The Owners were not amused. I read an extensive article some years ago which fingered a Fibbie informant-agent provocateur for firing his concealed pistol to start things off on that day. I've intuited-organized my perceptions enough over the years to have known the ensuing years as mostly a series of interludes. Before being chosen for excising on Facebook nearly 3 years ago now, I had issued little written glimmers that the summer of '68 was coming around again soon enough. We (most of us) toil away whistling in the dark, desperately hanging on to the illusion that "everything is going to work out fine" even as those dark forces that never sleep too/also whistle, atonally, as they go about fulfilling the latest chapters of their business model. It's classic 70s chapter was titled "The Powell Memorandum" or 'Doctrine' if you will. It got Lewis Powell his Supreme court seat.
"Ohio" was THE outrage anthem I grew up with. For five decades, Kent State was a cornerstone of how my worldview was shaped. One thing that I never looked into, however, was the level of violence employed by those who turned demonstrations of first amendment rights into riots that threatened the physical safety of others.
I am no longer inclined to be content with romanticized narratives. Watching the events of the last five years unfold has convinced me that taking the easy path of groupthink is not helping to make the world a better place.
It's not so much the revelation of Neil Young's hypocritical and intellectually bankrupt demonization of open and honest inquiry into political malfeasance that has led me to question his cultural influence, it's more the way that the dissidents of yesteryear have revealed the convenient malleability of their value structure, en masse.
What was presented as an advocacy of honesty, integrity and non-violent assertion of human rights, is increasingly appearing to have largely been thoughtless contrarianism and self-serving agitation.
There is an important role to be played by protest movements, but it is a mistake to regard their violent excesses as irrelevant to their legitimacy.
Politics is a dirty game wherein no player has clean hands.
I appreciate sharing experiences of how we were impacted by those experiences. I do think there are some people with integrity and clean hands, although any become compromised.
I agree with you. Behind the scenes and under the radar, many thousands of ordinary folks heard the messaging, looked around, inquired within their own hearts and minds and went quietly about the business of putting their time and money on the line to improve the lives of others.
Remember the old saw to the effect of "if you're not a socialist in your youth, you have no heart, if you remain one in your dotage you have no brain?" Putting aside the loaded term "socialist," we can substitute numerous other words and derive a similar meaning.
Having spent my entire life a stone's throw from the epicenter of the original "summer of love," I've watched the participants and hangers-on turn grey. It's been a revelation to observe the vast majority of them do what was once referred to as "selling out." At the same time, I've also seen a small number of them remain consistent with their expressed beliefs, spending of themselves in the service of others, year in and year out. These are the individuals that forbore mass movements in favor of personal action.
Of great interest to me has been the difference in child-raising between the eventual "sell-outs" and the quiet benefactors. The values of the child reflect those of their parents.
It's particularly poignant to see who, among the youth of today will lend a helping hand to us old folks that gave of our time five decades ago, with no fanfare, no expectation of anything more than a simple "thank you." I have yet to encounter such self-effacing kindness from the progeny of those who followed the herd, back in the day.
In your writing, I sense an appreciation of those values that induce people to act according to their better nature. may your work continue to promote those values and reinforce them.
Thank you, Diane, for piecing these together! I served on the national student strike coordinating committee along with two others from the independent caucus of SDS at Stony Brook, who joined 9 others from around the country. The strike -- the largest student strike in US history -- was called the day BEFORE up at New Haven, at the large 2-day protest calling for freeing Bobby Seale and Erica Huggins of the Black Panther Party. I was commissioned to present the "call" and the 3 demands that the coord comm worked up, to Tom Hayden, who was at the microphone speaking to 20,000 protesters. (I mentioned this to Tom when I saw him -- he was incognito -- in Seattle 1999, 29 years later!) So we called the strike, and then the next day Kent State happened -- the national strike structure already being put into place. Much appreciated, Diane! Some days will remain sacred on my calendar as long as I live ....
Thank you so much for connecting and sharing the story - yes - the word is sacred. Thanks for tuning me in to that. These times now are also sacred as we connect to each other for a higher and lower purpose.
Ironic that Neil Young became a totally brainwashed Cult of Covidiots member! I remember the Kent State tragedy vividly (was in high school at the time).
Thanks Diane for this trip down memory lane. I was a big fan of Neil Young’s music and of course appalled at what he did to Joe Rogan. Mass formation as you have been pointing out.
However, even in that idealistic era there was a lot of communist exploitation of protest movements. The real tragedy is that the brainwashing has stopped so many from seeing that one good definition of evil is the demonization and persecution of people who just want to mind their own business.
