In 1968 the nation was polarized, the National Guard was deployed against demonstrators (remember Kent State), the President abused power and misused federal agencies, campuses were shut down, mass demonstrations occurred, people worried about urban rioting, the cops beat people (remember Chicago), and our foreign policy was a mess (soldiers were dying every day in Vietnam).
Nonetheless it wasn’t the same. There was more optimism then. We believed that state of affairs wouldn’t last. Things would get better. And they did.
Nixon was impeached by congress members from both sides of the aisle. The war did end. Women were winning rights. The Supreme Court ruled that the New York Times had a right to publish the Pentagon Papers. Roe v. Wade was decided. And Nixon, for all his chicanery, knew American history, hired some competent people, supported the EPA, never sold presidential pardons, and resigned when he knew it was over.
Today the pessimism is overwhelming. It is hard to imagine things getting better. Our business and political leaders lack courage. The Republican Party has been corrupted. Much of the media is complicit. The full force of the national government is used to harass opponents.
Nonetheless, I don’t think it is too late. I am given hope by those people in Minneapolis out there in bitter cold, united with their neighbors. All kinds of people, from high school students to retirees. I think we can still turn this around, but it will take courage and a lot of effort and commitment.
We had protest songs.
ReplyDeleteWell, there is that one by Bruce Springsteen.
ReplyDelete