The Rag Blog | The Latest in News and Views from the Progressive Front

Thorne Dreyer :
METRO EVENT | Gentle Thursday is back!

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

The legendary ’60s Austin happening returns as part of a 4-day celebration of the original Rag.

Poster designed by Trudy Stern. Trudy, then Trudy Minkoff, also
created the art for the first Gentle Thursday in 1966.

By Thorne Dreyer | The Rag Blog | October 12, 2016

Event: Gentle Thursday
What: Do-it-yourself happening with outdoor stage
Occasion: 50th Anniversary Rag Reunion and Public Celebration
Music and Spoken Word: Open mic
When: Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Vortex Theater
Address: 307 Manor Rd., Austin, TX 78722
Cost: Free and open to the public

Gentle Thursday returns! The “celebration of fun” is at Vortex Theater, Thursday, October 13, 2016, 4:30-7 p.m. This outdoor event serves as a reunion and remembrance of the SDS- and Rag-sponsored Gentle Thursday happenings that helped transform the UT campus and community in the late ‘60s.

The original Gentle Thursday was organized by SDS and The Rag in October 1966, “as a celebration of our belief that there is nothing wrong with fun.” (See “Gentle Thursday” article from Celebrating The Rag, below.)

This event also marks the beginning of a four-day 50th Anniversary Rag Reunion and Public Celebration at multiple Austin venues, Thursday-Friday, October 13-16.
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Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged 2016 Rag Reunion, Austin History, Celebrating The Rag, Gentle Thursday, Metro, Sixties, The Rag, University Freedom Movement, Vortex Theater | 1 Comment

Steve Russell :
Dakota Access Pipeline: Legal encounters of
the third kind

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

The Indians do not claim their right to safe drinking water as U.S. citizens, but as human beings.

Solidarity rally against the Dakota Access Pipeline, St. Paul, Minnesota, September 13, 2016. Photo by Fibonacci Blue / Twitter / Creative Commons.

By Steve Russell | The Rag Blog | September 28, 2016

Listen to the podcast of Thorne Dreyer’s September 23, 2016 Rag Radio interview with Steve Russell and Geronimo Son about the Native American protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, here:

Briefcase warriors who start out meaning to defend their people quickly discover the practical meaning of a lawyer Latin phrase, sui generis. It’s a fancy way to describe a class of one, and it’s the only way to make sense of federal Indian law.

U.S. law everywhere but Louisiana is rooted in the English common law. Historians pretend that the modern nation-state came to be in the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. If that pretense were true, the elevation of secular law over canon law would date from that time. Some other fake dates for the common law are 1066, when William the Bastard became William the Conqueror by completing the Norman conquest of England and reshuffling the feudal land titles at the base of the law, and 1215, when King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta and admit that the power of kings is not absolute.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged American History, Civil Disobedience, Civil Rights Movement, Dakota Access Pipeline, Direct Action, Environment, Indian Law, Native American Protest, Native Americans, Rag Bloggers, Standing Rock Sioux, Steve Russell | 4 Comments

Alice Embree :
METRO | Remembering Frank Erwin and the Waller Creek trees

Posted on September 20, 2016 by Alice Embree

This feature is in the book ‘Celebrating The Rag’ to be released during festivities, set for Oct. 13-16, honoring Austin’s iconic underground newspaper.

Frank Erwin, former chairman of the UT-Austin Board of Regents. Art by Jim Franklin / The Rag / October 28, 1969.

By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | September 20, 2016

AUSTIN — The following post, is a brief description that accompanies Jim Franklin’s cover art for the October 28, 1969 issue of The Rag. It will be included in a book, Celebrating The Rag: Austin’s Iconic Underground Newspaper, scheduled for release in October 2016. The book will be available at the upcoming Rag Reunion and Public Celebration of Austin’s historic underground newspaper, The Rag, that published from 1966-1977.

