My son Garrett had to do an interview with someone that grew up in the nineties. He, out of no other choice, chose me. I think he had fun watching me struggle, as I was anything but aware of my surroundings and the real world as a young girl.
Current events: The Nineties
by Garrett
I ch I chose to interview my mom. She warned me she was more into music and pop culture than the current events of her teen years (not much has changed)... She apologizes in advance. My dad, also being a teen in the nineties was more into current events. He helped me with the questions.
1.
In 1992, the Cold War was officially
over, what were your feelings on that?
"When I was younger, I would have nightmares that
Russians would invade my suburbian neighborhood and come knocking on my door
wanting to steal me away and take me to some kind of torture chamber where I
would be questioned and later killed. Russia was a very real threat to me, not
because I really knew anything about the nuclear threat and the Soviet Union
but more because Hollywood and pop culture in general was known to always use
Russia as the great evil and deadly threat. (Which at the time, I guess they
were.) Once the Soviet Union fell, and the Cold war was over, I imagined peace
in the world. I was sitting in Spanish watching Chanel One when Gorbachev and
Bush signed the big treaty. I didn’t really understand what was going on,
I just knew the Russians wouldn’t come knocking on my door anymore. I slept much better."
2. In 1990, the Hubble space telescope was
launched, what did you think about that?
"The Hubble space telescope? What’s that?"
3. Did you think President Clinton was a
good president? Why or why not?
"I do think President Clinton was a good president. I thought he did a lot of good for our country, I believe he was the one that introduced the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. He did good things financially and helped the lower class with tax breaks. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think our budget as a country was at its best during his time in office."
4. What were your feelings on the “dot com”
bubble?
"I didn’t even know there was a “dot com”
bubble. Through out most of the 90's, I didn’t know what the
Internet was. I thought Silicon Valley was a place where a bunch of women with
breast implants lived."
5. Were you affected by the Columbine killings?
How?
"Yes… I think everyone in the United States was
affected by that terrible day. It was a massacre. Two boys, guns, knives and
confused minds. I think they
killed twelve students. I was out of school by then, but so terrified for kids
in school. Thinking no one was safe anymore. You are in danger even in school.
It was a terrible, terrible, event. So sad and still to this day, I don’t know
if we ever found out why they did it."
6. Did you know about, and did the Y2K bug affect
you? How?
"I knew of the rumor … I was more interested in
seeing what would happen. I worked at a hardware store all through out 1999 and
was there in December when dozens and dozens of customers were buying
generators for the big event, confident they would come in handy… Then I
remember lots and lots of generators being returned when nothing happened. I think
there were a lot of disappointed people out there. It was almost more
entertaining than it was scary or worrisome for me."
7. In 1997 scientists create the first cloned
animal, a sheep, how did this affect you?
"It scared me. I thought it may be a dangerous
thing to introduce into the world. The beginning of cloning animals, then people. I wondered if it was a moral thing for scientists to practice. I imagined it quite differently though, I pictured people cloning people and trying to perfect the human race... I didn’t understand, at the time, that by learning to clone, there could be
huge advancements in medicine."
8. Did the L.A. riots in ‘92 effect you? How?
"I watched a lot of the rioting on the news. It
was scary to witness such mayhem. I wondered if it would happen in my own
neighborhood. All of the looting
and violence was a shame. I remember praying for families and hoping they
wouldn’t be harmed. On a more positive note, one of my favorite songs came from The LA riots.
Sublimes “April 26 1992”"
I don't know if you can,
but can you get an owner for Ons,
that's O-N-S,Junior Market,
the address is 1934 East Aneheim,
all the windows are busted out,
and it's like a free-for-all in here
and uh the owner should at least come
down here and see if he can secure his business,
if he wants to...
April 26th, 1992,
there was a riot on the streets,
tell me where were you?
You were sittin' home watchin' your TV,
while I was paticipatin' in some anarchy.
First spot we hit it was my liqour store.
I finally got all that alcohol I can't afford.
With red lights flashin' time to retire,
And then we turned that liquor store into a structure fire.
Next stop we hit it was the music shop,
It only took one brick to make that window drop.
Finally we got our own p.a.
Where do you think I got this guitar that you're hearing today?
Hey!
(call fire, respond mobile station.
alamidos in Anahiem,
its uhh flamin up good.
10-4 Alamidos in Anaheim)
Never doin no time
When we returned to the pad to unload everything,
It dawned on me that I need new home furnishings.
So once again we filled the van until it was full,
since that day my livin' room's been more comfortable.
Cause everybody in the hood has had it up to here,
It's getting harder and harder and harder each and every year.
Some kids went in a store with thier mother,
I saw her when she came out she was gettin some pampers.
They said it was for the black man,
they said it was for the mexican,
and not for the white man.
But if you look at the streets it wasn't about Rodney King,
It's bout this fucked up situation and these fucked up police.
It's about coming up and staying on top
and screamin' 187 on a mother fuckin' cop.
It's not written on the paper it's on the wall.
National guard??!
Smoke from all around,
(units, units be advised there is an attempt 211 to arrest now at 938 temple,
938 temple... 30 subjects with bags.. tryin to get inside the cb's house)
(as long as I'm alive, I'mma live illegal)
Let it burn, wanna let it burn,
wanna let it burn, wanna wanna let it burn
Riots on the streets of Miami,
oh, Riots on the streets of Chicago,
oh, on the streets of Long Beach,
mmm, and San Francisco (Boise Idaho),
Riots on the streets of Kansas City
(Salt Lake, Hunnington Beach, CA),
Tuscalusa Alabama (Arcada Compton Mischigan),
Cleveland Ohio,
Fountain Valley (Texas, Barstow - Let's do this every year),
Paramount, Victorville (Twice a Year),
Eugene OR, Eureka CA (Let it burn, let it burn),
Hesperia (Oh, ya let it burn, wont'cha wont'cha let it burn),
Santa Barbara, Nevada, (let it burn)
Phoenix Arizona,
San Diego, Lakeland Florida, (let it burn).. 29 Palms (wontcha let it burn)
any units assist 334 willow,
structure fire, and numerous subjects looting
10-15 to get rid of this looter..
10-4
9. How did the collapse of the Soviet Union
change where you lived?
"It
just gave me peace and cemented that the Cold War was officially over. (See question #1)I was quite young. I didn't really understand current events."
10. O.J. Simpson was arrested for double murder,
then received a not guilty verdict. What were your feelings on this?
"He seemed pretty guilty to me. I watched the
whole thing… all the court hearings, it seemed so unfair to see him be set
free. I remember being so mad! At the time, my dad was a judge and I really
enjoyed hearing his take on all of the proceedings. I will always remember watching the big chase on the freeway, from my TV. OJ in his big white Bronco, and all the police behind him. I remember watching him struggle to put on a glove in the court room...
And of course, the infamous Kato Kaelin, the fame hungry witness. Of course, TV shows, SNL and late night TV comedians had a ball with it. Seinfeld, my favorite show, later spoofed the freeway scene showing Kramer on the freeway in a white Bronco."
