40+ years ago, the imprisonment of Leonard Peltier was literally all the rage. On my side of the political spectrum, people protested and wrote letters to their Congress-critters. Being young and skeptical, I did some research, which back then meant an afternoon with microfiche news archives at the library, and I walked away certain that there was AT LEAST reasonable doubt of his guilt.

Which makes his conviction false, his imprisonment unjust.

These days nobody much talks about Peltier, and he's just had parole denied again. The feds are still adamant that he's guilty, overjoyed that he remains in prison. I remain unconvinced that he's guilty, and if he is, 48 years in prison seems ample punishment, but he'll doubtless die there.

... "The idea of rounding up unhoused folks and forcing them into camps or out of the jurisdiction entirely is obviously very concerning. And it should be of grave concern, because once something is invisible, you don’t know what’s happening to the already really vulnerable people living there." ...

Being old, death gets my attention, so I read the obituaries. This is a collection of recent obits, mostly of people whose work touched my life, because I want to say thanks (or maybe give 'em a final fuck you).

There’ll be a roundup like this occasionally, until I’m on the list myself.

   
Bruce Bastian
WordPerfect

John Everett Benson
tomb carver

Rick Bevel
forgotten man

Johnny Boone
Cornbread Mafia

Mike Brumley
baseballer, Seattle Mariners

Buzz Cason
songwriter, "Everlasting Love"

James Chance
saxman

Ed Denson
good guy

Evans Evans
actress, Bonnie and Clyde

Maya Pines Froomkin
journalist & mom

Willie Mays
said 'hey'

Tamayo Perry
surfer

Paul Pressler
Christian child rapist

Donald Sutherland
actor, Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Anthea Sylbert
costume designer, Carnal Knowledge

T, a/k/a Vega
good guy

unnamed
forgotten man

Ben Vautier
artist who loved his wife

   
Previously dead