BLACK BART #2 - Inside front cover

Thanks to everyone

It's easy to understand why corporate business is such a deadly, enervating thing, with its 'Gentlemen:', 'remittance enclosed', and 'yours of the 16th received', It easy to understand how, in that environment, money becomes the be-all of existence, there is nothing else exchanged except hollow platitudes. Our mail, here in Canyon, has been easily the richest and most rewarding part of this experience.

Each letter, each card has been a new and refreshing experience over the past few weeks. We only wish that it were possible to share them all with you, so you could realize, as we now do, that there is a community of us. Vast, scattered over the face the country, but still a community of free or wanting-to-be-free middle-agers, The best we are able to do is pass along a series of excerpts, so you can see for yourself that you are not alone. Beyond that, we are going to initiate a new way, for any of you feel isolated, to make contact with would-be OUTLAWS (and some real ones) in your own area. The details are explained below this selection from our recent mail:

• "Far fucking out!"
  
• "Although I am doing my best to make the break...the Outlaw Magazine will make it easier."
  
• "Keep Black Bart going."
  
• "Your first publication of Black Bart is so timely and important...it catches me at the right momen
  
• "I don't like your attitude -- Change -- yes! But not disdain."
  
• "The Brigade is going to be important to a lot of people."
  
• "Count on me to quote you and spread the word on the east coast."
  
• "I dig your magazine and your attempt to reach what I believe are a large number of dissatisfied middle-aged folks."
  
• "Your first one is an answer to a prayer of sorts."
  
• "Just exactly what I've been looking for in hundreds of conversations with over-thirties who say 'just what are you for anyway?’”
  
• "Put me down as a supporter and potential dropout."
  
• "I'm glad you're appealing to middle-aged folks, but I feel you'll scare off many...by calling it an outlaw mag and glorifying Black Bart."
  
• "I ve been an Outlaw since 1963 when I left the biggest rocket engine works in the 'free' world."
  
• "I read it from cover to cover, being a middle-aged dropout who appreciated at last reading something aimed at someone over 30!"
  
• "Weary and sick of the whole mess, that's me! Please help quick.."
  
• "The Outlaw Magazine improved my entire week -- Write On!!"
  

And another OUTLAW service...

Each time we look at our growing file of 'subscribers', we are aware that some vital factor is missing in trying to organize community, and relate people to one another through the pages of a magazine. The cards in the file are closely huddled together, but the people they represent are miles apart, and do not even know of each other's existence.

The OUTLAW Register is one attempt to resolve this problem, and we are off to a small but healthy start on it in this issue. But there are still hundreds of you out there who are out of range of the registered OUTLAWS, and yet many of you may live within a few miles of one another without knowing it. We are therefore going to begin another service. If you will send a stamped and self-addressed envelope, we shall return to you the names and addresses of other 'subscribers' who are near you.

Bear in mind that the ranks are still thin and most of our 'subscribers' are in the populated areas. But community by mail can also be rewarding, and the roster will continue to grow. We shall also mark the cards of those who want to use this service, and try to keep you advised of new 'subscribers' in your immediate area from time to time.

You can return to Opening of BBB #2 (for more of this issue)

or to Opening of the Black Bart section (for others in the Black Bart series)

or to the Main Staging Area (for going anywhere on the site)