Celebrating The Rag includes more than 100 articles from the original Rag, accompanied by art and photography, including work by artists Jim Franklin, Gilbert Shelton, Kerry Awn, Trudy Minkoff, and Marie Valleroy and photographers Alan Pogue and Danny Schweers, as well as several contemporary essays reflecting on the history and impact of the paper. This is the third Rag Blog post of material to be published in the Rag book.
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Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged 2016 Rag Reunion, Alice Embree, Austin History, Celebrating The Rag, Frank Erwin, Jim Franklin, Metro, Rag Bloggers, Sixties, The Rag, Underground Press, UT-Austin | 6 Comments

Alice Embree :
METRO | Remembering Lt. Burt Gerding,
Austin Red Squad cop

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Alice Embree

A feature on Gerding is included in ‘Celebrating The Rag,’ a book to be released during festivities honoring Austin’s iconic underground newspaper.

Photo by Belmer Wright published in The Rag, January 15, 1968.

By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | September 5, 2016

AUSTIN — Lt. Burt Gerding was the best known face of Austin’s Red Squad in the ’60s and early 70s. He was omnipresent, often with his camera as shown in the photo above by Belmer Wright. The following post, a brief description to accompany Wright’s photo, will be included in a book, Celebrating The Rag: Austin’s Iconic Underground Newspaper, scheduled for release in October 2016. The book will be available at the upcoming Rag Reunion and Public Celebration of Austin’s historic underground newspaper, The Rag, that published from 1966-1977.

Celebrating The Rag will include more than 100 articles from the original Rag, accompanied by art and photography, including work by artists Jim Franklin, Gilbert Shelton, Kerry Awn, Trudy Minkoff, and Marie Valleroy and photographers Alan Pogue and Danny Schweers, as well as several contemporary essays reflecting on the history and impact of the paper. This is the second post of material to be published in the Rag book.
Continue reading →

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged 2016, Alice Embree, Belmer Wright, Burt Gerding, Celebrating The Rag, Metro, Rag Bloggers | 2 Comments

Steve Russell :
Two wars for the American West

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

The older war is known collectively as the Indian wars. The second is a continuation of the bloodiest conflict in the history of the nation, the Civil War.

Native Americans, based at the Sacred Stone Spiritual Camp, in stand-off during protest against Dakota Access Pipeline which is crossing treaty lands. Image from Bronx Climate Justice North.

By Steve Russell | The Rag Blog | September 5, 2016

Two wars are simmering in the Western United States, both thought to have ended long ago and both making a job with the federal government a potential assignment to the front lines. An interactive map, published by High Country News, shows how dangerous it is these days to work for one of the government agencies managing public land.

The older war is known by a collective description, the Indian wars. The newer war is the one so far causing more danger to government employees. It’s a continuation of the bloodiest conflict in the history of the nation, the Civil War.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Civil War, Cliven Bundy, Dakota Access Pipeline, Indian Wars, Malheur Wildlife Refuge, Militia Movement, Rag Bloggers, Standing Rock Sioux, Steve Russell | 4 Comments

Lamar W. Hankins :
Donald Trump, white resentment, racism,
and a ‘great’ America

Posted on August 6, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

More than 40 years of racist actions and comments demonstrate what we normally call racism.

Donald Trump. Creative Commons image.

By Lamar W. Hankins | The Rag Blog | August 6, 2016

I have been aware of white resentment toward blacks since at least 1954, but this presidential election campaign brought back a memory from 1958, when I was in junior high school. I was active then in the Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF). During a discussion group one day, led by an adult youth leader from our church, we talked about race and race relations, though I don’t remember how we got on that topic.

