ATDTDA - petroleurs, p.19

[David Morris]

I think Pynchon is pointing out this aspect of devoted activism.  All
else is secondary at best, and a distraction at least.  Webb should
never have had a wife or family if he wanted to be true to his
union-religion.  Otherwise one needs to modify one's devotion to a
secondary, not primary, place, which means modifying the risks you are
willing to take on.

David Morris

On 1/29/07, kelber at mindspring.com <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:
> My grandfather was a loyal Communist who felt that having a family was bourgeois, so he walked out on his wife and kids, leaving them destitute, to go organize the unemployed.  Years later, I was walking down the street with him and he ran into an acquaintance.  He introduced me as a young college student whom he just happened to know, who was active in the anti-apartheid movement.
>
> At his funeral, his comrades were amazed to discover that he had children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  But I loved him anyway.