SECTION FOUR

The Blacklisted Journalist Picture The Blacklisted Journalistsm

COLUMN TWENTY, APRIL 1, 1997
(Copyright © 1997 The Blacklisted Journalist)

ABOUT COLUMN NINETEEN

From: Andrew_Hill@3mail.3com.com
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 16:19:16 +0000
Subject: Re Latest Offering

Dear Al,

I really enjoyed the latest column (Bob/Beatles/head games/1965). What you said about the Beatles skill at the ego/head games does not surprise me. Wise cracks, in-jokes and cruel jibes are often the common currency amongst male peer groups in England. I think that the perception of the British as sarcastic, satirical and ever so slightly superior is one of the few that the Americans actually have right. Dylan's initial dismissal of the Beatles' "bubblegum" tunes was not born out of cynicism but from a peculiarly American purist vision of music/art which the Beatles were too savvy to adopt (they already had a great love of the American girl groups and the band as a whole had eclectic musical tastes, pop or otherwise). I think the dialogue between John and Bob in the limo, and the other confrontations is a great illustration of the way the young British male conducts himself within the peer group or with the outsider he wants to impress - aloof, quick, but never too excitable or spontaneous for fear of making an arse of himself. The description of your pal overdoing the liquor and smoke is a great illustration of how we view the average young American (light weight, naive etc... - a gross generalisation of course as you and many of your American contemporaries would bear witness too !!). Did you find this kind of attitude prevailing amongst the Lennons, Jaggers and Joneses of this world when you met them - a quiet (mostly), subtle, but perceptible air of superiority with regard to the average WASP American "

Of course I'm talking about the attitude and behaviour of the average hip young English male, and by the time you met them these guys they were anything but average - yet the peer pressure and head games sound the same. You illustrate in your article about how Bob was in many ways a master of the game - he was, after all, well educated and blessed with a great talent. But, like the gunfighters and Wild Westerners you allude to, it seems he could wear his heart on his sleeve, like being too embarrassed to discuss the festival where he was boo-ed for going electric. In a situation like that an Englishman, like Lennon for example, would just agree and say, "Yeah, those bloody peasants are so behind the times !!" and nurse their ego by pouring scorn on others. And, as you point out, this is basically what's at the heart of head-games, peer pressure and superiority complexes - namely easily bruised egos and ways of nursing them; and from my own experience as a young English male, I can say that's why we are so adept - we are easily bruised and go for the strongest possible remedy.

The British love to reduce things to the level of farce and it's a great defence mechanism (e.g., The Beatles infamous American press conferences). Humour not only protects but can release, and even the 'below the belt' jibes that are the stock in trade of the young, male, British peer group can reveal truths otherwise inaccessible to the literal mind or those not equal to the challenge. I'm not suggesting that subtlety, irony and sarcasm are exclusive to the British; I'm just saying that we love making use of them - often.

Al - its been a pleasure reading something new from you and I hope you enjoyed the letter. I've tried to reply from a purely British viewpoint as you seemed keen to hear about it in your previous correspondences with me. I've got a couple of ideas swimming around for further letters and I will write soon.

Andrew Hill
Blighty ##

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CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE!

Date: Tue, 04 Mar 1997 22:16:10 -0800
From: "Manfred (Man of Peace) Helfert"
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Subject: Please check out my website

Hi, Al,
enjoyed your site VERY MUCH -- it's nice to have "eyewitness" accounts on some of the major players in rock music.

Please check out my Dylan musical roots site at either http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ManfredH/ or http://yi.com/home/HelfertManfred

Tell me what you think -- and if you have anything to contribute (I'm more interested in Dylan's folk and blues roots, his contemporaries, etc. than his own lyrics --although I enjoy them tremendously, but I think that there's "life beyond Dylan"...) on Dylan, Greenwich Village in the 60s, etc. which you would permit me to use -- send it to me and I'll be glad to provide a home on my pages...

Take care -- and don't get discouraged by some of the morons on rec.music.dylan.

