My memory of Don Johnson

BY ED FELIEN

In 1970 I was publishing a weekly anti-war underground newspaper, Hundred Flowers. We were cheerleaders for demonstrations against the war, for women’s rights, gay rights and for people risin’ up all over. We didn’t have many friends. But there was this one guy who ran a curiosity shop at Cedar and Riverside who sold our papers (we charged 25 cents for them), and he actually gave us back our share of the proceeds.

He was a crusty and cranky kind of guy, but once you began talking to him
you were quickly amazed at his sense of humor, his breadth of knowledge and his belief that the world could be a lot better than it was. That was Don Johnson almost 40 years ago, and that was Don Johnson right up to Dec. 31, 2007, when he lost his long battle with cancer.

Whether it was running for mayor, hosting his own radio show on Air America, or selling solar panels, Don never stopped believing in a better world. And he never stopped fighting for it. Somewhere in the Bible it says, “Your young men shall dream dreams, and your old men shall see visions.” Don fed those dreams and shared his vision. Somewhere else it says, “And where there is no vision, the people perish.” We are all diminished by the death of Don Johnson, but his life should give us strength and inspiration to dream our dreams and share our visions.