The late Sixties found people in life quandaries they could not have imagined based on how they were raised. As the US government continued to kill thousands in other countries they turned also upon their citizens and sought to dampen dissent through the murder of those on what they defined to be the fringes of society. The Black Panthers, Students for A Democratic Society, the Weather Underground, students at Jackson State, Kent State; members found political commitments tied to life and death decisions. How far does one go to dissent? To what does one commit oneself with all their heart and soul? What price is one willing to pay when the corruption and moral bankruptcy of one's nation is no longer tolerable. "Night Catches Us"illuminates the maze of personal and political commitments necessary for living through those times. People no longer put their lives on the line in quite the same way. The US continues to murder thousands across the globe but the protest is only seen on cable television. Gil Scott Heron could not have realized that in the end the revolution would be televised. It just wouldn't have any real impact or foment real change.
Review of Night Catches Us
