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Terrorists and Friends
{San Francisco summer 85}

 "... well i guess we couldn't do much worse than Reagan and his clan." I had only recently began discussing politics with my generally liberal Democrat parents.

 "You know I'm actually beginning to like George Schultz" my mother offered, her view changed later with Iran-Contra.

 "Mom! Do you know what Schultz is proposing to do with 'terrorists'?" I was trying to control myself, but not doing very well.

 "No" she said in a tone designed to slow me down.

 "He wants pre-emptive strikes against them."

 There was a noticeable pause and she replied, "You, know I'm not sure that's such a bad idea."

 "Mom, he's talking about killing my friends" still trying to control my voice.

 "Oh, that would be terrible", but she sounded more confused than convinced. We never got into the details. I didn't get a chance to explain that some friends had found out thru the Freedom of Information Act that their non-violent political group had been classified as "domestic terrorists" by the FBI. I didn't explain i believed that "pre-emptive strikes" on anyone meant guilt until proven innocent, or possibly guilty until dead. I fear she hung up the phone that day thinking i hung out with people who bombed airplanes.



 At one point he got angry, "By associating with these people who wish to overthrow our government you align yourself with terrorists killing people!" he justly proclaimed.

 "By not challenging our governments mercenary attacks in Nicaragua you are aligning yourself with the murder of innocent civilians." He's a bright man, he could see my point, even though he did not agree.

 "Do you really consider yourself a terrorist?" Calm now, his question was genuinely curious. "It's a trick question, Dad, King George considered the revolutionary Washington a terrorist, because he refused to fight by the 'rules' of war. There are probably folks in Japan who considered Einstein who developed & Truman who dropped the Bomb terrorists, if you can define what it is for me i will tell you if i am one." I rambled.

 Instead he asked, "Well then, what do you consider yourself?"


 "What kind of experiments?" In many ways his unconditional love for me shown thru the entire exchange.
