Like millions of others, Bernie was a back to the land Hippie

[cali]

He moved to the country, did a lot of odd jobs, built his own funky house, had a kid and eventually got involved in politics. Until recently,no one on DU would condemn anyone for this.

Fuck the wing nut style hippie bashing.

Signed,

An old Vermont hippie.

[kath]

1. Yes, the Hillarians are hippie-bashing today. Fuck that shit.

[cali]

2. They do a lot of that.

[Ron Green]

4. They got nothin'.

No policy ideas, no sense of a new direction for the future, no big ideas for peaceful community-building.

Just the will to win.

[lapfog_1]

77. but, but, but...

she has a RESUME!

[arcane1]

8. Hell, they're bashing him today for not being RICH!!

How much more intellectually bankrupt can the attacks get, once it's reached that level of absurdity?

[George II]

24. Where?

[rbrnmw]

43. that's what I'm wondering??

[George II]

44. Nowhere I've seen. Just throw it out, a big % of the people will believe it because "it was said".

[rbrnmw]

46. right

[closeupready]

95. oh, pffft ... bwahahaha!! You now reach for conspiracies to explain

the evident unpopularity of your candidate here.... Too funny...

[George II]

96. So where was that said on DU, or anywhere in fact?

[Arazi]

49. This thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511319600

[George II]

57. Sorry, the only reference to "hippies" or "hippyness" in that thread...

.....were from Sanders supporters.

[Zorra]

31. I'm beginning to think that many Clinton supporters are actually farther to the right

than moderate republicans.

[appalachiablue]

36. That's crossed my mind at times too, it's foul.

[HooptieWagon]

3. That was very common in the late 60s.

The Whole Earth Catalogs and Mother Earth News magazine specifically targeted the back to the land movement. I've still got mine.

[MuseRider]

10. Spanish Pipedream - John Prine

She was a level-headed dancer on the road to alcohol
And I was just a soldier on my way to Montreal
Well she pressed her chest against me
About the time the juke box broke
Yeah, she gave me a peck on the back of the neck
And these are the words she spoke


[Chorus:]
Blow up your TV throw away your paper
Go to the country, build you a home
Plant a little garden, eat a lot of peaches
Try an find Jesus on your own


Well, I sat there at the table and I acted real naive
For I knew that topless lady had something up her sleeve
Well, she danced around the bar room and she did the hoochy-coo
Yeah she sang her song all night long, tellin' me what to do


[Chorus]


Well, I was young and hungry and about to leave that place
When just as I was leavin', well she looked me in the face
I said "You must know the answer."
"She said, "No but I'll give it a try."
And to this very day we've been livin' our way
And here is the reason why


We blew up our TV threw away our paper
Went to the country, built us a home
Had a lot of children, fed 'em on peaches
They all found Jesus on their own

[starroute]

25. Oh, thanks, I was trying to remember that one

Also "got to get back to the land" (Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock&quot .

And "two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard." (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, "Our House.&quot

And I'm sure there were others. The soundtrack of a generation.

[MuseRider]

33. As I get older

I have a new appreciation for my generation. The times we lived through and what we did as young activists, how we learned and adapted and changed things. All to have it come falling down with Reagan and his call to the worst in people.

That music. I now understand the nostalgia I saw my mother go through over Frank Sinatra and Glen Miller etc. I thought it was just silly. Ahh live and learn. "Ah but I may as well try and catch the wind".

[Awknid]

50. My Mom loved Glenn Miller too

I couldn't understand at all! But after watching several movies about WWII and those times I realized she had as strong or stronger a connection to those songs than we did to ours. That generation went through some stuff!

[kgnu_fan]

78. hahaha!

[shanti]

14. mother earth news: that was my favorite mag back in the day

i started reading them when i was about 18, in 1973. i just liked the idea of doing things the "old way". i saved them until a divorce in the 80's had them tossed in the trash.

my ex wasn't into "back to the land", so these ideals never went anywhere. now, i'm too old and it's too late but i still remember them fondly!

[HooptieWagon]

17. The early issues were great.

I've still got a bunch. Besides farming and gardening info (which I am terrible at) there was also a lot of DIY articles and shop tips. Also quaint hippie stuff like 'how to build a teepee'. LOL! Fun reading. I've seen them on the magazine rack at home improvement stores recently, it's nothing like they were.

[jwirr]

97. The owners sold Mother Earth News and the new owners

modernized it. The original owners are not publishing a very similar magazine they call Back Home. At least that is what I think it is called. All our copies are out at our small farm (hippie ranch).

