Send My Greetings (No. 1 In Heaven) – MNDR
I have a new upbeat record finished. This record is my homage to Patty Hearst and her moment of extreme political radicalness and her involvement with the SLA (Simbionese Liberation Army).
Patty Hearst is the heir to the Hearst publishing fortune. She was raised with a diamond silver spoon in her mouth in SF. At age 19 while attending UC Berkeley (1974), she was kidnapped, held hostage, and used as ransom by the SLA. The SLA kidnapped her in order to further their cause of feeding the poor and taking down the prison system in America. The SLA asked for $70/person for every poor person in California which added up to $400 million for Patty’s safe return. They received $6 million from the Hearst family along with donations of food for the poor in California. The SLA felt that the food was of poor quality and did not release Patty Hearst. Patty was eventually recovered by the FBI after spending over a month with the SLA.
After her recovery she willingly returned to the SLA and their cause. Keep in mind that the SLA was more extreme than the Black Panther’s and believed in urban guerilla warfare to further their cause. The SLA philosophy was to take down the prison system in America by waging war on The United States. They believed that the prison system was a modern form of slavery of African Americans and the poor class.
Here was her quote when she was arrested after returning to the SLA.
“Tell everybody that I’m smiling, that I feel free and strong and I send my greetings and love to all the sisters and brothers out there.”
I love these moments in life. Where the veil has been dropped and their is a moment of clarity…bliss. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything and she was brain washed. It doesn’t really matter to me. These moments of absolute certainty are so powerful.
Imagine if Paris Hilton was kidnapped by a radical politcal organization, recovered and then left her fame and fortune to become a full time member of an urban guerilla warfare organization.
Where is the passion in all of this decadence in our time?
I have more to say on this topic….especially having lived in The Bay area. More to come.
This story always fascinated me..its beyond mere stockholm syndrome..i find it interesting you made the parallel between her lifestyle before being kidnapped (most likely privileged excess) and Paris Hilton’s..it would take much longer, but i’m sure enough time spent thrust into a world where all the money in the world means nothing would , after her release, would alter her perception of whats really important..for at least 2 days.