third nipple.
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While this may not have granted you supreme status in ancient cultures, we welcome you to the ranks with @KITTYBOOMBOOM.
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I am a 75-year-old leading edge baby boomer who had Abbie Hoffman as his mentor during the counterculture. I was also a conscientious objector during the Vietnam war one of the very few from Minnesota granted that status. it took the selective service System nearly a year to make his decision and while I was waiting I got my masters degrees in art and psychology. Boomers are often criticized by CENK for having a “Boomer mentality“. Yet I have never heard him explain why he has such a negative view of boomers. Certainly CENK would remember someone who donated the equivalent of $1000 a month for 16 consecutive months during 2020. That’s what kind of Boomer I am. Still, I love CENK, ANA, BRET, JAYAR, JOHN and everyone I have had interactions with on TYT. That’s what I believe is the coolest thing about me right now because TYT has kept me sane through 10 months of living alone during the pandemic.
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Holy cow! What a fascinating life. I was just getting ready to watch Chicago 7 on Netflix. Thanks for the reminder. Did you personally know Hoffman, or are you saying that you were inspired by him?
Do you think that you (and obviously so many like you) are the exception to the Boomer rule that you hear Cenk complain about, or do you think Cenk has it all wrong? I’m genuinely curious.
BTW - thanks a ton for all of your support and for sticking around even when you disagree. It’s part of what I love about our community.
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Hello, Allison, thanks for your input. I’m wondering if there is a limit to the size of a reply. I ask because there is no brief way that I can answer your questions beyond whether or not I actually knew ABBIE Hoffman. The answer to that question is MOST DEFINITLY! We were close members of the youth international party and I did things with him like helping to organize and set up the Vietnam war moratorium at the Washington monument in 1969. I believe I met ABBIE Hoffman at the first Earthday in New York in 1969. If I remember correctly I was talking to Pete Seeger when Hoffman came up and joined the conversation. We bonded like yin and Yang. We injected amphetamines and took LSD together. And other nasty things as all good anarchist did then in addition to clever theatrics design to condemn the Vietnam war And facilitate the “rage against the machine” zeitgeist.
I can tell you that the movie the Chicago seven from my experience during that time with Hoffman in the zeitgeist of the counterculture movement is a huge disappointment to me because Sasha Cohen Is terrible in the role of Hoffman. It’s like he’s doing a character of Hoffman and did not at all capture his real spirit and personality. Actually, the entire production was very much with the feeling created by Aaron Sorkin who produced and directed The West Wing. However, it is obvious that Netflix does not care because they saw producing this movie as a 100% chance of bringing in huge profits. The Chicago 7 could’ve been made like the series Good Girls Revolt. Most unfortunately, it wasn’t.
But the answer to your question about “boomers“ is complicated and is something that should have been researched extensively by CENK before he decided to make judgments about boomer mentality. I think you and everyone at TYT would be very interested (And likely surprised) at the layered and nuanced answer to this question. But just like CENK has to go on long discourses to accurately get his point across, with this question I have to do the same. It is important. Let me know if long replies are accepted.
Kindly,
Ashley Wilkes
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Allison! Wow! I just saw your profile and what jumped out at me is that you are living in Honolulu. I was a news cameraman at KGMB-TV from 1972 until 1980. At times I was the floor person during news broadcasts. At times I operated broadcast cameras and at times I was on assignment with reporters and at times I would go in the station helicopter to various islands with reporters to cover stories. It was one of the most exciting and rewarding (albeit high pressure) “jobs“ I’ve ever had in my life. You are probably too young to remember the names of the anchors during the 70s. But I’ll throw out a few names just in case. Bob Sevey, Joe Moore, Bob Jones, Linda Coble, Caroline Tanaka and many others. Cecil HEFTEL owned the station at the time but in 1976 we sold the station so he could run for Congress. I lived in Manoa Valley with my wife and young son. Oh how things have changed since then. Just wanted you to know.
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You can absolutely reply with a long message, but after reading these responses I already have SO many more questions for you. I am thoroughly intrigued. I’m going to DM you here in these discussion boards actually. Let’s see how this works…
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I would be way more than willing to do a video chat with you anytime, Allison. I only see a couple challenges. One would be the near-impossible limiting of our interaction to anything less than four hours a day for a week. 
