The year was 1970, fifty years ago. I was a junior in high school and angry. It was after Woodstock and shortly before the Kent State massacre in May of that year. A friend, composing a photograph for our school’s literary magazine sat me down, painted my face and began shooting pictures. We were angry young kids – feeling hamstrung, unable to fully express our fury over the Viet Nam War, and a corrupt, failed White House. Over 80,000 kids, some from our school, were in Viet Nam, drafted and sent to a distant place to partake in a bloodbath we could barely imagine. Our country was terribly divided – rich again poor, old against young, whites against minorities. Sound familiar?

Cameos like these, keep popping up as I continue to sort through my boxes of ‘stuff’. Moving has been all consuming. I keep trying not to get caught up in the memories, but some day they win, and the digging goes slowly.

I wonder how our current times will be viewed fifty years from now through the lens of those who are still around. Have we learned absolutely nothing over these past five decades? It is our leaders who set the tone and make the difference. Please vote for a change.