We Are All Bobby Seale
Once upon a time, in the olden days, there was a trial in the city of Chicago under the auspices of the original Mayor Richard Daly. The year was 1968. The trial became known as the trial of the Chicago 7. It was very famous. If you want to know more about it, you can find accounts elsewhere as that is not my purpose today.

During the trial one of the defendants, Bobby Seale, wished to represent himself or at the very least to have an attorney of his choosing. The city and the judges decided the they trial should be bundled, that all of the defendants should be tried together. Mr. Seale continued to complain about this decision so he was bound and gagged during the trial. A representative sketch accompanies this post.

I was reminded of Bobby Seale today while viewing the video of Andrew Meyer, a senior honor student at the University of Florida who was trying to ask unpopular questions of the junior senator from Massachusetts, being manhandled and tasered by the police/security personnel.


We are all Bobby Seale. We are all half an inch away from being subjected to violence for saying something unpopular, for challenging our leaders. You and I are next.