Love and Peace
-- Manfred (aka "Man of Peace") ##

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UN ETUDIANT

Date: Fri, 28 Feb 1997 04:21:22 -0800 (PST)
From: " Huguet Pierre-François"
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Subject: beatles

Sir,

I'm a Belgian student at Brussels University and I'm about to begin a thesis about the Beatles and I came across your site. I'd be very interested in your book FROM BEAT TO BEATLES. It seems that it's not over yet so I'd like to ask you when it will be published.

Yours sincerely,

Pierre-François HUGUET ##
-----------------Get Your *Web-Based* Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------

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Date: Mon, 3 Mar 1997 02:01:39 -0800 (PST)
From: " Pierre-François Huguet"
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Subject: Re: beatles

Dear Sir,

I'd like to thank you for your prompt reply as for your pieces of advice. I've read columns 17 and 18 which are really interesting. I'm looking forward to reading the next pages of your book.

Thank you,

Pierre-François ##

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Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 13:48:21 -0800
From: Al Aronowitz
To: Huguet Pierre-François
CC: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Subject: Re: beatles

PIERRE-FRANCOIS: I see I didn't really answer your question. I was too busy being a bitter old man. I'm not publishing any book. I'm putting my reminiscences in my BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST column on the Internet a little at a time. Soon I'll start selling printouts. Maybe one of these days, there'll be a market for collections of columns, which can also be sold as CD-ROMs. All I want is readers. Nobody wanted to publish me for 26 years, so when the Internet came along, it gave me a chance to do an end run around the blacklist. Why am I blacklisted? I try to tell the story little by little in my column. -Al Aronowitz -- ***************************************

Al Aronowitz THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj ##

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ANOTHER NEW READER!

Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 10:27:44 -0800
From: Renegade
Reply-To: IRENEGADE@WORLDNET.ATT.NET
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Subject: Great site!

Hi, I'm a co-worker of Patrick Fenton, and visited your site at his request since he has not logged on to the internet yet although he just purchased a monster computer. Pat wanted me to print out your layout, but as I can see, there is too much content for a simple download. I'm going to suggest he visit the Public Library and take a look himself. I thoroughly enjoyed article 14, and will read the rest. Pat has told me a bit about you and your work and history, and I was very interested to read your site. Perhaps you won't mind if I post a pointer to your web site on the newsgroup? Got to go. Bye for now. ---Jeff Hor--- ##

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FROM RUSSIA AGAIN

From: "BBC School"
To:
Subject: Hello from Russian Fan
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 18:42:22 +0500

Hi, Al !

How are you " Thank you for two messages.

Well, my real name is Leonid Backsanov, but I'm using the e-mail address of my friend , Eugeny Shurov (a.k.a. Shurov John). Today I saw your site again. Your work is great! I think that I'll read your columns day-by-day, because it's so hard for me to understand so much stuff. Really, you was a close friend of George? What about your new book? Hope to hearing from your soon.

All the best,

Leonid

P.S. Only 3 weeks I can use this address: bbc@ustu.ru After ending of my study in BBC School Ekaterinburg , I'll use my old e-mail address: ens@infoteck.skyman.ru

By Jill Serjeant

LONDON, March 11 (Reuter) - Paul McCartney, the Beatle who joked 30 years ago about smoking marijuana in the Buckingham Palace toilets, went back to see Queen Elizabeth on Tuesday to collect a knighthood for helping to revolutionise pop music.

The impish lad from Liverpool, one of the most successful songwriters in history, became Sir Paul in a centuries-old ceremony of pomp and solemnity.

But outside the palace, it was just like the old days as central London was treated to the screaming adulation that marked Beatlemania in the 1960s.

Hundreds of tourists and die-hard fans of the Fab Four, wearing Beatles t-shirts and badges, gathered outside the palace gates for a glimpse of McCartney. As they waited they sang old Beatles songs and played Beatles cassettes on sound systems.

The crowds screamed as McCartney swept through the gates in his chauffeur-driven limousine and he answered with a thumbs-up.

