'75 Gerald Ford attacker hoped to start revolution

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The woman who fired a gun at President Gerald Ford in 1975 says in an interview that she believed the country would change only through a violent revolution.

Sara Jane Moore tells NBC's "Today" show that she now realizes the world did not share the radical views that many people held in California in those turbulent times.

The interview broadcast Thursday was her first TV interview since she was released on parole in late 2007, NBC said.

In September 1975, Moore, then 45, fired on Ford as he waved to a crowd in San Francisco. A man near her knocked the pistol out of her hand and the shot went astray.

On politics, she said she now knows she was hearing only one side of the story. The radicals were calling for change and she genuinely thought that shooting Ford "might trigger that new revolution."


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hYow6mvVBqEovPl1GN2BwrKuJYTgD98F89M84

But what was that Thomas Jefferson said about a certain tree again?

Sarah Jane Moore was an incompetent whose gun fell apart as she tried to shoot. She was also a sad woman who sought to fit in with some group, any group, and thought that shooting Ford would make her popular.

Again, that's the play, not real life, but it jibes with a lot of the radicals I used to know. They always believed that the people were behind them, when in fact people wanted to live their own lives without being obsessed with politics and evil.

They felt that by protesting, and their Weathermen buddies blowing up stuff, the vast middle class would suddenly realize what a lie their lives and all of America was, and they'd be glad to overthrow democracy for a Communist government.

The middle class was troubled - they didn't like the Vietnam War either - but they weren't going to put their futures in the hands of some kids who just read "The Autobiography of Che Guevara" in their college library.

Of course, it all reached a point of self-destruction when the Weather Underground started ripping each other apart for not being dedicated enough to the revolutionary ideal. Ever since then, Democrats have been calling each other names and tearing down their mutual goals; Republicans are new to the game, but they're catching up fast.

change much by changing the occupant of the Oval Office and the majority in Congress. Maybe Roosevelt was the last time that happened in a big way.

Everything was in place for an equally dramatic change in 2009 as occcured after 1933--a once in a lifetime opportunity. Instead, we seem to have gotten some kind of amalgam of Clinton's third term and Bush's third term.

Sadly, the legal precedents being set since January 2009 may well outlive all of Obama, Bush and Clinton.

:thumbsup:

forward to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

even if nobody ever reads it

It occurs to me that FDR came into office at a time when one of the prime concerns was a fascist take over of the country. Dust bowls and depression had radicalized the people to the point where folks like Huey P Long were considered the prime political contenders to FDR. Probably what we need to push Obama is someone on the left that concerns him about getting re-elected. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that isn't Ralph or Dennis. I'm fairly sure that Al won't do it either. Russ?

She was widely blamed for the murder of one progressive prisoners rights activist.

The popular narration is that she was wracked with guilt, so she decided to make "amends" by killing Ford.

back in the day. I took a call from a woman, had a very nice conversation with her, and then tried to get a call back number -- she said she had none, and just to let EM know Sara Jane Moore had called. :wow: It took me a second to realize who I had been speaking with. She was nothing but pleasant the times I had spoken with her.

:wow:


:hi::hippie:

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