Reading "Nixonland" by Rick Perlstein

[mtowngman]

(lord knows it's taking me long enough to get through- my own fault) got me thinking about 1968.
I was ten years old at the time, and I remember the big events, the assassinations, my patents watching
the disgusting hippies rioting in Chicago, but last night I found this gem of a PBS documentary on
Youtube (6-10 minute parts):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vVZP2T60wI. I'd never heard about
the Mexico City disaster that took place that year, nor did I know of the anarchist impetus behind the
Paris riots.

I also thought about Iran today. Citizens desiring change in that country, a country normally perceived
as our enemy, are doing exactly what citizens here were doing a generation ago: take to the streets
and put their asses and lives on the line for what they believe.

A rather disturbing question is why that hasn't happened here again, especially in the last few years of
The Bush administration. Our freedoms and liberties were trampled over, the rich got richer and the
poor got poorer and the war dragged on endlessly and pointlessly.

A few guesses why the lack of national upheaval:
1) What's been called weapons of mass distraction. When I was working in construction, one of my
favorite rants concerning the Darfur disaster was that most of these guys didn't know or care to know
the meaning of the word genocide, but could tell you in a heartbeat how many worms Tiffany withe the
big boobs ate on Fear Factor last night. I don't think Fear Factor's on TV anymore, but we still have American
Idol to numb our conscience.
2)Maybe we're still too fat. What I mean is, things aren't bad enough for us yet. In 1968 college kids who
could have easily enjoyed a life of privilege walked out of classes, took a stand and in some cases got their
heads split open protesting what they knew was wrong. I'm 50 years old and working on my bachelor's
degree. A lot of the kids I see in school show up for class, and sit there texting on their whatever latest
gadget, they drive new cars while texting on their whatever latest gadget...( I said "a lot" not all-please
don't kill me.) Most don't seem much aware of what's going on outside of their personal life.
3) Maybe it worked. Maybe after eight years of intimidation, manipulation, repression, illegal surveillance and
arbitrary imprisonment we're just too scared to make too much noise.