Gary W. Griffiths

"five minutes 'til midnight" is a work of fiction. It graphically tells a story about what happens to a democratic society that fails to take its freedoms seriously and when they were under attack they failed to defend them. They failed to understand that freedom was not guaranteed and there were many examples across the dusty pages of history that showed how free societies were willing to give up their freedoms when fear replaced trust, when tribalism replaced unionism, when nationalistic populism replaced internationalism, when mistrust and bigotry replaced open dialog, and when despair replaced hope. The greatest threat to a democratic and open society is ignorance and apathy. Apathy is a silent and deadly disease to democracy. People will silently standby while their rights are freedoms are slowly eroded away. They will rationalize that a new abnormal is normal. They will turn a blind eye to attacks on institutions that are there to protect their rights. They will even vote their rights away when confronted by irrational fear stoked by racism, economic uncertainly, sexism, and ethnocentrism. It's hard work to live in a free society. The responsibilities are endless. Free citizens can never let their guard down and they need to be on the lookout for those that have simple solutions to complex issues. Those that believe in freedom and human rights must be willing to stand up and support and promote unionism over tribalism.

"Golden Dreams" takes the reader back to a time when being young and in love was enough to make the world a better place. They were na ve and had the audacity to believe that they could right every wrong by simply doing the right thing. They followed their dream unabated by disappointments, tragedies, and setbacks. Each challenge made them stronger and more determined to achieve their dream. They were on an unintended quest to help the nation live up to its birthright outlined in the nation's founding documents. By following their dream they were pursuing the American dream. "Golden Dreams" is a fictional account of a group of west coast kids that were on a quest to achieve their dream of becoming a rock and roll band. They struggled to be noticed early on in their career. They encountered major obstacles along the way to rock and roll stardom. Along the way, they found love, happiness, and the real meaning of life. They found strength in each other and were able to endure personal and national tragedies. They became the personification of a nation in transition as they transitioned from a struggling local band to international superstars. They dared to dream, and in doing so, their dreams became golden. They embraced the spirit of the sixties and embodied it by becoming a spokesperson for their generation through their music. They were unafraid to follow their hearts in their pursuit of happiness and love. When the outside world was closing in on them, they turned to their large extended family for support. It was from them that they received unconditional love and support. The outside world couldn't touch them when they were in Selma, San Bernardino, or Berkeley. It was in Berkeley many years ago that they first dared to dream, and it was there that their dreams became golden.