It's a couple-three years since I was teaching American studies to a bunch of bright but surprisingly ignorant 16-year-olds. One part of that course brought me into contact with some of my own past, giving me a perspectice that illuminates some of how I --and I believe many others of my generation-- experience the darkness of these Bushite times.
It was when I did a unit on "The Sixties." (I paired it with the 1860s, which we studied first, as part of a section on which we examined American history through the lens of the concept of "Social Conflict.") In my eaching, I used a video series by that name --"The Sixties"-- that I thought was quite excellent. I'd play some of the video, stopping frequently for discussion and for commentary.
"The Sixties" showed well how the 1960s grew out of --as a reaction against-- the 1950s. And then the video did a good job of showing how (many of) the children of the 1950s entered into their adolescence in the 1960s with a devotion to idealism and with a sense that history offered hope that the realization of the ideals they cherished was a real possibility, one worth striving for.
The young people depicted in this documentary were basically my age cohort-- the one's who wore 'coon-skin hats out of enthusiasm for Disney's David Crockett, who were taught how to "duck and cover" in case of a nuclear attack, and of whom a large proportion found inspiration in JFK's portrayal of the ruler of Camelot and sat around campfires singing gentle songs of protest that we'd learned from Peter, Paul and Mary albums.
And then things started to fall apart during the sixties.
It is in the context of that refreshed memory that I can see what a long way downhill it has been even from those days of "Hey Hey, LBJ, How many kids did you kill today."
It was deeply disillusioning to me, and to a lot of others of my age cohort who embodied the idealism of that generation, to live through the time from the assassination of JFK to the full flowering of the Vietnam protest movement and on into Nixon's time.
It was the disillusionment that went from hoping that the ideal might be achieved to discovering that the reality was falling markedly short of the ideal. One could see that LBJ had some of the qualities of a good person. But "some" wasn't nearly enough, and we could also see that he was also a sleazy guy, a crude guy, and not reliably noble or honest in the way he played politics. We wanted a paragon, but instead we got a very flawed and human figure for a leader.
And we found that contrast ugly. But now....
Now it is not a matter of finding too much that isn't goodness. Today it's a matter of a regime that (at least so far as I can see) NEVER manifests goodness, but is ALWAYS playing a basically despicable game.
From the present, those all-too-human leaders from the time ofI our previous disillusionment look strangely appealing. In the face of an America ruled by a regime seemingly devoid of genuine humanity, it is no longer only the ideal I long for. Now, even a leadership tht's flawed for being "all-too-human" --like the disappointing leaders of our earlier disillusionment-- would seem like a kind of redemption.
Even Nixon, who was a very shady character, was not like these Bushites. He often did bad things, but he did them in relation to a concept of the right thing, which was also sometimes part of what guided him. He was not an honest man, but the lies he told --unlike those of the Bushites-- he came up with in relationship to the truth, which he did not lose sight of. It was part of his aspiration, I believe, to be a leader who succeeded in creating things that a decent American might be proud of --even as he would cheat and lie to achieve them-- unlike this Bushite group that seems to want to create the very things that we, in post-World War II, were brought up to abhor.
My generation went to the movies and were stirred by Ben Hur, which gave us not only the thrill of victory and vengeance over the Bad Roman but also the hatred of brutal empires such as such films showed Rome to be-- the empire of might makes right, standing in contrast to the humble rabbi whose death of the cross changes the world.
Now look at America: we act very much like the Rome of that Cecil B. DeMille film, and even like the vicious character played by Stephen Boyd.
We were brought up on World War II films in which --for all the inevitable brutality of war-- Americans were shown to be firmly on the side of decency and to be playing by the rules while fightng against the criminal regimes seeking to subjugate the world.
And now look at America-- with the Congress ratifying the power of the president to redefine torture so that we can do many of the same kinds of things that --when we saw the Gestapo do in the movies-- it made our blood boil.
Andrew Bard Schmookler's website www.nonesoblind.org is devoted to understanding the roots of America's present moral crisis and the means by which the urgent challenge of this dangerous moment can be met. Dr. Schmookler is also the author of such books as The Parable of the Tribes: The Problem of Power in Social Evolution (SUNY Press) and Debating the Good Society: A Quest to Bridge America's Moral Divide (M.I.T. Press). He also conducts regular talk-radio conversations in both red and blue states.
