By Alex P. Laslow
Definitions:
1.) Democrat: one who is a lot like a Republican.
2.) Republican: one who is a lot like a Democrat.
3.) Anarchist: one who is fed up with #1 and #2.
Why does the word “anarchy” offend most Americans? Maybe it’s because this word has suffered the same fate as, say, the word “communism.” Continue reading
By Alex P. Laslow
Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 1 (November 1988)
When I wrote part 1 of this article, I was nearly giving up on all forms of government. I was quite pleased with my radical thinking, and asked a friend of mine to read it. Knowing full well he was going to challenge the whole idea of anarchy and knowing he would be insulted at my anti-American thoughts. So in defense, I prepared a narrow mind.
Well, he argued with all the things I had expected, and he accused anarchy of being “impossible,” and said it was “a nice idea but that is it.” He explained to me that there is always going to be someone that wants to go ahead and with anarchy, it would be complete chaos.” Continue reading
By Alibaster Johnson
My question to you is: why do people take life so seriously?
There’s no way you can possibly make it out alive anyway. It’s pretty ridiculous when you look at it. We all run around in a frenzy, but where are we going? In circles, as far as I can tell. What people don’t seem to realize is that we aren’t the only ones around. There’s a whole universe out there that probably has several different types of life (three of which I think I saw on the street the other day, but I can’t be sure). The point is that we think that what we’re doing is so important, but it isn’t. It doesn’t really matter much at all. Which is why it ought to be taken lightly. Continue reading
By Corey “Iceman” Lopez
Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 2 (November 1988)
Sledding is done down a hill, on top of snow, by a sledder. The terms “hill,” “snow” and “sledder” cover a great many conditions, any of which may exist when you sled.
As a sledder you can be one of three varieties: the rookie, the sage, or the hot dog. You are still a rookie if you buy a sled only once every five years or so. You have reached the semi-honorable rank of sage if you need a new sled every other sledding season. You are one of the the elite, a hot dogger, if, when the winter’s over, you can use your sled to grate cheese. Continue reading
By Brendan Kinney
Things happen in cycles. History tends to repeat itself through these cycles. There’s the ‘up’ cycle and the ‘down” cycle, and the somewhere-in-between cycle.
Nevertheless, life seems to have happened in cycles. There’s the ‘up’ cycle, and the . . . wait. I said this already, didn’t I? Cycles like I said, great things.
So far, the eighties have been a real drag. No one really cares about anything. It’s basically been every being for him/herself. But, if you take a look in a newspaper that talks about news, you see a lot of people that are protesting, demonstrating, picketing, sitting-in.
By Jamie Hill
Whaddaya get when you mix punk, beer, polka, beer, heavy metal, beer, reggae, beer, classical music, beer, and jazz? One AWESOME live show. Camper Van Beethoven is undeniably one of the better bands on the college/independent/unknown circuit today, and with the release of their fourth album, Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, CVB has firmly established itself as a major creative force (and bonafide source of utter lunacy). Their uniquely bizarre mix of genres never fails to take an unexpected turn, more often than not in the middle of a song, and their music is always complex without being overstatedly so.
How Will I Laugh Tomorrow? (When I Can’t Even Smile Today?)
By Brendan Kinney
Some of us remember the songs of yesterday, “Join the Army,” “Possessed To Skate,” “Institutionalized,” and a certain song that opened with a primal scream, “I shot Reeaaagan!” Well, yesterday is now today, and those Suicidal Boys are back, this time they’ve packed a little commercialism with them (in hopes of making themselves more known) and a little more experience that’s come together to produce a great new album.
ST’s new album opens up with “Trip At The Brain,” which displays the talents of lead guitarist Rocky George, with Mike Muir’s rough, gasping voice shouting, “I gotta take a trip, gotta take a trip out of this place, I gotta get away, get away from the human race… “. Only this song isn’t drug-related. “Major trippin’ which you’ll just have to listen to.” Continue reading
By Robert O. Milieu
Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 5 (November 1988)
Salutations! Do you know where I got the word “salutations” from? I got it from the children’s book, Charlotte’s Web. The reason that I bring this up in a political viewpoints article is that my favorite facet of Charlotte’s Web is that it doesn’t offend anyone. Even though there is conflict and tension, and even though it is a great piece of literature, it does not offend anyone. In “The Middle of the Road” I hope every reader will find substantive, stimulating political commentary that does not offend a single one of their sensibilities. Continue reading
By Brendan Kinney
I bet that you, like myself sat down for one evening of prime time television, and found yourself confronted with a strange change in programming: a presidential debate. So you thought, what the heck, I’ll listen to what these guys want to do for me and my country. But about halfway through the “show,” you sat there wondering what these two guys wanted to do besides “be the President of the United States of America” (with an air of drama). You sat there saying, “Is this a debate, or a name-calling match?” So, disgusted, you turned off the T.V. and stumbled off to bed, confused and worried for America. Continue reading
By Alex P. Laslow
Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 5 (November 1988)
Two letters to the editor featured in the November 1st issue of The Burlington Free Press labeled Bernie Sanders a socialist “reformist” who will use “infiltrative tactics” to threaten democracy.
The letter, written by George Boucher of Essex Junction, opens on this note: “Mayor Bernard Sanders, the pro-communist liberal running for Congress. . . . ”
Wait a minute. Can someone be a communist and a liberal simultaneously? No. It’s a contradiction of terms, folks. Face it: the name-calling techniques that Bush has used on Dukakis have unfortunately filtered down to his supporters.