I was on 6th street in Austin for Halloween. Hundreds of people dress up and walk around looking at costumes. My sister and I were standing with her friends and some people at a light next to a road barrier. These four guys in a car drive through the barrier, and start swerving around the people in the street. Cops were running after them on foot. A guy at the light yells, “I DO WHAT I WANT!!” We all burst out laughing
In October, I visited Ellis Island with my mother and sisters. The park ranger tour guide had us sitting in 100-year-old seats in the main hall, explaining some of the questioning that was done to the immigrants. He says they often were asked about job prospects. “You there, in the white shirt, do you have a job in this country?” he says to one of the group.
“Yes, sir,” he answers.
“And you ma’am,” the park ranger says to me, “are you an anarchist?”
“Not any more,” I said.
Everyone laughed, which was great — it echoed all around that giant hall. And I sat wondering what my great-grandfather, who might have sat in that very chair, would have had to say about that.
Good question, anarchism in your personal history would have gotten you refused.
Although I would like to point out that pretty much everybody came in through Ellis Island - my father and the rest of the family [mother, father, 2 brothers, maid] is listed in the 1930s on the way back from a european trip. I do know that my grandfather was not known for travelling in steerage. [I understand it was an interesting trip, it started by going west and leaving out of San Francisco, included Japan, Peking, then by boat to Venice and train across Europe, England and home via Southhampton to NY then train back to western NY.]
