DON'T FORGET NORMAN MAYER

On December 8, 1982, a man by the name of Norman Mayer staged a very scary demonstration at the Washington Monument, demanding that the news media devote "90% of its time" to the subject of nuclear weapons or he would blow up the monument with his van (which contained nothing but a battery-powered TV set). When he drove away after several hours of intense media scrutiny, sharpshooters killed him, for which they received medals.

Here are various opinions of Norman's behavior:

CBS EVENING NEWS WITH DAN RATHER, December 9, 1982

NEW YORK TIMES, December 14, 1982, "Handling of Siege Pleases Police, But Does It Please You?"

WASHINGTON POST, December 19, 1982, "Nuclear Foe, Eccentric Idealist Was Victim of Unyielding Will"

Thomas LETTER TO EDITOR, December 19, 1982, "Whichs is Greater: Man or Monument?"

WASHINGTON POST, December 21, 1982, "Mayer's Death"

BLACK RAG, December 26, 1982, "Police Gun Down Anti-Nuke Protester at Monument"

Norman Mayer was not forgotten; his name keeps cropping up in print:

UPI/HOUSTON CHRONICLE, March 13, 1983, "The Protest Goes On"

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, April 18, 1983, "White House Sidewalk: Mecca for America's Protesters"

WASHINGTON TIMES, MAY 5, 1983, "Judge Lifts White House Picket Rules"

OUR TOWN, September 3, 1984: "White House Watch"

ALTERNATIVE PRESS - BUFFALO, N.Y., October 11, 1984, "Surveillance of the White House: The Norman Mayer Vigil Continues"

WASHINGTON POST, November 3, 1984, "Protesting According to the Rules"

Dade County HOME NEWS, April 25, 1985, "Life at Ground Zero"

NORTH IRELAND TIMES, August 8, 1985, "Watchers at the Gate"
THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, August 24, 1985, "On The Value Of Crazies"

FINAL PAPER by Joe Tanzi, American University, December 4, 1985, "Thomas: A Man of Principle"

WASHINGTON POST, February 14, 1997, "Mayer's 'Memory': A Harsh Reflection"

GEORGE, December, 1997, "Eyewitness 1982: Madman at the Monument"