[MuseRider]

28. They are published a couple of miles

from my farm. One of the editors is a friend. It is a wonderful magazine still. I think bvar has had pictures in that magazine, is he still around? I miss him.

[MineralMan]

80. I wrote a few articles for Mother Earth News back in

the early 80s. Here's one of them:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/build-a-hot-tub-zmaz80mazraw.aspx?PageId=1

[shanti]

90. very cool, mineralman!

[MineralMan]

91. Thanks.

Fun times.

[HooptieWagon]

100. Yes, that would be typical article back then.

[MineralMan]

105. I didn't write long for them. I moved on

to Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Family Handyman and Mechanix Illustrated. I did a woodworking project book for Rodale Press, and then I switched to writing for computer magazines.

[CentralMass]

101. I have a lot of those old issues and remember this article.

[MineralMan]

104. How cool!

[appalachiablue]

37. There isn't a special group here for Hippies of varying ages and backgrounds

I don't think. That would be so cool, to discuss these kinds of things.

Hippies Rock!

(and drive people like Rahm nuts!)

[HooptieWagon]

47. A group would be a good idea.

I was just a few years too young in the 60's, but trying to follow up with events and understand what was going on. Went to my first big show in '73...Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers at RFK Stadium...I was 16, went with some older hippies friends in their VW Bus. Also knew some returned Vietnam Vets and got their perspective. In following years I did get to meet and hang out with some icons...Abbie Hoffman, many musicians of the 60s, and the clothing designer for Jimi and Janis!
I see a big resurgence in the hippie movement now...GenXers and Millenials. A good idea never dies, it just gets reborn over and over.

[kgnu_fan]

76. Yes, I used to read them --- many great ideas. baking bread in a solar oven nt

[ebayfool]

106. The Foxfire series - I still reference mine!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxfire_%28magazine%29

The Whole Earth Catalogs and Mother Earth News magazine were awesome. I saved them for years, but alas - they were lost along the way!

And you're right - that was more the norm in the 60s, even into the 70s.

[HooptieWagon]

108. Forgot about Foxfire!

I've got 5 or 6 of those books packed away somewhere.

[WDIM]

5. My respect for Bernie grows. nt

[MuseRider]

6. I approve of this message!

From an old Kansas hippie, yes there were lots of us.

Read, Cows Are Freaky when They Look at You: An Oral History of the Kaw Valley Hemp Pickers.

[Dont call me Shirley]

19. Had I known there was a kaw valley hemp picker club...the fun I coulda had.

[MuseRider]

26. Oh yes baby!

They were older than I was so I basked in the glory knowing they were around. Ditch weed was about all there was around me until about 1971 or 72 when quality began to reach those of us just coming into college.

That book is really interesting. I have a copy and enjoy pulling it out now and again. Lawrence, Kansas was the place to be. I was 35 miles West but we made it in often.

So did you grow up around Lawrence?

[Dont call me Shirley]

69. No...

Lived and hung out in Johnson County. Didn't go to Lawrence much, although I did see Bob Marley in concert there right before he passed.

I do remember the ditch weed. The weed mid-to-late 70s in KC was the best. It's too strong theses days.

[MuseRider]

70. Yes it is not like it used to be

and I guess that is good or bad depending. I am a light weight, I really can't use it. I embarrass myself, much too strong for me.

We used to cure the ditch weed on the radiators of our cars. Dried it out nicely but damn that stuff was nasty.

That book is still available. It is pretty interesting. Some really funny stories in it too. I would give anything to be able to go back to Lawrence in the 60's and 70's. That was just the most remarkable place in the world to me but then we had Verne Miller in Topeka all the damn time so remarkable was never possible.

[Dont call me Shirley]

71. Lightweight too. I'll look for the book. I'm sure I could add a few funny KS stories to it...LOL....

[jwirr]

99. In Iowa the ditch weed was dangerous because TPTB sprayed

it with weed killers. If you picked it before it died you were going to get good and sick.

[islandmkl]

81. did you ever go to the BIG EAT? I still have a button from '69 or '70....

had a Kaw Valley Hemp Picker t-shirt...

went through a Vern Miller bust and some of Rex Johnson's Douglas County Sheriff(s) 'overlooked' some stuff because they didn't like all the Attorney General's grandstanding and riling up the street people and students...dodged a little (or not so little) jail time there...

my buddy George Kimballl ran for Sheriff...had a great hippie campaign, walked around with a six-gun, cowboy hat...and held court at the Gaslight...

those were some live days...