On the way out he lowered the car window to smile and wave to the fans. His wife Linda, who is fighting breast cancer, and his four children were not with him. McCartney admitted he was very nervous before the ceremony but said it had been a great experience.

"Proud to be British, wonderful day and it's a long way from a little terrace (street) in Liverpool," he told reporters.

It was the second trip to Buckingham Palace for McCartney, now 54, who has made an estimated 400-million-pound ($642-million) fortune fTLA:rom his talent for dreamy ballads such as "Yesterday" and catchy pop songs like "Band on the Run".

Along with the three other Beatles, McCartney collected an MBE (Member of the British Empire) medal in 1965 -- and shocked the stuffy British establishment by joking that the band had smoked marijuana in the palace toilets before meeting the queen.

McCartney described his first visit to the palace, which attracted thousands of Beatles fans, in the typically iconoclastic tones of the 1960s.

"It's a keen pad and I liked the staff. I thought they'd be dukes and things but they were just fellas. The queen was lovely. She was just like a mum to us."

McCartney dedicated his knighthood to fellow Beatles George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon -- shot dead in New York in 1980 -- and the people of the northwestern port of Liverpool.

Aides say he will not be calling himself "Sir Paul" -- the title conferred by the queen tapping him on each shoulder with a naked sword as he knelt on the investiture stool.

"He's always been a modest chap and he won't be getting us all bowing and scraping," one aide said.

Lennon, McCartney's co-songwriter, sent back his MBE in 1969 in protest at the Vietnam War. But McCartney, always the Beatles' diplomat, kept his.

McCartney's knighthood is considered long overdue even by the conservative standards used in Britain which sees most such honours going to judges, scientists and politicians.

Cliff Richard, Britain's other enduring 1960s pop star, was knighted in 1995. George Martin, the musical genius who produced virtually all the Beatles hits, got the award last year.

McCartney formed the group Wings after the Beatles spilt up in 1970 and made records with stars like Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder before trying his hand at composing classical music.

He now lives a quiet life on his organic farm in southern England with Linda, his vegetarian wife of 27 years. A spokesman for the former Beatle said Linda was fine but had not accompanied him to the palace because Paul wanted to keep the family out of the spotlight. ($1=.6228 Pound) ##

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CHEAP SHOTS?

Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 02:49:38 -0400
From: Lewis Latimer <staff@blacksandjews.com>
To: Blacklisted Journalist
Subject: Re:

Your cheap shots at The Honorable Louis Farrakhan are WAY OUT of your league. "Fun to read"? If you think this kind of trash is "funny" and that it would elicit fawning agreement you are wrong. Some Black people are sick of your type of "fun". Do the same kind of commentary using a Jewish leader and see how long before you are called "anti-Semitic". ##

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Date: Friday, 30-Aug-96 08:49 PM
From: Lewis Latimer\ Internet: <staff@blacksandjews.com>
To: Blacklisted Journalist\ Internet: (info@blacklistedjournalist.com)
Subject:

Hey man:

You forgot to mention that tribe that sits in the board rooms of big business America. You think Farrakhan invented this stuff?! No wonder you're blacklisted. (Why not whitelisted?)

You and Dr. King thought you could dream Black people into power in America and you are both wrong. And, by the way, sitting next to you at A.Lincoln School has no place in my dreams, or even in Lincoln's for that matter. If you would have paid attention in history class, you would have known that in his own words Lincoln was one of the most articulate separatists of all time - he most certainly was a White Supremacist.

Power means independence - providing the food, shelter and clothing for your own community.

When you are ready to handle a debate on this level write back. ##

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Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 14:47:59 -0500

From: Al Aronowitz

To: Lewis Latimer<staff@blacksandjews.com>

LEWIS: This reply to your Emails of August 30 and September 12, 1996, has been a long time in coming. I started several times to reply but I was too much an Internet "newbie." Each time, my partially finished Email to you would disappear from my screen before I'd finished writing it. Thus, you might have received Email from me containing partial messages or no messages at all.