We have it in our power to begin the world again-Tom Paine
I too grew up and became disillusioned in the '60's.
But THAT DAY we call 9/11 changed everything for me.
I did NOT seek vengeance or fall into fear, I wanted to understand WHY did 9/11 happen.
I also embraced the original spirit of what being an American is all about:
Independent thought
Questioning of authority
And then using my inalienable freedoms of speech and movement to travel to Israel and Palestine three times [returning 10/31/06-11/13/06] to search for those reasons WHY.
I found out plenty! I do NOT justify or condone ANY violence- but I have been compelled to fearlessly speak out on the www what I have witnessed and learned:
The idealism of the '60's to believe we could change the world was not spiritually anchored.
ALL social justice movements through out history that did change the world were ALL anchored to the
Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do to you.
This concept has been lost in 21st century USA.
But, now that we baby boomers have grown up, and hopefully have successfully wrestled with and overcome our own personal demons, we do have it "In our power to begin the world again."-Tom Paine
BUT, only in solidarity can we effectively rise up/intifada to the empire and begin the world again.
If we are truly people of good will, we will demand our government honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and that all USA allies do too.
Imagine what a world that would be, when everyone did indeed have basic human rights.
That can only begin in a democracy that is indeed democratic.
"Soon after I had published the pamphlet "Common Sense" [on Feb. 14, 1776] in America, I saw the exceeding probability that a revolution in the system of government would be followed by a revolution in the system of religion... The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion."-Tom Paine
From Idealistic to Idle: Five Decades of American Youth
As one who's of the same age group as Andrew and Eileen, I regret that young people today are unable to feel the sense of possibility that began with Kennedy's election and reached its apex with the March on the Pentagon and the Columbia University protests of 1968, not to mention Haight-Ashbury.
I remember hanging on everything Richard Nixon did. Watching the 1968 Democratic convention on TV galvanized me.
It's odd how boring young people find protest and politics today -- even on the Internet. Ever notice how few young people contribute to OpEdNews? I don't have an answer to inspiring them, except to put them in harm's way by drafting them, and that's no answer.
by
Russ Wellen (58 articles, 1029 quicklinks, 66 diaries, 335 comments)
on Monday, October 9, 2006 at 11:38:54 AM
Like you Russ, I was so hungry for news about Nixon, Vietnam, the draft, Watergate, and the United States maybe not being the perfect country we were told it was. People wanted to find so much more than they do today. It's apathy, ignorance, blind obedience, excuses, and disregard for the ultimate of human experiences-violent death. We have to do the best we can with the resources we have. That's why I get involved with sites like this and communicate with good people like yourself.
by
BillT (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 14 comments)
on Monday, October 9, 2006 at 8:08:57 PM
When the best guy you ever knew comes home without legs, and you realize that it wasn't his looks, but that it was his confidence no matter how adolescent that 'had you at hello,' war gets a face that makes you want to take a whack at it. It is every journey home, even after 30+ years that has a mother still crying on your shoulder that begs an explanation -- why the fuck is Kissinger back in the White House?
by
Amanda Lang (23 articles, 13845 quicklinks, 431 diaries, 593 comments)
on Monday, October 9, 2006 at 9:37:35 PM
I am not am old hippie and neither are you. Left to Bush, we will be the comma that blacks out the fact that he was an ass*ole MF who abandoned his Natl. Guard unit that could have been called to active duty at any time as other men and women are daily. I wouldn't rely on Texas for anything but kill a retarded relative. Chickenshit MFer had, and has nothing to do with any movement except for the one that made him abandon the cockpit and his unit – shitting his pants because he almost crashed after a whoring, drinking, drugging all night long. Worse than coward – flat out deserter. I would rather be incarcerated for the rest my life than sell out my fellow soldiers, even after almost 30 years. I get it. Some are soldiers, some are not. One is not born to kill but learns it. It makes US sick that he can claim to be commander-in-chief. I do not know of many foxholes that would welcome him. Actually, I know of none.
If you want Bush in your foxhole, please respond.
by
Amanda Lang (23 articles, 13845 quicklinks, 431 diaries, 593 comments)
on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 1:40:51 AM
5 comments
How would you rate this?
You must be logged in (if signed up) to do ratings.
It's free to signup! And easy. And takes just a minute or two....
Must Read (
Well Said (
News (
Touching (
Funny (
Supported (
Interesting (
Inspiring (
Valuable (
