Burt Wilson

In 1969, Wilson also was on the Steering Committee of the West Coast Vietnam Moratorium Day rallies which focused public attention on the illegal and futile war in South Vietnam. This was the beginning of his on-going role as a peace activist.
In 1970, Wilson was asked by the Taos Indian Pueblo in New Mexico to help in their struggle to gain title to their sacred Blue Lake lands and prevent a government take-over of this religious sanctuary. For his successful efforts, Wilson was awarded a ceremonial blanket and made a brother of the pueblo. His name was spoken in Native American kivas throughout the West.

1973 found Wilson working in Coachella with Cesar Chavez during the grape strike. Working out of the UFW Union Hall in Coachella's grapefruit-growing area, Wilson helped organize farmworkers and did publicity and PR for the Union.

In the mid-70's Wilson became the co-coordinator of CAUSE (Campaign Against Utility Service Exploitation) a coalition of 29 different consumer and activist organizations which was successful in fighting an advance payments plan by ARCO and the Southern California Gas Company. They secured a hard-fought victory that forced the gas company to return $1.8 billion to its ratepayers. In the wake of this victory, CAUSE turned its attention to Pacific Bell and forced the phone company to stall information rate raises for over a year and then exposed the phone company's giving out of unlisted numbers to unapproved agencies including the CIA.

Running for State Assembly in 1977, Wilson lost an open race. He was later elected to the Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee and also to the Southern Vice Presidency of the California Democratic Council. In the early 80's he played a major role in the defeat of the Peripheral Canal proposition which would have diverted Northern California water south by means of a gigantic cement ditch running from Stockton to Sacramento.

In 1984, Wilson was among 108 community activists in a successful ACLU suit against the Public Disorder and Intelligence Division of the Los Angeles Police Department for illegal surveillance. The suit was settled by the LAPD for $1.3-million. He has always been amused that his work for consumer justice was considered by the police to be a threat to the community.

Wilson has appeared as a Guest Artist in a number of Dixieland Jubilees over the past 30 years and is mentioned in "Jazz West" for leading the first Dixieland Band ever to play at the first Shakey's Pizza Parlor in Sacramento. He plays trombone and piano.

Also an author, Wilson has self-published three successful books:

1. "Sacramento Jazz 1948-1966"--a personal memoir of that period.
2. "Complete Post Production with the Video Toaster"--an instructional book for this video editing program.
3. The Third Theory--Creation according to the Ancient Wisdom--A book detailing the foundations of existence in a way which unites science and religion.