In the second of your messages you said I forgot to mention "that tribe that sits in the board rooms of big business America," adding further: "You think Farrakhan invented this stuff?!" Did he? Or did you? For anyone to suggest that Jews dominate the board rooms of big business America is just as much of an exaggeration as suggesting that Blacks dominate America's big business board rooms. Maybe a handful of Jews and a handful of Blacks actually do sit in the board rooms of big business America, but on the whole Jews and blacks have suffered similar versions of the same kind of raw deal.

I have too much respect for The Honorable Louis Farrakhan to take any so-called "cheap shots" at him and I apologize to you and to all who might have thought that I did, because none were intended. On many points, I agree entirely with Minister Farrakhan's message that Blacks should practice self-sufficiency rather than wait for white charlatans and assholes like Newt Gingrich to solve America's race problems. Where I disagree with Minister Farrakhan is in his preaching of tribalism. I think the Hutus and the Tutsis have shown us all too vividly where tribalism can lead. Haven't the Hutus and the Tutsis at least taught us that although black men are in the habit of calling one another "brother," they don't always treat one another like brothers? I believe in universal brotherhood and I have enough faith in Minister Farrakhan's wisdom to believe that he ultimately will recognize that the preaching of love and unity is far more rewarding than the preaching of hate and divisiveness. As for my thoughts about Judaism, I hold no brief for ANY kind of organized religion because I believe that ALL religions promote tribalism. To my mind, there is no greater threat to the world than religious fundamentalism, whether advocated by rabbis, ayatollahs, priests, Minister Farrakhan or Pat Robertson. As an apostate or so-called "lapsed" Jew, I, too, hold views that some might consider anti-Semitic. Still, I recognize that those views would in no way exempt me from the gas chambers which the Germans built or which perhaps you would like to build. I do believe that had there been enough blacks in Europe, the Germans would have burned them, too. Has anyone done any studies to determine Germany's treatment of blacks in Hitler's day? Hitler was a tribalist, too, you know. Again, I reiterate that, asshole that I admit I often can be, I recall taking no "cheap shots" at a personage for whom I have as much respect as I have for Minister Farrakhan. If any "cheap shots" were taken at all, I think they were taken at the Jews. BEST,--Al Aronowitz -- ***************************************

Al Aronowitz THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST
http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj

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From: Lewis H. Latimer <staff@blacksandjews.com>
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 16:37:57 -0400
To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com

Al Aronowitz wrote: In the second of your messages you said I forgot to mention "that tribe that sits in the board rooms of big business America," adding further: "You think Farrakhan invented this stuff?!" Did he? Or did you? For anyone to suggest that Jews dominate the board rooms of big business America is just as much of an exaggeration as suggesting that Blacks dominate America's big business board rooms....

The "tribe" I referred to is not Jews but (to be exact) menopausal white males who represent 1/22 of the world population and exercise appx. 21/22 of the economic and military power. Where did I mention Jews?

I disagree with Minister Farrakhan is in his preaching of tribalism. I think the Hutus and the Tutsis have shown us all too vividly where tribalism can lead.

Start with European colonialism in Africa. I am not blind or ignorant to "tribalism" but whites are generally blind, deaf and dumb with regard to the immense rape of that continent which are the precursors to the fighting you see today. Why not mention "tribalism" in the Baltic and Slavic countries? Why the African example?

Haven't the Hutus and the Tutsis at least taught us that although black men are in the habit of calling one another "brother," they don't always treat one another like brothers?

Please apply some history to these "lessons" and we will have more common ground. The larger lesson is the "developed" world's policies in that region for which there is no defense.

I believe in universal brotherhood and I have enough faith in Minister Farrakhan's wisdom to believe that he ultimately will recognize that the preaching of love and unity is far more rewarding than the preaching of hate and divisiveness.

This statement is thoroughly bizarre and wholly unsupportable. It sounds like the leftover rhetoric of an ADL press release. If in your analysis of Min. Farrakhan's message you can collapse into one word - "hate" - his entire philosophy then I would immediately institute a lawsuit against your alma mater for massive fraud. Either provide examples of this or do what the rest of the propagandists have done - emit your foul odor and run away as fast as you can.