[Waiting For Everyman]

7. Lots of voters were too, and their kids vote by now as well.

Not very smart of the Hillarians. As usual.

[Gregorian]

9. My neighbor is a New York Jew from Brooklyn.

Came here in '74, and built a house like that. He's the same age as Bernie. He recently broke his clavicle falling off his bike while riding around stoned. There were many different types of hippies just like there are people.

[Wilms]

11. Heh. The hippies were right.

Still are.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. A familar life story here in Oregon...

nt

[cali]

13. Run, Hillarians, run run run away

[dimple]

15. I, personally, stay the hell away from hippie-punchers

[zappaman]

16. Ok. n/t

[Uncle Joe]

18. Tricky Dick Nixon and Henry Kissinger hated Hippies.

https://books.google.com/books?id=fLulFlbAJGgC&pg=PA342&lpg=PA342&dq=henry+kissinger+hippies&source=bl&ots=BFgXP8F6Bg&sig=4GgZAUbB49yNK23AIW0v2tis57U&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9nq3KjY_LAhUGJx4KHdExDl8Q6AEIKzAF#v=onepage&q=henry%20kissinger%20hippies&f=false



Thanks for the thread, cali.

[sarge43]

20. Team Clinton is in good company now.

[Jefferson23]

93. ha ha I have no doubt they did and with a vengenance. n/t

[UglyGreed]

21. New Democrats

who put money before people, war before peace, exclusion before inclusion, profits before philanthropy....

[roguevalley]

22. I really really love his house. :D

[YOHABLO]

23. The Presidency is just another 'notch in her belt'.. Hillary just lacks 'coolness'.

Previous generations would have called her 'square'. She couldn't find a beat if her life depended on it. What is it with establishment white folk? Was Hillary too busy with the Young Republicans to have had a clue what was going on in the culture around her back in the 60s? To busy supporting Barry Goldwater? To use the term 'Hippie' as a way to demean Bernie won't work with progressives of my generation, or even the younger generations. To be 'hip' has very positive connotations for me.

[tk2kewl]

42. I wonder if a dose might change her outlook

[Blue_In_AK]

27. That's about the same time period I left San Francisco

for the wilds of Bolinas and later a hippie commune in Takilma, Oregon. Good times.

[2banon]

86. Bolinas!! <3

The secret coastal 'village' on the coast line north of san francisco not easily found by tourist.

[Blue_In_AK]

87. Brigadoon. LOL.

Some of the best years of my life were spent there, 1970-74, where the inmates ran the asylum.

[2banon]

103. used to go jam with Perry Fly at his digs there

in the late 70's. I think he still lives there, hear him on the radio sometimes doing live performances here and aroud the Bay Area.. worked for him a couple of summers, selling his dancing puppets at Ren Faire. Since have met other musicians who have summer homes there. Nothing fancy. acquired way back in the 70's dirt cheap. hippie style.

my kind of folks.. love Bolinas.

[passiveporcupine]

29. Bernie did not build a house on is property

He converted an old maple-sugar mill into a cabin. Because it was a sugar mill, I suspect that is why it was nicknamed the sugar shack which is now being used as an insult by some in the Hillary camp. Like being a Hippy in those days was a bad thing to be. And he was one of the few who did not use marijuana in those days.

The only building on the property was an old maple-sugar house without electricity or running water, which Sanders converted into a cabin.

Sanders never quite fit the mold of the back-to-the-landers he joined. "I don't think Bernie was particularly into growing vegetables," one friend put it. Nor was he much into smoking them. "He described himself once in my hearing as 'the only person who did not get high in the '60s,'"

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/05/young-bernie-sanders-liberty-union-vermont

[greymouse]

53. no, me too

I decided early on I couldn't spare any brain cells. Never got high.

[Mnpaul]

109. It's been a while since we had a candidate

that lived in a house with no electricity and running water. I think this country would be well served being led by a man of such modest means.

[Amimnoch]

30. *gasp* my parents were hippies, and I've had a WONDERFUL upbringing for it.

I missed the post where there's hippie bashing though?

My parents were Hippies, I was raised to love ALL of my fellow man and woman-kind.

My parents were Hippies, from them I learned to listen, be independent, value kindness.

My parents were Hippies, in 1990 when I came out to them as gay, I was not shunned, I was not ridiculed, I was not outcast. I was embraced, and supported. (although my mom did state that she wanted grandkids from me anyway).

