Screed 16: PATRICIA HEARST CONCILIATES
From its first publication, the half-billion dollar free-food demand received saturation reportage. There was considerable jostling among organizations named as proctors or overseers, each taking its own attitude and earning its own reportage. A star system gradually developed, with one leader and then another occupying the front pages and the television screens.
Great early attention was given to the two American Indian Movement (AIM) leaders, Russell Means and Dennis Banks, who had become world news during their occupation of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, a year earlier. Now under indictment for theft, arson, and other crimes, and rejected as "hoodlums" by their parent tribe the Oglala Sioux, they came to San Francisco and were heavily interviewed and photographed. A by-product of their visit was the official opposing statement of nineteen legitimate Indian groups in the Bay Area. Through their spokesmen and spokeswomen, these groups attacked the SLA and declined all interest in the food program.
Following Means and Banks into the limelight was Rev. Cecil Williams, the hippie-style semi-revolutionary pastor of the Black-oriented Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco. Williams, in several television interviews, had expressed sympathy with the objectives of the SLA and refused to condemn their tactics. To him, consequently, the SLA sent its next tape. Following his receipt of it, he went to Hillsborough and was photographed with the Hearsts and others, and interviewed in saturation style. His preeminence among the food-plan notables lasted over a week.
Patricia Hearst's voice on the new tape was much stronger and more confident. She spoke ad lib, with the verbal hesitations and confusions fashionable to her generation, but from carefully worded notes. In addition to the expected references to her danger, to her war-prisoner status, and to her match-off with Remiro and Little, she carefully outlined the SLA's philosophical justification for deeds of violence, extortion, and media-grabbing. Her "Mr. Bates" is the FBI spokesman and chief agent on the case.
Miss Hearst's SLA prompters went on with their efforts to direct public opinion. Her earnest insistence that the SLA is "not a racial thing" reflects the troublesome fact that the food operation was under increasing denunciation from non-Black groups. By this time almost every racial, radical, or revolutionary fragment had officially denounced the SLA. Many Black organizations, including groups led by Coretta Scott King and Angela Davis, had also drawn back, but without affecting the increasingly Black tone of the SLA image.
Voice of Patricia Hearst
Dad, Mom,
I am making this tape to let you know that I'm still OK and to explain a few things, I hope.
First, about the good faith gesture. There was some misunderstanding about that, and you should do what you can and they understand that that you want to meet their demands and that [pause] they have every intention that you should be able to meet their demands.
They were not trying to present an unreasonable request. It was never intended that you feed the whole state. So whatever you come up with is basically OK. And just do it as fast as you can, and everything will be fine.
But the SLA is really mad about certain attempts to make the feeding of food [sic] be the receiving of goods that were gotten by extortion. And they don't want people to be harrassed by the police or by anybody else, and I hope you can do something about that. And if you can't, well, I mean, they'll do something about it.
So [pause] you shouldn't worry about that too much.
Also, I would like to emphasize that I am alive and that I am well, and that in spite what certain tape experts seem to think. I mean I'm fine. It's really depressing to hear people talk about me like I'm dead. I can't explain what it's like.
What it does, also, is that it [pause] begins to convince other people that maybe I am dead. If everybody is convinced that I am dead, well, then it gives the FBI an excuse to come in here and try to pull me out. I'm sure that Mr. Bates understands that if the FBI has to come in and get me out by force, that they [ie, SLA?] won't have time to decide who not to kill. They'll just have to kill everyone. I don't particularly want to die that way. I hope you will realize that everything is OK and that they'll just have to back off for a while. There will be plenty of time for investigating later.
I am basically an example and a symbolic warning, not only to you but to everyone, that there are people who are not going to accept your support of other governments and that, faced with suppression and murder of the people [pause]. And this is a warning to everybody.
It is also to show what can be done. When it is necessary, the people can be fed, and to show that. It is too bad that it has to happen this way, to make people see that there are people who need food. Now maybe something can be done about that, so that things like this won't have to happen again. [pause]
Also, the SLA is very annoyed about attempts by the press and by authorities to turn this into a racial issue. It's not. This is a political issue and this is a political action that they've taken. Anyone who really reads the stated objectives of the SLA can see very clearly that this is not a racial thing. So I hope there won't be any more confusion about that. [pause]
I turned over my notes here, so [pause].
I am being held as a prisoner of war and not as anything else, and I am being held in accordance with international codes of war. And so you should not listen or believe what anybody else says about the way I'm being treated. This is the way I'm being treated. I am not left alone and I am not not just shoved off, I mean. I am fine; I am not being starved, and I am not being beaten or tortured. Really.
Since I am an example, it's really important that everyone understand that I am an example and a warning. And because of this, it is very important to the SLA that I return safely. So people should stop acting like I'm dead. Mom should get out of her black dress. That doesn't help at all.
I wish you'd try to understand the position I'm in. I am right in the middle, and I have to depend upon what all kinds of other people are going to do. And it's really hard for me to hear about reports of, you know, and [pause]. I hope you understand and try to do something.
I know that a lot of people have written and everyone is concerned about me and my safety, and about what you are going through. I want them all to know that I'm OK. And it [blurred sound, "it's important?"] for them to understand that I will be OK as long as the SLA demands are met, and as long as the two prisoners in San Quentin are OK.
And as long as the FBI doesn't come in here. That is my biggest worry. I think I can get out of here alive as long as they don't come bursting in.
And I really think you should understand that the SLA does have an interest in my return. And try not to worry so much. And just do what you can. I mean, I know you're doing everything. Take care of Steve. And hurry. Bye.
On Wednesday, Solzhenitsyn was exiled to West Germany.
Voice of Male Captor
This is General Field Marshal Cin speaking. (Donald DeFreeze)
We wish to clarify what your daughter has said about our request for a a good-faith gesture on your part.
The people are awaiting your gesture. You may rest assured that we are quite able to assess the extent of your sincerity in this matter and we will accept a sincere effort on your part.
We are quite able to be aware of the extent of your capabilities, as we are also aware of the needs of the people.
Death to the fascist insect that preys upon the life of the people.
