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I was invited to the state young writers conference out at Cheney
Which is at Eastern Washington University. And I was, I didn't want
To embarrass my son, you know, and I was gonna behave myself because
I had lived there then. It was a chore. But I got on the stage. It
Was an enormous auditorium. There were 2700 young faces out there
None of them with any prospects anybody could detect. And off to the
Side of the stage was the suit and tie crowd, the people from the
School district and the principals, and the main speaker following me
Was from the chamber of commerce. Well something inside of me snapped
. And I got to the microphone and I looked out over that multitude of
Faces and I said something to the effect of "You're about to be told
One more time that you're America's most valuable natural resource
Have you seen what they do to valuable natural resources? Have you
Seen a strip mine? Have you seen a clear cut in the forest? Have you
Seen a polluted river? Don't ever let them call you a
Valuable natural resource. They're gonna strip mine your soul
They're gonna clear cut your best thoughts for the sake of
Profit unless you learn to resist. Because the profit system
Follows the path of least resistance and following the
Path of least resistance is what makes the river crooked."
Well there was great gnashing of teeth and rending of garments
Mine. I was borne to the door, screaming epithets over my shoulder
Something to the effect of "Make a break for it, kids! Flee to
The wilderness!" The one within if you can find it, well...
I wrote them a nice letter though, as I oozed out of the state
Headed for Nevada City. I sent it to their little literary magazine
I respect kids. I love especially little kids. Little kids are
Assholes. But they're their own asshole, see. It's when they
When you grow up and you're somebody else's asshole, we're all
In trouble, you know, like bagsies and B-52 pilots and that
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