My parents were Hippies, in 1995 when I introduced them to my black boyfriend (Now my husband of 4.5 years), they took him in and treated him like another son. Never once was the color of his skin the slightest concern.

If only the world were filled with more hippies we could have world peace, loving and accepting societies where intellect and individualism is respected and promoted.

[passiveporcupine]

34. I missed the post where there's hippie bashing though?

I'm not sure if it included Hippie Bashing, but in the Hillary group there is a thread about his early years, mocking him for having a daughter from before his marriage to Jane and mocking him for being married prior to Jane.

It was a pretty short thread...not a lot of participation, thankfully, but I fully expect there to be more threads like that, as this contest goes on.

They also posted a thread about him being on a kibbutz, and nobody knows where it is, like this "mystery" is something that needs to be solved...because???

Lot's of things go on in the protected groups but not out here because they don't want any kind of debate about what they post or why they post it. And yes, I agree, it goes on in the Bernie group too, for the same reasons. It's why I don't really post in private groups. I don't think it's fair to be able to say nasty or questionable things and not get called out on it. I don't care whose side you are on.

[Amimnoch]

38. Not cool at all.

I could see, and would fully expect the "holier than thou" republicans to use divorce, and his daughter as a wedge issue.. disgusting is their usual MO anyway.

Divorce should not be used as a political weapon by Democrats (imo).
Judging people because they had children out of wedlock should not be used as a political weapon.

I know I found some of the Monica comments distasteful here, and I'm not going to change my opinion about those kinds of attacks just because their done by others that support my candidate.

Shameful attacks like that are shameful period. That kind of crap should be left to the religious nutbags and right wing whacko's (imo)

[passiveporcupine]

48. Agreed!

I'm not fond of beer, but wine is OK!

[Arazi]

51. This thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511319600

[Amimnoch]

74. Nice to see it only has 6 rec's.

gives me some hope.

[panader0]

32. I bought my 40 acres in '78

Sunk a well, built my own house and live there still. It was out in the country then, not so secluded now.
Still have long hair.

[MuseRider]

35. I have never gotten over men with long hair.

I love it to this day!

[passiveporcupine]

55. I'm living on ten acres now

And I often live here without water (serious water problems with drought and freeze becuase it's a natural spring). I do have electricity, but I had to have it put in when I moved into this tacky little cabin. I live here for the privacy, peace and quiet, and nature, not because I wanted to live in this cabin or live without water. And I'm getting too old for this shit, but I'll be damned if I'm ready to leave.

I can't imagine living around people again.

[Milliesmom]

39. Guess who just endorsed Bernie

https://soundcloud.com/bernie_sanders/wake-up

[jalan48]

40. Food co-ops and potlucks. It was never about making money.

I think many of the Hillary supporters missed out on that part of history. They don't understand how we can be so outraged when we hear Hillary planned to attend a Bain Capital fundraiser. We've been hating that kind of money shit for a long, long time.

[tommcc99]

41. Hippie here... well actually Yippie:)

I haven't been on DU long, but man does it feel like home.
Thanks to everyone single person in the Bernie Group.
There is hope

And thanks to Bernie Sanders for making it possible for to be able to vote for someone who is a decent human being.
About fucking time!

Almost cut my hair, it happened just the other day.
It's getting' kinda long, I coulda said it wasn't in my way.
But I didn't and I wonder why, I feel like letting my freak flag fly,
Cause I feel like I owe it to someone.
Must be because I had the flu' for Christmas and I'm not feeling up to par.
It increases my paranoia, like looking at my mirror and seeing a police car.
But I'm not giving in an inch to fear cause I missed myself this year.
I feel like I owe it to someone.
When I finally get myself together, I'm going to get down in that sunny southern weather.
And I find a place inside to laugh, separate the wheat from the chaff.
I feel like I owe it to someone.


What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

Peace

[MuseRider]

73. Great song.

They sang that at the concert I saw a couple of years ago, well David Crosby did. I think his son did it with him. I feel like letting my freak flag fly

[GoldenMean]

45. I was part of the Great Hippie Migration to Oregon

Moved out of California in '72 in a 1949 GMC step van Conestoga wagon
Settled in redneck Douglas County
Back when long hair was a "freak flag"
I literally felt roots grow out of my feet when I first stepped on my land
I paid back the $500 food stamp grubstake from the county by being a local first responder for 20 yrs.
I grok Bernie!
The dawning of the Age of Aquarius

[jalan48]

52. I arrived in Astoria in 73. Good times.

[Blue_In_AK]

54. We were in Astoria in December.

I loved it, even in the rain. That bridge is awesome.

