How about a first-hand view of some history – the 1960s. If you read this you might just get bored and wonder why you wasted your time, or you might have a better understanding of some of your parents and grandparents. Most likely Im just trying to make sense of my life but I hope that its a little bit enlightening and that a few of you will actually read the entire thing. Just because we fall short or fail doesnt mean that the cause is not good and just. It just means that we screwed up – plain and simple. One of the biggest criticisms of those of us who were the social activist in the 60s was that we were just spoiled, draft-dodging, rich kids who had too much time on our hands. Believe it or not, most of us were not “draft dodgers”. Quick story - A handful of graduate students addressed several hundred undergraduates at a college late one night to talk them out of a march that would have definitely been confrontational and probably ended in violence. I was one of the graduate students. We agreed with the undergrads grievances but we wanted to keep them non-violent. We were called all sorts of names (by both sides) including draft-dodgers. That was funny since there was only one of the five grad students who hadnt served in the military and two had served in Viet Nam. I had been attached to the 101st. Airborne for training only two years prior. So being a hippie or tree-hugger, peace-nik, etc., didnt mean that you hadnt served your country or that you were un-American or anti-American. We were probably spoiled. Our parents grew up in the depression and many of us were war-babies. We werent rich, but most of us were probably from what one might call “privileged” homes. The others our age had already been forced into the workplace. Probably the majority of us were in college, but most of those whom I knew had to work while in college just as I did. But there was one issue of division in the ranks. There were those who thought we should give up whatever qualified us as privileged and reduce our standard of living, etc., to meet the less fortunate. Those are the ones who are still the butt of hippie jokes. Then there were those of us who believed that we should put our efforts and our privileges into bringing the other peoples standard of living, etc., up to meet ours. Our argument was like the argument that has raged around education since civil rights . . . you dont get a more educated society by lowering education standards. You need to provide the means to help everyone succeed to their greatest potential. Doing that the entire society benefits and prospers. I remember one of my fathers colleagues at the university calling me a racist because I opposed lowering standards for black students. (I had been recruited to run for school board by a bi-partisan group.) I can still recall my reply. “No. If anyone is a racist, it is you. Im the one who believes non-white people have the same ability and potential as whites. Youre the one who is going on the premise that non-whites are inferior and cant do the work.” I learned something from all this that isnt really taught in psych classes (or wasnt back then). When you are just a step from the bottom of the food chain you want to keep those below you where they are. Its called survival. Those who were just above the people we were trying to help were understandably angry with us. They didnt understand that we believed that everyone could do better if we all cooperated. If we provided the poor with better education, etc., then everyone would have better education. If we stopped the rape of our land and our world that was/is benefiting only a very few, we would all come out winners. Obviously we should have done a better job showing those socially just above our target group that they would be included in the benefits. The ideas, etc., do work. Im still convinced of that. The problem was that most of us might have been privileged enough to have a few years to fight for the cause, but we didnt have enough time. We ran out of time. We finished college, went to grad school and then had to either conform or starve. Almost all of us caved and conformed. Those who would keep the masses poor and ignorant and convinced that they would survive only by doing as they were told had won . . . they outlasted us. By 1968 I was married. By 1971 I had a family. Frequently I feel very morose and embarrassed. Perhaps thats why I ended up in two of the areas of health care (geriatric psych and special needs) that dont make much money. I still wanted to do something for those not as fortunate as me. Its interesting. Now Im FB friends with several people my age who lived in Meadville, PA. I havent seen them since I left Meadville in 1963 but youd swear we were hippies together. They too are tree-hugging social activist still trying to save the world and give hope to those less fortunate. Our only hope now is that our early zeal and our 11th hour efforts to make a difference will not fall short again but will benefit future generations and create a new spark of hope and determination in our children and grandchildren.
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 21:02:33 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015