... Still, I recognize that those views would in no way exempt me from the gas chambers which the Germans built or which perhaps you would like to build.

What did I write that leads you to this conclusion? Please do not evade this question. If you are unable to support this assertion (which you most assuredly cannot) you have just demonstrated why and how these slanderous notions about our goals and intentions get spread among the lemmings that are the American populace.

I do believe that had there been enough blacks in Europe, the Germans would have burned them, too. Has anyone done any studies to determine Germany's treatment of blacks in Hitler's day? Hitler was a tribalist, too, you know. Again, I reiterate that, asshole that I admit I often can be, I recall taking no "cheap shots" at a personage for whom I have as much respect as I have for Minister Farrakhan. If any "cheap shots" were taken at all, I think they were taken at the Jews. BEST,--Al Aronowitz

Keith L. Nelson, "The 'Black Horror on the Rhine': Race as a Factor in Post-WW1 Diplomacy, Journal of Modern History, vol. 42, #4 (December, 1970), pp. 606-627.

There is no substitute for dealing directly with your subject. You may call yourself "blacklisted" to invoke an air of radical chic and maverick journalism, but you are as mainstream as Tommy Brokaw and as shallow as Geraldo on questions of race. The expiatory history that is your frame of reference is an unfit guide to understand why 2,000,000 Black men ignored the mainstream tripe and marched to establish a new identity. Are they all as ignorant as the Warner Brothers TV niggers? It is EASIER to believe that than the truth of the matter, especially when all YOU hear is "hate" and all we hear is hope. ##

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Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 11:53:41 -0500

From: Al Aronowitz

To: LewisH.Latimer<staff@blacksandjews.com>

DEAR LEWIS: You are absolutely right in every way. Arguing with you would be a waste of time. You certainly can talk circles around me. I am nothing but a menopausal white male who sits in big business board rooms and wields economic and military power. My ancestors established the African slave trade while they were being persecuted by the Cossacks in Russia. I am one of those blind, deaf and dumb whose stumbling resulted in the Hutus and the Tutsis hacking one another to death. I also plead guilty to not mentioning the Serbian murderers just because they aren't black-skinned. And also to not applying some history to these "lessons." Plus I plead no defense to the larger lesson of the "developed" world's policies. I'm even worse than all that. I'm really the leftover relic of an ADL press release. And you actually SHOULD sue my alma mater for massive fraud. Because I'm so stupid, I didn't even recognize that your Email message was dripping with love for me, not hate. Not confrontation. Not antipathy. Not hostility. Not anger. Not extremism. Not irreconcilability. But love, love, love, as much love as one of God's greatest creatures can feel and emit. As for me, I am a propagandist who emits a foul odor. I am one of America's lemmings in addition to being one of the worst scumbags ever born. I can't get anything right. I'm just a guy who's trying to make a name for himself by posing as radical chic and effecting maverick journalism when really I am as mainstream as Tommy Brokaw and as shallow as Geraldo. I have a frame of reference that is an unfit guide. I'm secretly one of the Warner Brothers who employ so many TV you-know-whats. It is as clear as the difference between black and white that your Email message to me was dripping with hope not hate and that I can never, ever out-argue you, so why even try? Love, Al-- ***************************************

Al Aronowitz
THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST
http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj ##

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I'M AN ASSHOLE AGAIN

Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 09:35:43 -0800
From: THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST

To: bobby

Subject: Re: your column

bobby wrote:

Hi Al.

I really like what I'm reading of your "blacklisted Journalist" pieces. Just got done with column number 1. The section on Billy Holiday brought goosebumps. Interesting that your hanging out in Elizabeth. I grew up in Elizabeth, went to the all boys Jefferson High School in the sixties. So alienating that I dropped out to join the hippies. Always thought of Elizabeth as a kind of cultural miasma. Where abouts in Elizabeth are you living? I'd probably remember the place.

