Non-conformity used to mean something.
Now, non-conformity means conforming to a rigid set of progressive and often contradictory rules that govern non-conformity.
Be anti-tobacco, but pro-pot. Anti-war, unless it’s a communist or anti-Western insurgency. Protest against the execution of murderers and for abortions. Star in violent movies, but favor gun control.
The home base of this non-conformist conforming is San Francisco, a city that just lost its only remaining true non-conformist.
His name was Harry Aleo. His real estate business–called Twin Peaks Properties –added a dose of reality to the hippie fantasy world of free lunches, free love, high people and infinitely high taxes.
Harry passed away and now a museum in San Francisco wants to hold an exhibit of some of the signs and banners Harry proudly displayed in his office window. For example, they want to preserve a cardboard sign Aleo scribbled and propped up in the window of his office announcing that it was “an island of traditional conservative values in a sea of latte sipping liberal loonies.”
Many conservatives will look on the exhibit as a sign that San Fran may at least respect dissenting opinions. We think it’s more likely that they’re just after some grant money in an ironic attempt to extort more money from the public coffers.
(That one was for you, Harry!)
Source: Wall Street Journal
– Written by Swen Waring