The MYF leader worked at the Gulf Oil refinery in Port Arthur. Neither of the local refineries (the other one was Texaco) hired black employees then. The MYF leader argued against letting blacks work at the refinery because they would compete for his job. He did not want the competition. He had a family to support and would never favor any changes that might threaten his job. Though some of us challenged our leader about his clearly racist views, he saw nothing wrong with denying blacks such opportunities, which were a privilege that white people had, but not blacks.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Donald Trump, Genotyping, Lamar W. Hankins, Racism, Rag Bloggers, Right Wing Extremists, White Privilege, White Supremacy | 7 Comments

Alice Embree :
The murder of George J. Vizard IV

Posted on July 27, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

George, a Ragstaffer and leading force in the Austin left, was found dead in the cold locker of an Austin convenience store in 1967.

George Vizard, shown selling Austin’s underground newspaper, The Rag, in front of the University Co-op on the Drag across from the UT campus. Seated is his wfe, Mariann Vizard. Photo: October 1966.

By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | July 27, 2016

Rag Blog associate editor Alice Embree wrote the following article — about the life and murder of original Ragstaffer George Vizard — for a book that will be released this October in conjunction with a 50th Anniversary “Rag Reunion and Public Celebration” of Austin’s historic underground newspaper, The Rag, that published from 1966-1977. The Rag has been reborn into the digital age as The Rag Blog, with many original Ragstaffers involved in the paper’s online resurrection, including George’s widow, Mariann (pictured above), who later changed her last name to “Wizard.”
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Posted in Metro, Rag Reunion 2016, RagBlog | Tagged Alice Embree, Austin Activists, Austin History, George Vizard, Mariann G. Wizard, Metro, Rag Bloggers, Rag Reunion 2016, SDS, Sixties, The Rag, Underground Press | 7 Comments

David McReynolds :
Donald Trump, the unexpected guest
with my curry

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

When I found my young friend, the attorney, was considering voting for Trump, it suggested to me that Trump might win.

Feed me! Grab from No Holds Barred / YouTube / Creative Commons.

By David McReynolds | The Rag Blog | July 15, 2016

NEW YORK — A few weeks ago a couple of friends invited me to dinner at a nice little place, Heart of India, on Second Avenue and Fifth Street. One friend is a multi-talented master of film, and the other is a lawyer. I got to the restaurant early, and the first one to arrive was the young lawyer.

We were making idle conversation, waiting for the final friend. I was rambling on about how I had never seen any candidate so totally shredded as Donald Trump. The late night show, The Daily Show, every comic strip, The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Daily News.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged 2016 Elections, David McReynolds, Donald Trump, Presidential Campaign, Rag Bloggers | 8 Comments

Jeff Shero Nightbyrd :
Should we disarm the police?

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

A policeman who kills becomes prosecutor, judge, and executioner without facts and a trial.

This cover of RAT, the New York undergrounder which Jeff edited, is from the August 12-26, 1969 issue. There’s also a new RAT website.

By Jeff Shero Nightbyrd | The Rag Blog | July 15, 2016

Five policemen were assassinated in Dallas. No surprise. In America on average 25 blacks are killed by police a month. And Dallas exists in a sort of negative vortex, a predictor of violent trends.

Once again, there’s been great hand-wringing over America as a twisted violent culture. But in fact violence has dropped precipitously over the last two decades. Despite more gun ownership, victims of non-fatal violent crime have dropped from 7,976 per hundred thousand to 2,254 per hundred thousand. In 1993, seven people were killed, today the figure is 3.6.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Gun Violence, Jeff Shero, Jeffrey Nightbyrd, Non-Lethal Weapons, Police Culture, Police Violence, Rag Bloggers | 2 Comments

The Rag Blog :
METRO EVENT | ‘The Big Luauski’: Thorne Dreyer Birthday Bash and Rag Blog Hawaiian Shirt Blowout!

Posted on July 13, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

Legendary Austin band Greezy Wheels headlines the festivities at The High Road on Dawson.

By The Rag Blog | The Rag Blog | July 13, 2016

AUSTIN — Dude. It’s the Big Luauski!

