At the ripe old age of 21 I took a gig helping put together "The Underground Comix Hall of Fame". I met a fella named Bob Rudnick. "Righteous Rudnick" was a "White Panther", and explained to me how they, the White Panthers grew outta the Black Panthers... this was the first time I had ever heard of the "Black Panthers".

As time went on, I meet other "Hippies" from the day, Bob introduced me to a photographer who the Black Panthers were cool with, I guess they let him inside Fred Hampton's apt after the state approved assassination, all involved felt it was important to document the murders.

They made a point to show me those pictures, I wasn't sure why at the time, I do know this was an important moment in my life... a moment I'd never forget.

For my part of the year long road trip we've set out on, I wanted to capture as many stories of persecuted thought. Folks whose thoughts put them in peril.

To start, I somehow I had to get something about the Fred Hampton story on tape. I did try to get in-touch with his son with no luck there, I decided to go to the scene of the assassination, luckily I ran into Fred Hampton's original neighbor Joe Murphy. (Go to the T.V & RADIO section of our site to see and hear that interview.)

After speaking with Mr. Murphy, I now feel even more dedicated to grabbing the kind of American history that probably won't end up in the history books. If it does, it'll be re-written, bleached out and made safe for the masses.

Podcasting, new-media, citizen journalism, blogging, vlog... no matter how you slice it or what you call it , it is so fucking important to get the oral history on tape - the revolution will be waged with mics, video cameras and art.

If you think the revolution won't be televised, you're sadly mistaken. The T.V., video camera and microphone have become the tools for modern revolution, so much so restrictions similar to the gun laws are being proposed. Look to new laws prohibiting the use of video cameras in NY for a hint.

If you think your second amendment will help fight governmental tyranny, it won't... not unless you and your comrades are holding tanks, missiles, and other modern military weaponry.

On the other hand, if enough folks spoke up and encouraged others to do the same, maybe we could form a true union by the people, for the people... and if we did, if we all stopped working for a couple of days, essentially going on strike, I'm willing to bet we'd get most of our basic human rights back and more importantly we'd get the respect from the "man" we somehow lost.

Now pick up you camera, grab your recording devise and speak the fuck up... document the real history of your culture/zip-code - say something that counts, something more than re-hashed entertainment news and cheap impersonations of your favorite media propagandist. - Shane

"You can kill a revolutionary but you can never kill the revolution." - Fred Hampton