" He's a Rebel " ( by The Crystals ) and James Dean's influence on a young friend

" He's A Rebel " by the Crystals  I  associate that famous 1970 poster of young James Dean with newly met friend of mine-17 year old RFM. My young friend ( I was an older guy of 22 ) was quite THE REBEL himself and wore a bright red jacket very similar to the one his dead and now legendary idol wore in " Rebel  Without A Cause ". We viewed together all three of the James Dean cult films on the East Side of Providence. I remember being moved by the theme music of " East of Eden ". And by Dean's " just struck oil " scene in " Giant ". And by Dean's compassion for the disturbed  misfit " loser " Plato in " Rebel Without A Cause ".
        The late 60s and early 70s were meant for young rebels WITH A CAUSE. RFM and I protested the Vietnam War together. This blue eyed, skinny, long black hair REBEL was soon against the " whole damned suffocating system " by 1969. He dropped out of Hope High School(though highly literate with a phenomenal, stage actor's memory ) having mocked the school principal ( Max Flaxman )  in a well circulated leaflet. One night at our house he lectured me-with the help of a little whiskey and water - on the history of American Trotskyism Then he was drawn to Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman and their anarchic YIPPIES ( " Youth International Party " ) Later he agreed  - along with me -to serve as a presidential elector of  the American Communist Party - just for the hell of it. In truth, he knew that these people( ( like one middle aged friend John Hovan ) had been persecuted by McCarthyism -and he hated bullying or ideology - " a brain disease ".
      He would have been honored to have been handed a subpoena back then by the HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE. We talked about  " subpoena envy ".
           By chance I discovered a link between  " Rebel  Without A Cause "  and  those young 60s radicals -with a cause. The James Dean movie had been based on a book by American psychiatrist Robert Lindner. He had written a book that had influenced me before I met RFM : " Must You Conform ? " Lindner explained the 11th Commandment of American capitalist society : THOU SHALT CONFORM .
        A biography of James Dean claims he was bi-sexual. RM was very attracted to " Jimmy ". And in his late twenties admitted to being gay himself.  I have not seen him in many years . I am sure I could still see the " devil " in those now 63 year old  blue eyes.
           Am I still a rebel - with a cause ?  Check out my blog  [http://radicalrons.blogspot.com]
     A favorite 60s pop song by the Crystals : " He's  a Rebel "  ( " and he'll never be any good.... but that's no reason why I can't give him all my love.... " )

I associate this photo of James Dean with a certain friend RFM in Providence circa 1970