Greezy Wheels will be rolling at the Thorne Dreyer Birthday Bash and Hawaiian Shirt Blowout at the High Road on Dawson, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Thursday, July 28, 2016. The legendary Austin band performs at the event which celebrates Rag Blog editor and Rag Radio host Dreyer’s 71st birthday (which, to be technical, actually falls on August 1).

Guests are invited to wear Island gear or to pick up a shirt, for a $15 donation, from a beautiful collection of vintage Hawaiian shirts donated for the occasion by Eileen Hatcher. There will be Hawaiian munchies and a cash bar.

Also performing will be the “environmental troubadour” Bill Oliver (with a bag of Hawaiian goodies!) and our special guest will be filmmaker Keith Maitland, whose film, Tower, about the UT Tower sniper is receiving widespread acclaim.

The High Road on Dawson, the former Elk’s Club, is located at 700 Dawson Road, just south of Barton Springs Rd., in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood. There’s plenty of parking on the premises. The phone number is 512-442-8535.

A suggested $15 dollar donation at the door and proceeds from the sale of Hawaiian shirts benefits the New Journalism Project, a Texas 501(c)(3) nonprofit that publishes The Rag Blog and sponsors Rag Radio. Donations are tax-deductible.

Check out the Big Luauski event page at Facebook.

Event: The Big Luauski
What: Thorne Dreyer Birthday Bash & Hawaiian Shirt Blowout
Sponsor: Benefit for The Rag Blog & Rag Radio
Musical performance: Greezy Wheels
When: Thursday, July 28, 2016, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Where: The High Road on Dawson
Address: 700 Dawson Rd., Austin, TX 78704
Suggested donation: $15 at door; $15 for Hawaiian shirt
Who can come: You!

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged Big Luauski, Bill Oliver, Dreyer Birthday, Hawaiian Shirts, High Road on Dawson, Metro, New Journalism Project, Rag Blog Benefit, Thorne Dreyer | 1 Comment

Alice Embree :
2016 Rag Reunion and Public Celebration: Where to stay in Austin this October

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

We have arranged for a block of comfy, affordable, and environmentally-friendly hotel suites for attendees seeking accommodations.

Patio at the Habitat Suites in Austin.

By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | July 6, 2016

Hi, Ragstaffers and fellow travelers!

UPDATE: There are no more rooms available at the Habitat Suites, though there is a hospitality suite for all Rag Reunion attendees.

The upcoming four-day 50th Anniversary Rag Reunion and Public Celebration (“50 Years and Still Raising Hell!”), slated for October 13-16, 2016, in Austin, is coming together in unprecedented fashion and we already have heard from dozens around the country who plan to attend.

You can find the ever-growing schedule of events here, and much more about The Rag and plans for the 50th Anniversary celebration here.

Continue reading →

Posted in Rag Reunion 2016 | Tagged Alice Embree, Habitat Suites, Rag 50th Anniversary, Rag Reunion 2016, Reunion Accomodations | 7 Comments

Bill Oakey :
METRO | JAZZ | The magic of Sarah Sharp’s music: Be careful, or it will sweep you away

Posted on July 6, 2016 by Thorne Dreyer

Sarah is poised to scale the tall slopes that stand between her and national record label success.

Jazz singer Sarah Sharp in performance. Photo from SarahSharp.com.

By Bill Oakey | The Rag Blog | July 6, 2016

Sarah Sharp will be Thorne Dreyer’s guest on Rag Radio — in conversation and live performance — Friday, July 8, 2-3 p.m., on KOOP 91.7-FM in Austin and streamed live here. Go to the Rag Radio page for more information about Rag Radio, including other stations where the show can be heard, and to listen to the podcast after the original broadcast.

AUSTIN — They say that life’s unexpected surprises only come along once in a blue moon. Well, the sun was still shining when I left an affordability discussion in the mayor’s office to catch the bus home a few weeks ago. I made an impulsive decision to duck into the Elephant Room and grab a quick beer. Once I stepped up to the bar, I heard an incredible voice coming through the speaker system. It was late afternoon and the club had just barely opened.