Jazon Kepplinger
I knew Jazon.
There was a old warehouse in Chicago where we used to hang out. It was in Logan Square. We weren’t Anomie United then, we were just, you know, reading a lot, and trying to make sense of this world. There was a war going on, Lake Erie was toxic, and it was looking like NekoNice was trying to privatize our drinking water. We were all just scared. Scared of adults and scared of adulthood.
When Jazon showed up it was like the whole room let up. He was passionate and smart and he motivated. It wasn’t just theory for Jazon. It was about action. Whatever Jazon was doing you wanted to be apart of it.
He was the one came up with the name. Anomie United. Something about having a name changes the whole dynamic. A name is like a declaration, you know? A name is something you fight for. Something you’re supposed to, like, protect.
But it wasn’t just the name. Jazon was changing everything about how we existed. We weren’t just hanging out, we were having meetings. Rules of decorum. People had jobs… roles… that they had to play.
And we just went along with it. It felt, I dunno… like we were working our way towards something special. Important.
None of us knew what was going to happen at Senator Gaines’ speech.
That’s not true. I think some people knew. Jazon had developed an inner circle of people. I don’t know for sure if they were in on it – but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Some of us were outside the concourse protesting. Jazon and a couple others said they were going to sneak in through the hotel's kitchen entrance. I thought they were just going to make a scene, you know.
Then the screams. And people running. I don’t want to talk about it. I know no one died, but I’ve seen the pictures. It doesn’t make me feel better.
It changed everything. We got arrested and no one knew what was going on. Jazon, like, disappeared. Went into hiding. And I mean, people said they were talking to him… Jazon says we should do this. Jazon says to do that.
I left the group after the Art Institute bombing. It was fucked, and it’s fucked my life up. The cops still watch over me. They don’t even hide it. They want me to know I’m being watched. When you walk out of here there’s a blue van at the end of the block across the street. They’ll probably want to know what we talked about so be prepared for that.
I wish I could tell you more. I wish I could tell you and those cops out there where that asshole is hiding. But I can’t. No one can. But if he’s still alive, and he really is telling Anomie United to do all these terrible things – then I hope someone finds him.
He ruined everything.
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