Radar Brothers
And The Surrounding Mountains
Merge Records

If ever one felt powerless it would be me. Powerless in a culture of a few rich white men screwing everything up. Of course they've been doing that for centuries, but this is Really Obscene. And if ever there was a time of hopelessness it would be now. A time when all around me it looks like as big a mess as we've ever gotten ourselves into.

But I'm not and it isn't. I speak up now. I think more than I ever have. Part of the problem world-wise is the apathy of the so-called Left in the 80's and 90's. Talking in the coffee shops but rarely taking it to the streets.

A change is gonna come someday. Well, here we are.

I was delighted when I heard that Dick Cheney was coming to town and I had the day off to go and Speak Up. He was here for a speech to The Commonwealth Club at the Fairmont Hotel and knowing the closest I'd be able to get would be an authorized protest across the street, I went anyway.

This was all taking place across San Francisco from my house, so I took the metro to Powell Station and got off underground. Above, I walked up Powell (Street) and crossed Bush (Street) to get to Cheney (not even). Funny. When I got there The Mime Troupe had their Cheney look-alike (exACTly) stage a mock press conference. He cracked me up. Walking through the crowd smiling and waving, he offered a cheerful "F--- you" as he shook our hands. The people in the back got the finger.

Yeah, it was fun and funny and I'm glad I went and took part. But it wasn't really protest, it was street theater. It was sad, we had permission to be there; Cheney was on the complete other side of the block, where we couldn't go.

I went home and lost myself in the somber hopefulness of this new Radar Brothers record...

"For you are still evil, in my sword you'll be caught"

Metaphorically, of course.

Of course.

Copyright © 2002 Alice Kenner