Who Were the Chicago Seven?
By the volatile year of 1968, the counterculture movement in the United States had fragmented along political lines. Some groups remained relatively apolitical, while others pushed hard for radical changes through whatever means necessary. One of the issues which affected all counterculturalists was the continuation and escalation of the Vietnam War. When the Democratic party announced plans to hold its national convention in Chicago, key leaders of these various factions urged members to hold rallies outside of the facility. The results were horrific. Protesters and law enforcement officers clashed violently, and Chicago’s mayor, Richard Daley, ordered in National Guard troops to restore order. When the smoke cleared, eight men identified as leaders of the protests were charged with conspiracy to incite a riot. They became known originally as the Chicago Eight, later the Chicago Seven. During the trial, the eighth co-defendant, Black Panther member Bobby Seale, was improperly denied h
I’ve never heard of them. DP: The Chicago Seven was a group of people that included Abbie Hoffman, Bobby Seale. I think, I don’t know, the real prime movers of the protest movement and they were arrested and charged with all kinds of felonies for their involvement in the, I’m sure it came out of the convention. And ultimately they went to trial, this lengthy, lengthy trial before this petty tyrant, dictator JudgeHoffman and were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, all of which were ultimately overturned on an appeal. But it was, it was, my rage was far more focused on the fact that these people could be tried and convicted for having participated in a demonstration, even if, you know, fine, they were a little crazy, but please. MO:You support war now if, like, there is a definite cause and stuff like that? Like, you support the US military going into? DP: Yeah, I don’t have, I’m not a pacifist. I think that there is a place for military might and exercise of military might. MO: Do you,
