It was a rainy Saturday in the Aspen area, so, I decided to visit the newly built Aspen art museum. My son was peacefully napping in the stroller and this seemed like a very good idea. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed my visit quite a bit. The “Chris Ofili: Night and Day” exhibit felt refreshing and very well displayed. I liked the story that each piece had to tell and the vibrancy of the colors. On my way out, I noticed a gallery space right next to the museum. From outside, I saw artwork, posters and pictures and what seemed like old newspaper articles. 
Curious and intrigued, I walked in . It was an exhibit, to be later made into a book, that chronicled Hunter Thompson’s run for the office of Sheriff in Aspen. The year was 1970. “Freak power” was the name of the exhibit, as well as the name of the writer/journalist’s informal political movement, through which he ran his campaign. The exhibit was a collection of photographs, articles and posters created during the campaign. A campaign that started as a provocation, and ended up captivating the local population and gained a substantial level of national attention from the media. Apparently, after returning to Aspen from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, Thompson felt a sense of disgust for politics and the overwhelming corruption surrounding it, and a pressing need to take action. The photographs and the posters tell much of the story. Hunter Thompson’s platform included a reorganization of the Sheriff’s office based on a more transparent communication with the public; an approach to crime and drugs that looked directly at the root of the issue; a firm stance against the new real estate development that was going to change Pitkin county forever; a body of policemen who would not need to carry guns to enforce the law. As the photographs testify, Thompson did not lack a sense of humor. He had his head shaved so that he could refer to his opponent as “long-haired” ( a negative way to refer to hippies). He also wanted to rename Aspen “Fat city” ( see poster below). At debates, he presented himself wearing very casual clothing and white Converse sneakers.
He was a voice of dissent in an era when big economic changes were about to happen to this area of the Rockies. Originally from Kentucky, he had made Aspen his home in the sixties. He lost the election to the incumbent but, what a ride it was. His campaign built a movement and contributed to a conversation that is painfully relevant today. Law enforcement issue and the continuing occurrence of police abuse, the drug abuse issue, to name just a couple.
The story didn’t end with his loss. Sheriff Bob Braudis, elected in 1986 and, in office until 2010, was very much inspired by Hunter Thompson’s ideas of a law enforcement based on compassion and understanding. One of Braudis quotes is ” peace is my product and business is good”.
On a second visit to the Freak Power exhibit, I meet the creator and author of the exhibit and upcoming book. His name is Daniel Joseph Watkins. He looks like he is in his twenties. He is very cordial and happy to chat with me. He came up with the idea for this exhibit by researching the work of Tom Benton, the artist behind the wall posters supporting.Thompson’s campaign. Daniel is an artist himself and a convinced anti-war activist. He told me that he himself lives like a hippy in a cabin up in the mountain.
Daniel wants people who visit Aspen, to understand its past. Also, through the example and experience of Thompson, he wants people to get involved and voice their opinions with courage and conviction. I tell Daniel that Hunter Thompson reminds me of a young and brave Sicilian man who spoke out against crime and corruption with humor. He also ran for office at the City council in his small hometown in Sicily. I tell him that he was murdered the day before the election. Daniel tells me that Hunter Thompson was threatened many times and that his circle of friends always walked beside him carrying guns. Yeah, my brave Sicilian had friends and they could not save him.
I bought the book last night and I am enjoying every page. Daniel Joseph Watkins, Freak Power, Hunter S. Thompson’s campaign for Sheriff. http://www.freakpower.com.
antonellasjourneys 
I wish I lived closer to Aspen, so I could visit that museum. I have a book of articles written by Hunter Thompson and there’s an article where he talks about his run for campaign. I remember reading that he shaved his head just so he could say “my long haired opponent,” and I had to put the book down I was laughing so hard. Not only was that funny, but it said something about the way the country felt about the new generation that was smoking funny cigarettes and growing their hair out.
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