Jordan, Montana

They said the U. S.  Government had no

jurisdiction over them

They believed in: “individual sovereignty”

They created “Justus Township” and

a “common law court”

They raised money by putting liens

on public officials

They produced counterfeit checks and

money orders creating refund cash,

defrauding banks

The FBI, reputation sullied by

the Ruby Ridge and Waco debacles

decided to be more strategic

this time-intent on redeeming

their selves in the public eye-

It took 81 days of dogged negotiation,

but nobody got shot and

the Freemen surrendered to the authorities

on June 14, 1996.

Why then have we not remembered Jordan, Montana

and the Freemen as vividly as the Branch Davidians

of Waco, Texas or the Weavers of Ruby Ridge?

Why is the bad and the ugly so much more memorable

than the good? (in terms of resolution)

Why?

Why?

Tell me why?

Can anybody tell me why?!

Inspired by Stalling for Time- My Life as an FBI Negotiator

By Gary Noesner

When Thoreau met Whitman

Thoreau was 39 and Whitman was 37 when they met

Alcott knew them both and

thought they should meet

Walt Whitman had published

Leaves of Grass the year before and

Emerson, Thoreau’s dear friend,

upon reading it wrote to the then unknown

poet “I greet you at the beginning of a

great career.”

Whitman quoted him on the back of

his next edition

Perhaps that is why when Whitman & Thoreau

 met in a parlor “They surveyed each other curiously-

like two beasts”

 A threat may have been perceived

Cold compliments were exchanged

Whitman a man of the people was polar opposite

of Thoreau who preferred squirrels and trees

Thoreau remarked about Whitman (paraphrase) that he

was strong and coarse, of sweet disposition

and well loved by his friends

Whitman noted Thoreau’s lack of empathy for

his fellow man and intimated that Thoreau was

“supercilious” but likeable,-“…an interesting

Man, simple, conclusive.”

Needless to say, no friendship developed as

Alcott may have hoped

Whitman, open and free-wheeling

probably scared the shit out of Thoreau!

Inspired by a different drum

a Charles Norman biography

Rainy Knight © April 16, 2015