“Oh Ignorant Youth”
Hello! I have a treat for you tonight. My intern Laura and I have been drinking a little Bailys & Irish Whiskey in small shot glasses (which Hunter called a "Biff") and watching the rough cut of Tom Thurman’s latest documentary film about Hunter titled “Buy The Ticket, Take the Ride.” It’s a good one. As soon as Tom releases it, or gets a website for it, I’ll link it here. The focus is on Hunter’s work — early and late — and the portrayals of him on the silver screen. I like everything except, of course, the way his death is portrayed. But that’s normal for me as there are still too many unanswered questions, which after 17 months, I have come to some calm acceptance. But let’s not get into that now.
One passage in the film sparked a nice memory about something Hunter wrote when he was 16 years old. It’s a fine example of his sense of Humor starting at such an early age. I used to love to read this to him just to make him chuckle:
"OPEN LETTER TO THE YOUTH OF OUR NATION”
by Hunter S. Thompson, 1955, Louisville
Young people of America, awake from your slumber of indolence and harken the call of the future! Do you realize that you are rapidly becoming a doomed generation? Do you realize that the fate of the world and of generations to come rests on your shoulders? Do you realize that at any time you may be called on to protect your country and the freedom of the world from the creeping scourge of Communism? How can you possibly laugh in the face of the disasters which face us from all sides? Oh ignorant youth, the world is not a joyous place. The time has come for you to dispense with the frivolous pleasures of childhood and get down to honest toil until you are 65. Then and only then can you relax and collect your social security and live happily until the time of your death. …
–Fearfully and disgustedly yours,
John J. Righteous-Hypocrite.
Indeed.
I’ll have some more “seddious wisdom” for the youth of our nation straight from Kent, England tomorrow. Ralph is in the house!
Your friend,
Anita Thompson
