PERSONAL STORIES

Orlando Letelier was assassinated in Washington, D.C. by DINA, the secret police organization of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. These are my impressions of the funeral march, along with some background on politics in Chile.

"Standing there in that hushed crowd with a lump in my throat and the cold rain washing down my face, I knew with moral certainty that standing up and speaking the truth was always the right thing to do, because it strikes at the heart of Power."

This is a story about an anti-war demonstration in a small Southern city, and an unexpected confrontation with the mayor and police chief.

"The police chief looked very distressed. ‘If y'all don't leave right now y'all'll be arrested,' he said flatly."

This is a narrative about living in Los Angeles and experiencing the Rodney King riots, urban decay, and personal alienation.

"Is this the beginning of the Revolution? Will a new world finally rise from the ashes? Or is it the Apocalypse?"