Even Aging "Hippies" Love Their Country

This really isn't much of a diary. No great wisdom here. This video came to me through the blog of my good friend John Farr, and to him through Donita Sparks at FireDogLake. In this day of questioning people's patriotism at the drop of a hat; of hands over hearts, and lapel pins; of measuring who loves their country more, it spoke to me. I don't know. It's not much. Three aging "hippies," one of whom is gone now, singing a song in a field.

•  Tips for aging hippies

  by Travis Stark on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:33:40 AM PDT

  •  Wave that Flag, Wild and High ! nt

    by Theghostofkarlafayetucker on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:34:36 AM PDT

•  that's the coolest thing I've seen all day

  to be fair, it's 6:30.

  It may be the coolest thing I see all day.

  ODFHs rock.

  by VelvetElvis on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:37:25 AM PDT

•  That was beautiful. Thank you.

  Long live The Greatful Dead! (please ignore the literary oxymoron) ;)

  by notquitedelilah on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:39:09 AM PDT

•  Boy that goes back a bit.

  Thanks for posting.

  by Owllwoman on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:42:35 AM PDT

•  I'm Uncle Sam, that's who I am . . .

  by RadMod on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:44:13 AM PDT

•  If you check the menu of the vid, you will

  find The great Marvin Gaye singing the Anthem at a basketball game.  Amazing!

  by notquitedelilah on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 04:47:59 AM PDT

•  Man, I Miss Jerry

  From an interview with Dennis McNally,  something that I only wish were true of politicians: "One of the reasons Jerry did not talk on stage was that he was very anti-authoritarian and he recognized that as a musician with a loud sound system and people in a room, he had a responsibility.  He didn't talk because with that implicit power relationship, he could trip someone out.  He felt that music, even harsh, nasty sounding music that the Grateful Dead could play, in Space, for instance, had no content as such, that it was what people put into it.  They didn't make stage announcements or engage in the usual banter you hear from the stage and there was very conscious reasoning behind that."

  by SteveG on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 05:34:13 AM PDT

•  That's Wonderful!

  Aging hippie here, and hearing those guys sing that song is awesome.

  —jg, with no fancy words

  by JG in MD on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 05:41:51 AM PDT

•  fabulous

  actually made me feel patriotic.  The Dead, in all their simplicity, a Vietnam color guard, in all their somber symbolism, smoke, crowds, cheers, baseball... what a mish mosh,. which imo is where the greatness lies.  Yes!  It's everybody's flag.  Now, as we approach the dawn at the end of the tortuous violent pillaging Bush night, will it still be there?  For all of us?

  by Tulip on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 06:15:23 AM PDT

•  Grateful Dead

  and baseball. That's about as American as it gets.

  by Blue Intrigue on Tue Apr 15, 2008 at 06:33:06 AM PDT