[jalan48]

61. Yes-it's a picturesque town.

The bridge is cool-it was fun to watch the big ships go up and down the river, it seemed as if in slow motion.

[wordpix]

63. I was seriously thinking about buying into Cannon Beach 1975

but after a few trips there in winter, I said forget it. It poured rain often. But a beautiful beach there.

[jalan48]

65. Yes, I used to go to CB often. It would have been a good investment back then.

Property values are high there now. The tide pools were great in that area. Haystack Rock

[GoldenMean]

58. I just sprouted my first legal crop in 48 years

We've come a long way baby!
Three Jillybean
Two Bosshog
Three Stacked Kush
Finally unleashed to grow to their heart's content
The war is almost over

[jalan48]

62. Way to go! And I thought $15 an ounce was a good thing back then.

[wordpix]

64. you can grow in OR?

[Blue_In_AK]

67. I too am a horticulturalist.

It's been legal to grow here (for personal use) since 1975. I bought 10 seeds about 12 years ago and haven't had to buy any since. Once in a while I'll let a male live if my seeds are running low.

Growing is fun.

[wordpix]

60. I did that, too but

in time, went back East to live. Family stuff. I still go out West often.

[Voice for Peace]

56. In praise of vermont, a favorite song

[wordpix]

59. here, here for back-to-the-landers who know where food comes from

Yes, this is great news. I am one myself. Best thing I ever did and I still grow a garden every year.

[Shandris]

66. Seeing a house like that brings tears to my eyes.

There is little I wouldn't give to have a quirky isolated place like that, just off a long way from anyone, just me and my ferrets.

Beautiful pic, Cali.

[Arazi]

72. That's Bernie’s first house in Vermont fyi. Abandoned now

If he becomes president, I wonder if VT will take it over and restore it as a "Bernie /back to the land" museum.

I'd go visit

[kgnu_fan]

75. Is this photo his home he built? Beautiful

[Skwmom]

79. And we posted this because??????

[cyberswede]

82. Some posters implied that he was lazy, or something, because he didn't have a 9-5 job back then. nt

[Skwmom]

83. Who cares. Ignore it. Why give them a narrative to use against you? Hmm

[cyberswede]

84. Huh?

I didn't post the OP. And I don't see the OP as a "narrative to use against" Bernie at all.

[jwirr]

102. Then they need to learn more about the back to the land

movement. The whole idea was to drop out of the system and support yourself from the land.

Many of us found out that it could not work that way but we did start by trying. My family now have several homes surrounding a 40 acre farm and work together trying to get as close to that goal as we can. The thing that we changed was that those who can have jobs and help support the healthy foods we raise ourselves.

[Zorra]

88. Maybe because hippies are the polar opposites of the fascist right wing?

[islandmkl]

85. in the long run, and I hope I am around to see it, you know what we'll all find:

the hippies were right!!

sure, some parts didn't work out so well...there are humans involved, for one thing...and there was a great amount of resistance...

but when you see where we are today, the greed, the detachment, the lack of involvement, the utter surrender many people are experiencing due to our 'evolution', especially since Reagan and his both-party clones...well...you have to look for those better days...not the ones behind us, but the ones ahead...

"There's been times that I thought
I wouldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come
Oh, yes it will"

[Vinca]

89. Ah, those were the days. I remember them well.

[bvar22]

92. Love him even more.

I didn't know about him moving to the Woods.
Hooray for Bernie

In 2006, my wife & I moved to The Woods, and are still building our home.
We grow a good percentage of our own food, keep chickens and Honey Bees.

---bvar22 and Starkraven
two old Hippies who never gave up,
living well on a low taxable income
and stuff we learned in the 60s

[oioioi]

94. Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth 1967

[pdsimdars]

98. The reason they bash the hippies . ..

The hippies actually stood for something. They started a revolution that made some cracks in the establishment. That is why they have tried to belittle them all these decades. The hippies and that generation brought about the free speech movement and ended the war in Viet Nam.
What have any of these hippie bashers ever actually done to change the course of America? Nothing but whine and complain and criticize others who are out doing things.

[raging moderate]

107. Do you remember when the music...

A few years ago, there was that song they were playing, something like "Do you remember when the music made you want to do the right thing?" And I cried, because it was true. For awhile, we had a lot of songs that made us want to help others and work for justice and control our own greed and cowardice.