Thanks,

Bob Manrodt,

now in Reading Pennsylvania, some other kind of miasma.

bobby@prolog.net

*Sacred Transformations*
http://www.well.com/user/bobby/ ##

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BOBBY: Was off-line for a few days but OK now. Glad you liked the Billy Holiday story. It gives me goosebumps, too, every time I read it to an audience. Live in Hancock House on North Ave. near N. Broad. Grew up in Roselle. Am now 68 and broke because nobody's wanted to publish me for 26 years. Any columns you don't like, please tell me. Beatles coming in Columns 16 and 17.-Best, Al Aronowitz, THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST. ##

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From: "bobby"
To: THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 10:03:37 -0500
Subject: cor North Ave and N. Broad - I lived there for a time

Hi Al,

You wrote:

Live in Hancock House on North Ave. near N. Broad.

Wow. I lived on the corner of North Ave and N. Broad with my brother for a year or so in 1971. This was an older apartment building on the south east corner. We had a basement apartment.

At that time I worked as a driver in Shorr's Drugstore a few blocks down towards the city. I grew up in the Elmora section during the 60's. North Avenue becomes Elmora Avenue in Elmora. I lived on Linden Avenue, then West Grand Street. Grew up in Roselle.

My Aunt and Uncle lived in Roselle late fifties. At that time there were "country-ish" regions thereabouts. Long gone. I recall the family picnics there. Also long gone. I hung out in the late sixties in Westfield.

Am now 68 and broke because nobody's wanted to publish me for 26 years.

I sympathize with your predicament Al. Despite my intelligence, I've been mostly broke and outside the multilayered social consensus for most of my life. I'm 46 and have been writing for ten or twelve years. I've got a lot to say autobiographically, but am still testing the waters. Don't quite know how to express some of this stuff. I work it out over time. You can read a couple of autobiographical things I've written on my web page. (listed at bottom.) Any columns you don't like, please tell me. Beatles coming in Columns 16 and 17.-Best, Al Aronowitz, THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST.

looking forward to reading more of your columns. I've read about 3 so far. To me, your columns represent superb *content*. Not a lot of content on the web. Your stories are part of what makes the web very exciting.

For other superior content, you might want to check out sixties stories on the "digger archives". Peter Coyote (present actor, former Digger) is uploading memoirs a chapter at a time. Ramon Sender Baryon (great writer) is publishing his memoirs of Morningstar Ranch.

Regards,

Bob Manrodt
bobby@prolog.net

*Sacred Transformations*
http://www.well.com/user/bobby/ ##

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Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 15:06:03 -0800
From: THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST
To: bobby
Subject: Re: cor North Ave and N. Broad - I lived there for a time

BOB: Checked out your page. I'm not big on "God" stuff. I think it's a tossup between organized religion (of any kind) and legal profession as to which has done more injury to humankind. I look for concise, to-the-point writing. All these web sites are like soap boxes. Like EFF.org page takes a creditable stance but goes on and on and on beating the same drum over and over again. I had open heart surgery after my heart attack, described in my Column 10. I was near death but I didn't have any such near death experiences. I used to smoke a lot of freebase cocaine and I know the tricks the mind can play on you. I was as loony as they come,, thought Dylan was the new messiah, which did wonders for my self-esteem because he once said I was the only man who could save the world. I can't get behind stories of abductions by bug-eyed aliens. But I liked your page, the presentation style, the pictures. I just don't have time to read all those repetitive stories. Did I tell you that you used to live right next door to where I live? Let's stay in touch. I'm looking to publicize my column. Not listed very well in search engines. People only find me by stumbling onto me. How did you learn of my column? Need all the promotion and publicity I can get. By the way, I have a piece about Peter Coyote in my Column 8. BEST, AL ARONOWITZ ##

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From: "bobby"
To: THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1996 16:39:20 -0500
Subject: Dylan the messiah? tell me more.....

Dear Al,

You wrote,

BOB: Checked out your page. I'm not big on "God" stuff. I think it's a tossup between organized religion (of any kind) and legal profession as to which has done more injury to humankind.

