I just wanted to send a thanks to all those who have donated to the Gil Palast Memorial fund over the past couple of months. I know Gil would have been happy to see that so many people still believe in the power of journalism.
Back in 2008 I got to meet Greg’s Dad – he was crotchety and using a walker but that didn’t stop him from getting into a heated fight with me over politics. I told him that I didn’t like who won the 2008 primaries, and that opened up the can of worms that I didn’t vote for his candidates in previous elections. It wasn’t that Gil was a partisan (though he had his leanings), it was that he liked a good fight or maybe he was testing me – I’m not sure.
Eventually Gladys Palast settled us both down like any good Jewish mother by yelling louder than both of us. “Leave the boy alone! Let him vote for who he wants!” Gil grumbled and we agreed to let past elections be forgotten. I love a good verbal brawl and Gil was always up for one of those (I think it’s in the Palast genes).
Either way, I voted and I cared – that was what was important. I know that his parents were happy that someone my age still gave a s*** about politics. Later that evening I would find out how important the vote was to them when Greg interviewed them for the 2008 Elections piece that would later be in the DVD ‘Palast Investigates.’ I filmed it, finding it hard to keep the camera steady as they shot back and forth at each other remembering their first vote over 70 years ago like some Jerry Stiller routine. If I remember correctly it was for FDR, “all four times” – told them I was jealous they got to vote for him at all. The interview wasn’t just a cute throw-a-way for the film – Greg’s parents vote were thrown away. Let them explain why – [http://www.youtube.com/user/GregPalastOffice#p/a/u/1/35enlgOG0Rk]
As a thank you to those who’ve donated over $50 I’d like to send you an 8×10 print of one of photos that you see at the link – http://www.flickr.com/photos/zroberts/sets/72157626963094861/
Thanks again – ZD Roberts
zach@gregpalast.com
Greg Palast has written four New York Times bestsellers, including Armed Madhouse, Billionaires & Ballot Bandits, and The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, now a major non-fiction movie, available on Amazon ”” and can be streamed for FREE by Prime members!
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