vegetarianism

[Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema]

Take it easy Gordon. I have read a bit about my old schoolmate's doings since he
became a marginal public figure. There was an article a couple of years ago, (in the
NYT magazine, maybe) about his family situation, which seemed fairly dysfunctional.
Many of the key events happened around the time he and I were in the same place,
though I knew noting of it at the time. All this leaves me with the impression that
his celebrity was mostly fortuitous, and that he might well have gone along through
life as a neighborhood crank if he hadn't happened into a particular situation. Lots
of people are a bit paranoid and carry guns. Most make it through life without
attracting attention. Once having done what he did, and, because of having attracted
some approbation, given widespread racism and so forth,  he seems to fancy himself a
tribune of the people. Typical grandiose fantasy.

In fact, no sane politician will embrace him because he's too quirky, and because his
persona isn't one that will bear much sustained scrutiny.

Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema

Gordon Fitch wrote:


> Doug Henwood at dhenwood at panix.com wrote:
> > > > Vegetarianism attracts the most surprising promoters. This week's NY
> > > > Press contains an interview by Andre Slivka with Bernie Goetz, the
> > > > famed subway shooter, who's now running for mayor (but if he won,
> > > > he'd let Rudy run the city). [ Goetz advertises vegetarianism. ]
>
> Gary Ashwill wrote:
> > > A few years back Goetz was involved with some sort of save the squirrels
> > > campaign.  He was on some newsmagazine show with squirrels crawling all over
> > > him and perching on his shoulders as he fed them.  They seemed to like him a
> > > lot.
>
> Christopher Rhoades Dÿkema:
> > I went to school with the guy, in 1961-1962. This was after his father had
> > gotten convicted of child molesting and they packed him and his elder sister off
> > to Europe. I never heard his voice, as he spoke only to his sister, whose name
> > is Bernice. The father's name is also Bernhard; (they give it the German
> > spelling). He seemed pretty weird to most.
>
> According to some of the people on this mailing list,
> vegetarianism or animal-rights activism are sure evidence
> of Nazi sympathies, so everything fits.  Goetz must be
> watched carefully; he's probably tying swastika armbands
> on those squirrels.  Meanwhile, to stay down with Uncle
> Karl and the working class, you'd better run out and
> kill and eat a quadruped as soon as possible.