Bring the Sixties Out of the Closet

[RBHam]

By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted March 23, 2006.

We need to resurrect the good '60s -- a time when acting, despite being messy and imperfect, made a lot of good things happen.

excerpt:
Corporate America, conservative politicians and even erstwhile '60s radicals have worked hard to seal off the decade as an artifact of Charles Manson, free love excess, bad acid trips and political mayhem. The generations that followed the boomers grew sick and tired of hearing about their exploits, while some suffered the consequences of bad parenting and backlash. But the younger generations, often the offspring of the boomers, are much more eager to examine the unfinished business of that era; at least it seems that way from conversations I have had.

Today, many of us feel a deep political malaise. It is hard to figure out how to act. There are two traditional paths to social change, and many of us participate in both. The first is protest. On the brink of the invasion of Iraq, demonstrations whose size went far beyond our expectations filled the streets of cities across the globe. Tens of millions marched. We knew then precisely what we know now: that the war was based on pretense and that it was wrong -- and we have been profoundly proven correct. Yet our protests failed to stop it and continue to fail three years later. When you do your best and fail, it is hard to bounce back.

Then came the election, our second path to change. Again many thousands jumped in to participate in new ways, feeling sure we could give Bush the boot. Again, shockingly to many, we didn't succeed and have been in the dumps ever since. The extra kicker is the unspeakable fear that, with corrupt politics and electronic voting machines, maybe elections aren't winnable at all.

In the face of this semiparalysis, '60s values need to be liberated to give us some inspiration and updated to fit our present day. These values don't belong to just one generation, but rather to a historical river of ideas and ideals that stretch back into history. They are ready to be claimed by new generations and reclaimed by those who remember what it was like the first time around.

more...

http://www.alternet.org/story/33896/

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. In a truly democratic society, millions of voices (mine included)

would weigh in on a decision as serious as bombing the crap out of another nation that had already endured great hardship. They didn't and this isn't.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. It's the fucking "80s Values" that are the problem. nt

[Southsideirish]

3. In the '80's everything went terribly wrong and we haven't been able to

"right the ship" since then. Reagan was the most insidious type of monster, a "nice guy" from the "heartland" who was completely co-optible for power, status and financial security.

[Lefty48197]

4. True. The '80's were the decade of selfish greed and disregard for

the plight of the unfortunate. I'm convinced that everybody who has bought into Reagan's "me first, and me alone" philosophy will end up frying in hell.

[Iris]

8. well, I am a child of the 80s and I don't think it's too far a stretch

to say that I believe people my age are living in their own sort of hell, especially if they have kids. They are trying to function without the most basic safety nets that our parents had when we were kids.

[peacetalksforall]

5. Earlier today I was thinking about the music void. Amy Goodman played

a Leonard Cohen song this past week. Where are the Dylan's and the others? Are they tired?

ps Does anyone know the title of the Leonard Cohen song she played?

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SoCalDem]

6. Without the draft it won't happen

the draft was the coalescing element that drove the bus.

EVERY middle class (unconnected) young guy was a number away from potentially getting killed. That drove home the seriousness of what we faced.

Everyone had a son, nephew, boyfriend, husband, buddy who was a target. It brought it into every single family, regardless of their politics..

Only the "fortunate sons" escaped..and there were more of US than them

[Swamp Rat]

11. Right, and they will avoid that problem by using Dynacorp

and other mercenary groups who do not have to abide Geneva.

[DLnyc]

7. Commit random acts of kindness. Speak the truth.

The sixties, to me, were first a cultural movement and second a political movement. We were young enough that we were not yet committed to the status quo; we could still believe in, and live, an alternate social construct based on love, sharing and productive acts done just for the sake of good, not for compensation. "Commit random acts of kindness" was a saying then.

Political action can sometimes effect change for the better. But the real change needed today, IMHO, especially here in the good ole' USA, is a change in the culture. There is a strain of consumerism, selfishness and violence in this country that blinds large numbers of people to the possibility of change. How best to change the culture? The best way to teach is by example. Commit random acts of kindness.

One of my favorite type of threads here on DU is the "Couldn't believe what my RW neighbor said today" variety. People often post that their RW neighbor is 'finally coming around'. The poster probably deserves more credit for this change than they realize. Seeing someone with different views be consistent and gracious over the months and years quite likely causes the neighbor to begin to rethink his/her assumptions.

One of the magical things about the sixties was the spontenaeity of much of what happened. It was easy then, and much easier today, for the power elite to counteract a highly scripted and organized action--they knew (know) exactly what to expect and what propaganda to use to counteract the affect. But very large numbers of people doing different and spontaneous ('random') things cause the power elite to blow fuses. One action everyone of us can take, without waiting for a 'leader' to come along, is to educate our fellow citizens. Get your facts straight, get documentation you need, talk to your fellow citizens. If you have the truth on your side, there is no need to be agressive and angry, just state your case. You might be suprised a few months from now when they say to you "You know, I've been thinking it over . . ."

Sorry if I sound preachy here. I do believe in these things. Don't really know how to communicate it though. No more flowers in my hair (in fact not much hair left either). But my hippy-dippy ideals don't seem to have aged all that much.

[Iris]

9. Very well said.

If I saw you in person right now, I'd give you wreaths of flowers for your hair!

[DLnyc]

12. Thanks. Consider them delivered.

And appreciated.

[Iris]

13. You're quite welcome.

;)

[oscarguy]

10. The 60`s were great. I didn`t get in on it until the early 70`s Re: Nam...

Never the less there was an incridible scene going on in Austin Texas. Clothing optional apartment pools, nude beaches and on and on. I thought I died and went to heaven, it was that good. ...Oscar

[oscarguy]

14. It was still hapining in Austin in early 70`s. A fantastic place to be...

at that time. Nude beaches and nude parties and all that good stuff. It was every day and I was a young man. I had recently got out of the SUCK, AKA, the USMC AFTER DOING 2 TOURS IN NAM. I thought I died and went to heaven, IT WAS THAT GOOD. ...Oscar