I’m only half kidding here. But on the other hand, I’m sure you get my point. I know that the conversation would tend to default to a Niagara Falls-like stream of consciousness, however, for me to keep the interaction within an hour or so time frame I would need some kind of idea of what you would like to know.
Another challenge would be trying to keep from giving too much away that will most definitely be in my autobiography - working title: ** Behold But Dare Not Hold The Flowers **. At the moment that’s at the top of my list of about 50 different titles. However, it’s status is shaky.
I have never used Zoom before for video chats. I’ve always used FaceTime or Google duo. Zoom and Skype are frequently too glitchy. Their advantage is that they can be recorded but I’m pretty sure FaceTime and Google Duo cannot. I would have to investigate that and if I’m wrong then I would prefer one of those two formats. Never any choppiness or glitches with either one.
Although I received your message via email in it’s entirety I was not able to figure out how to expand your message here. There’s still so much I have to learn with respect to the nuts and bolts of this protocol. Thursday or Friday would be pretty much open for me for a video chat anytime after 1 PM.
Ironically, TYT already has a long video of me talking about aspects of my life. It was requested of me after I made a $15,000 matching donation that pushed TYT’s “GO” funding initiative over its goal at the 11th hour in September of 2020. I was happy to oblige with a video request but it’s probably now lost. I was supposed to have had studio B put in my name because of the donation - along with a plaque that’s basically an ode to Brett. If that doesn’t happen then that’s quite all right.
The TYT main show starts in an hour so. I look forward to your response. I am elated that we have made this connection.
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I’m very excited about this! I was actually thinking about using our Free Conference Call account. It allows us to go as long as we want. We can go over an hour if we really want and I’ll just edit it down to the cookies. But, I will put together some topics and you can decide what you’re comfortable with. I do have a screen recording feature on my computer, so maybe we can use one of the others you prefer. I’ll look into it. I’m going to try and DM you again and see if you can respond to that. I’m also interested in how it works here. Learning with you!
“I’m very excited about this!”
Let’s see. I think that makes two of us excited.
“I was actually thinking about using our Free Conference Call account.”
I thought about that possibility but then I wasn’t sure whether you had access to it but when I think about it why wouldn’t you?
“It allows us to go as long as we want.”
That sounds heavenly and dangerous at the same time.
“We can go over an hour if we really want and I’ll just edit it down to the cookies.”
I love cookies. Sans dairy, gluten, grains, eggs and chocolate. (Read: vegan)
“But, I will put together some topics and you can decide what you’re comfortable with.”
I appreciate that. My agenda is not to become comfortable. It’s just to be careful not to give away too much that’s going to be part of my book. I like being out of my comfort zone. One cannot grow emotionally and spiritually sitting in their comfort zone ad infinitum.
“I do have a screen recording feature on my computer, so maybe we can use one of the others you prefer. I’ll look into it.”
Yes I have the same feature on all 60 of my computers and my nine iPhones. Bwahaha! But I do think that your idea of using TYT‘s conference call account makes a lot of sense.
“I’m going to try and DM you again and see if you can respond to that. I’m also interested in how it works here.”
Your communications of yesterday and today made a grand appearance in all their glory via my email. I actually responded to you via email which you obviously received because you responded in kind. So I’m a bit confused over the fact that if email works, why DM is necessary. This is my first episode of feeling like a tech dummy in quite a long time. But I confess.
“Learning with you!”
Indeed, you are right.
Your turn.
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Vegan cookies it is! I found your actual email and responded there so we can coordinate (so many avenues, I’m getting dizzy). See you there!
I have been a leftist (albeit not a very good one for a while) since I was 16, which was 22 years ago.
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I still don’t believe it! 
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I have a hard exterior but I’m a softie at heart. I cry when Lassie doesn’t come home
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You’re in the perfect place then.
The fact that I view myself as perfectly normal.
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What counts as weird? Um . . . I have a rare sleep disorder that actually makes it so that I am tired all the time, but I can literally fall asleep anywhere at any time and even have a photo of me falling asleep crouched leaning against an oven one time. I also have an awesome and supportive community online of people with the same rare condition.
I’ve managed to successfully complete a masters degree with this condition and I’m working toward my fourth degree now (because why not?), so it’s still possible to lead a fulfilling life while being tired all the time 
.
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