I agree with you that organized religion and the legal profession have done inestimable damage to mankind. Human ego takes many forms. However, I believe in the existence of transcendent awareness. Extremely rare but nonetheless real.

I believe in the potential of human transformation. My visions have shown me this, and I've witnessed and studied case histories. What I experienced during my near-death is the most real thing that has ever happened to me. I see the reality of transcendent perception echoed through core spiritual teachings of all times and cultures. Whether one phrases these profound experiences as "God" experiences, samadhi, enlightenment or encounters with aliens matters not so much to me. I think that most "New Age" stuff is bullshit and wearying but profound awareness is undeniable. I know there are experiences beyond the human ego and beyond the realms of human conceptualization.

I look for concise, to-the-point writing.

I'm working on telling my stories. In ways being concise and to the point is a real challenge for me. Spiritual realms can only be expressed metaphorically. William Carlos Williams' "no thoughts but in things" is a great teaching as far as much writing goes but has its limitations.

All these web sites are like soap boxes. Like EFF.org page takes a creditable stance but goes on and on and on beating the same drum over and over again.

Well, this may be so at times. Still, some folks are able to get unique perspectives across.

I had open heart surgery after my heart attack, described in my Column 10. I was near death but I didn't have any such near death experiences.

Didn't get to this reading yet but I will. As far as near-death experiences, people get what they get. Everyone's gonna die. We'll all see what happens when we get there.

I used to smoke a lot of freebase cocaine and I know the tricks the mind can play on you. I was as loony as they come,, thought Dylan was the new messiah, which did wonders for my self-esteem because he once said I was the only man who could save the world.

I know the mind tricks pretty well myself and have known quite a few folks actively hallucinating. I believe, really, that virtually all of us are hallucinating what we call "reality". I did a lot of acid in the sixties and smoked a lot of pot over the years. I'm a card carrying psychotic who has the credentials to prove it. I did a month at Carrier Clinic near Princeton and about 5 months at Marlboro State Hospital near Freehold New Jersey. Know the place?

Over the years I've worked a total of ten years at three Pennsylvania State Hospitals. Presently I am a board member of PMHCA (Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association). I have many radical, alternative and oppositional views to psychiatry in theory and as it is practiced. I'm very interested in altered states.

I can't get behind stories of abductions by bug-eyed aliens.

Whether bug-eyed aliens, interdimensional entities or profound hallucinations, abductee accounts interest me deeply. I recommend reading Mack's *Abduction*. These experiences are authentic. Of course it's up to you what kind of sense any of this makes -- or not.

But I liked your page, the presentation style, the pictures. I just don't have time to read all those repetitive stories.

Thanks.

Did I tell you that you used to live right next door to where I live? Let's stay in touch.

I find it all very interesting.

I'm looking to publicize my column. Not listed very well in search engines. People only find me by stumbling onto me. How did you learn of my column? Need all the promotion and publicity I can get.

I saw a pointer to your site via the "alt.beat.literature" (some name like that) Usenet group. I've read beat literature rather thoroughly.

I have a piece about Peter Coyote in my Column 8.

Reading your account of Peter Coyote, Grogan and Dr. John was enthralling. I've read *Ringolevio*. Grogan reminds me of a character I hung out with in Boston just prior to my near-death freakout. Extremely streetwise and capable of hustling anyone. Perceptive and intelligent. Used these attributes to personal advantage. Women melted on contact.

I'd recommend your writing highly to anyone I thought as might be at all interested. Unfortunately for you and for me, I don't know too many folks who care. As for me, I feel lucky to have found you. You're a great chronicler of unique and amazing events and people.

