Submitted by jgervasi on
Once upon a time a man suspected of being the Unibomber, then a terrorist spreading anthrax, drew a picture of me with a lightbulb protruding from my stomach, a reaching six-fingered hand-wang, and lady-breasts. That man was the writer William T. Vollman, whose article about being under FBI surveillance was published today in Harper's magazine and online (behind a pay wall).
Here's an NPR piece from this morning about Vollmann and his relationship with the Feds.
I've long been an admirer of Vollman's brilliant and provocative writing. In 1994 I had the opportunity to interview him in Philadelphia for issue #5 of my long-defunct publication NO LONGER A FANzine. It was then he drew the picture of me that I'll always treasure. This is a photograph of its reproduction in my 'zine. The real drawing is in my archives. Cheers to Vollman for calling out the decidedly unAmerican activities of those who suspected him of domestic terrorism. Vollmann is a seeker and a man of empathy and vision. The only scutiny he should be subjected to is his writing should be widely read and appreciated.