Joe's Daily U.S. History Lesson -=- May 17

MAY 17 1974 – LAPD catches up to the Symbionese Liberation Army. …Possibly the only reason this group ever got famous was because they kidnapped Patty Hearst, daughter of William Randolph Hearst, who ran America’s largest newspaper chain. The symbol was a seven headed cobra, hydra style, and their slogan was Death to the fascist insect that preys upon the life of the people.

And moving along to something else that doesn’t make any sense is why Patti went along and defended her captors. Some believe it was a case of Stockholm syndrome, where the captured mistakenly believes her captors were actually her heroes. Another thought is that she was simply brainwashed, and yet another was that she liked to flirt with radical terrorists. The SLA basically grew out of a prison system in Vacaville, CA by a black prisoner named Donald DeFreeze, who was serving a sentence for armed robbery. DeFreeze escaped from prison in March 1973 and formed the SLA had the intention of ending racism, monogamy, the prison system and all other institutions that have made and sustained capitalism. Only in America.

On November 6 the SlA killed a black school superintendent in Oakland for supporting an identification system four students. The SLA went into hiding for a couple months but two members got pulled over and the police found a car full of weapons and propaganda. While they were taken in for questioning, another member tried to burn down their safehouse in the East Bay Area but neglected to burn any of the evidence.

I’m not sure if I should laugh at these people or feel sorry for them.

In February 1974 they kidnapped Patti Hearst. The ransom was not money, but rather feeding the poor, so on February 19 Hearst senior announced the creation of People In Need, which was a food distribution program that would feed 100,000 people for 12 months with $2M.But when riots over the food began, it was realized the operations of People In Need was could’ve come up with a more organized plan. Patty publicly citied her parents by not trying hard enough.

They were caught on camera robbing a bank in San Francisco, and Patty publicly released a tape announcing her devotion to the SLA, her new family. In May 1974 SLA members were busted trying to rob a sports goods store, a move that led the FBI to the new SLA safehouse in Compton, Big shootout ensued involving tear gas, but the SLA wouldn’t surrender, choosing instead to die as martyrs. Patti wasn’t there at the time, but she did get sent to prison, and pardoned by Bill Clinton in 2001. A year later, the SLA’s short-lived, dangerous and idiotic dream, whatever that was, was over.

Moving on to WWII news….

1943 – Memphis Belle flies its 25 mission in Europe. …This incredible Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress was one of the first B=17 American heavy bombers to complete 25 combat missions with her crew in intact. The aircraft and crew then returned to the US to sell war bonds.

For extra credit, class, two movies were made about Memphis Bell, one was a 1944 documentary called A Story of a Flying Fortress, and a 1990 movie simply called Memphis Belle. Last I checked the aircraft is undergoing extensive restorations at the National Museum of the United States air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH.

1982 – Happy birthday Tony Parker! …He started in a French basketball league, and since no one cares, let’s talk about what he did for the San Antonio Spurs. How about helping the team get four NBA championships in 2003, 05, 07, and 14.

1995 – After all these years, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Little Richard played together for the first time at a concert in England.