Regards,

Bob
bobby@prolog.net

*Sacred Transformations*
http://www.well.com/user/bobby/ ##

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Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 11:26:59 -0800
From: Al Aronowitz
To: bobby
CC: info@blacklistedjournalist.com
Subject: Re: cor North Ave and N. Broad - I lived there for a time

BOBBY: In my COLUMN NINETEEN, I characterize myself as suffering from a chronic case of assholism. Looking back, I see I was an asshole again to have sent you such a snotty put down. I've come to realize that I've got to give free speech to everybody, including those I disagree with and sometimes even detest. As long as they keep it readable. My own philosophy is that it's gotta be fun to read. I want my column to be a forum for anyone with anything vital to say. I'd be pleased and honored to link your page to mine. ---Al ***************************************

Al Aronowitz
THE BLACKLISTED JOURNALIST
http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj ##

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When I Emailed Bobby Manrodt "that I've got to give free speech to everybody, including those I disagree with and sometimes even detest", I was being an asshole still again! I don't want to detest anybody. I should have said "those I disagree with and sometimes those who even detest ME!" ##

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From: "bobby"

To: info@blacklistedjournalist.com Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 15:08:23 -0500 Subject: Re: cor North Ave and N.

Broad - I lived there for a time

Dear Al,

You made my day.

What excites me is your communication of the heart. Several months ago I felt excited to be talking with you. I was a bit saddened to see what constituted your "put down of my site".

I'm not sure how to phrase what I want to say here Al. I understand that lots of folks would be miffed at the content of my web page. The page is loaded with all kinds of new-agey buzzwords. I myself don't trust pop new-age.

I did experience some genuine phenomena and have attempted to phrase my experiences in the metaphors that come closest to the actual experience. Many of the most apropos metaphors happen to be spiritual metaphors. I draw these metaphors from the literature and personal description that appear in the many and various cultural matrices that have existed in all times and places throughout human history.

The problem with me is my self-expression. Like you I have a "fire in the belly" to express my life experiences.

In the sixties, as an adolescent, I was a hippie idealist. I dropped out of the honors class of Jefferson High School Elizabeth NJ to hit the road. I sought to experience transcendent highs. I took a fair amount of LSD in the sixties. I was unable to achieve full transcendence.

It may sound strange, but I have no regrets for the rather extreme experiences I went through. Even though my ability to "make it" here in the world has been severely compromised, I feel that I have been in touch with some of the deeper strata of what it means to be alive.

BOBBY: In my COLUMN NINETEEN, I characterize myself as suffering from a chronic case of assholism. Looking back, I see I was an asshole again to have sent you such a snotty put down. I've come to realize that I've got to give free speech to everybody, including those I disagree with and sometimes even detest. As long as they keep it readable. My own philosophy is that it's gotta be fun to read. I want my column to be a forum for anyone with anything vital to say. I'd be pleased and honored to link your page to mine. ---Al

I hope you don't "detest" what I have to say in the few personal pieces I have placed on my page. (I don't really think you personally would "detest" what I have written). I believe my pieces to be fairly balanced and intelligently written... even though there are buzzwords like "aliens" and "near-death" and "spirituality" included.

I'm not quite sure why you would like to link my page, but I too am "pleased and honored". Actually, after first reading some of your online columns, I recommended your site to Howard Rheingold, currently the producer of *Electric Minds*, a quality interactive site on the web. You may be interested to check him out. Further, I'll forward to you what I wrote to him.

The other day I read your latest column on the Beatles, Dylan and the events surrounding your friend vomiting at McCartney's bathroom door. I enjoyed this reading as I have enjoyed other of your columns. The disclosures about the inflated egos of superstardom is relevant and stories that need to be told. I honor the high creative work of these artists and appreciate the human failings.

Reading such reminds me of the woundings I suffered as an young hippie idealist at the hands of those who are very "full of themselves". In those days I was very naive. I figured that folks who sang and spoke with such trenchant meaning and sensitivity should obviously be highly evolved. It was shocking and confusing to come to know their human foibles and failings. I made the mistake of taking it all personally and I "lost it".

Thanks again Al for your self-disclosure of "assholeness". who was it, Smokey Robinson? who sang...."everybody gets to play the fool, sometimes"

I sure been very foolish in my life at times. Just another human.

Regards,

Bob Manrodt bobby@ptd.net

*Sacred Transformations* http://www.well.com/user/bobby/ ##

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