I - Beginnings
The convention banner was based on the artwork of Gary Dumm
and his wife Laura's color scheme.
Dug Viehmeyer and me at the western Ohio border (Photo: Brian Kelly)
II - Anxiety's Moment
(Opening Plenary, Day One)
Introducing my son - proud papa? You bet! (Photo: Mike da Cruz)
I was the opening speaker as Alan ran into traffic. (Photo: Mike da Cruz)
III - Lowdown
(Chapter Reportbacks, Opening Plenary, Day One)
The PACE Crew: John Cronan, Lauren Giaccone and Brian Kelly.
IV - Dialogue
(Panels and Tabling, Cobb Hall, Day Two)
A mural near the University of Chicago (Photo: Donyal Svilar)
SDSers from Connecticut, DC, Maryland, NYC, Providence and Arizona.
Alan and Jim Zarichny with the (Megiddo Project) Peace Table.
Matt McLaughlin (Hartford) with Glen and Bridget (Monmouth SDS)
An exhausted me sandwiched between Paul and Bruce
(note the infamous Matt McLaughlin t-shirt).
V - Saturday In The Park
(Hiroshima Vigil, Moore Sculpture, Day Two)
Back at Cobb: my kids wait for the MDS business meeting
to end (Photo: Donyal Svilar).
After the meeting MDS posed for a photo or two (Photo: Donyal Svilar).
Brian Kelly, Patrick Edelbacher and Elliott Adams.
(Photo Credit: Millicent/Patrick of Tacoma SDS)
SDS Comrades converse on the streetcorner.
(Photo Credit: Millicent/Patrick of Tacoma SDS)
VI - Questions 67 And 68
(Returning to Cobb Hall, Start of Day Three)
(BW photos were done with a 1986 Soviet SLR called a Zenit XP12).
VII - Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
(National Structure Panel, Cobb Hall, Day Three)
VIII - Make Me Smile
(SDS party at the Heartland Cafe, Evening, Day Three)
Getting my copy of Surrealist Arsenal signed by Penny and Franklin.
Michael James introduces the "SDS Seniors" at the No Exit Cafe.
IX - Poem For The People
(Final Plenary, Ida Noyes Hall, Day Four)
X - While The City Sleeps
(Forest Home Cemetary, Haymarket Monument, The Day After)
XI - Fancy Colours
(Sightseeing On Our Last Day In Chicago)
Our reflection from beneath the Cloud Gate in Millenium Park...
XII - So Much To Say; So Much To Give
(Visiting Toledo and Ann Arbor On Our Way Home)
My daughter and I at my old high school in Toledo (Photo: Donyal Svilar).
XIII - State Of The Union
(Thanks to the Chicago Transit Authority for their song titles :-)
The fundamental thing that came out of the national convention in my view was that SDS will take its time defining itself and any future course will be the result of a deliberative process based on the old New Left Notes masthead slogan: Let the people decide. I can live with that - it sure beats some conventions I've seen where the outcome was a foregone conclusion. None of us in SDS know what the future holds but we are fired up. I can't help but think of my favorite quote from my friend and comrade Bernardine Dohrn: "be certain enough to act and to doubt simultaneously". In many respects, my personal goals for the convention were met: the old wounds from 69 were mostly healed and we have an agenda for the next year at the end of which is a constitutional convention. Until then, each chapter will fight the good fight against the myriad injustices visited upon the world by the US government. It doesn't get any better than that for an activist organization.