The Owners were not amused. I read an extensive article some years ago which fingered a Fibbie informant-agent provocateur for firing his concealed pistol to start things off on that day. I've intuited-organized my perceptions enough over the years to have known the ensuing years as mostly a series of interludes. Before being chosen for excising on Facebook nearly 3 years ago now, I had issued little written glimmers that the summer of '68 was coming around again soon enough. We (most of us) toil away whistling in the dark, desperately hanging on to the illusion that "everything is going to work out fine" even as those dark forces that never sleep too/also whistle, atonally, as they go about fulfilling the latest chapters of their business model. It's classic 70s chapter was titled "The Powell Memorandum" or 'Doctrine' if you will. It got Lewis Powell his Supreme court seat.
Ironic that Neil became the guy to call for censure of Malone on Rogain
Yes, I had the same thought - ironic. 'm hoping that old Neil is still inside of him and educable and capable of being awakened.
It's Joe ROGAN.
I must a been thinking of some medication, whoops
Honesty I just did not know how to spell
I've had teacher tell, "you don't know how spell many times" :)
First they came for my grammar
"Ohio" was THE outrage anthem I grew up with. For five decades, Kent State was a cornerstone of how my worldview was shaped. One thing that I never looked into, however, was the level of violence employed by those who turned demonstrations of first amendment rights into riots that threatened the physical safety of others.
I am no longer inclined to be content with romanticized narratives. Watching the events of the last five years unfold has convinced me that taking the easy path of groupthink is not helping to make the world a better place.
It's not so much the revelation of Neil Young's hypocritical and intellectually bankrupt demonization of open and honest inquiry into political malfeasance that has led me to question his cultural influence, it's more the way that the dissidents of yesteryear have revealed the convenient malleability of their value structure, en masse.
What was presented as an advocacy of honesty, integrity and non-violent assertion of human rights, is increasingly appearing to have largely been thoughtless contrarianism and self-serving agitation.
There is an important role to be played by protest movements, but it is a mistake to regard their violent excesses as irrelevant to their legitimacy.
Politics is a dirty game wherein no player has clean hands.
I appreciate sharing experiences of how we were impacted by those experiences. I do think there are some people with integrity and clean hands, although any become compromised.
Thank you for responding, Doctor Perlman.
I agree with you. Behind the scenes and under the radar, many thousands of ordinary folks heard the messaging, looked around, inquired within their own hearts and minds and went quietly about the business of putting their time and money on the line to improve the lives of others.
Remember the old saw to the effect of "if you're not a socialist in your youth, you have no heart, if you remain one in your dotage you have no brain?" Putting aside the loaded term "socialist," we can substitute numerous other words and derive a similar meaning.
Having spent my entire life a stone's throw from the epicenter of the original "summer of love," I've watched the participants and hangers-on turn grey. It's been a revelation to observe the vast majority of them do what was once referred to as "selling out." At the same time, I've also seen a small number of them remain consistent with their expressed beliefs, spending of themselves in the service of others, year in and year out. These are the individuals that forbore mass movements in favor of personal action.
Of great interest to me has been the difference in child-raising between the eventual "sell-outs" and the quiet benefactors. The values of the child reflect those of their parents.
It's particularly poignant to see who, among the youth of today will lend a helping hand to us old folks that gave of our time five decades ago, with no fanfare, no expectation of anything more than a simple "thank you." I have yet to encounter such self-effacing kindness from the progeny of those who followed the herd, back in the day.
In your writing, I sense an appreciation of those values that induce people to act according to their better nature. may your work continue to promote those values and reinforce them.
Thank you again.
and call me Diane
I am touched by your response and pleased to connect with another kindred spirit.
Thank you, Diane, for piecing these together! I served on the national student strike coordinating committee along with two others from the independent caucus of SDS at Stony Brook, who joined 9 others from around the country. The strike -- the largest student strike in US history -- was called the day BEFORE up at New Haven, at the large 2-day protest calling for freeing Bobby Seale and Erica Huggins of the Black Panther Party. I was commissioned to present the "call" and the 3 demands that the coord comm worked up, to Tom Hayden, who was at the microphone speaking to 20,000 protesters. (I mentioned this to Tom when I saw him -- he was incognito -- in Seattle 1999, 29 years later!) So we called the strike, and then the next day Kent State happened -- the national strike structure already being put into place. Much appreciated, Diane! Some days will remain sacred on my calendar as long as I live ....
Thank you so much for connecting and sharing the story - yes - the word is sacred. Thanks for tuning me in to that. These times now are also sacred as we connect to each other for a higher and lower purpose.
Sacred in my calendar too Mitchel! Thank you Mitchel and Diane for sharing this.
Ironic that Neil Young became a totally brainwashed Cult of Covidiots member! I remember the Kent State tragedy vividly (was in high school at the time).
Thanks Diane for this trip down memory lane. I was a big fan of Neil Young’s music and of course appalled at what he did to Joe Rogan. Mass formation as you have been pointing out.
However, even in that idealistic era there was a lot of communist exploitation of protest movements. The real tragedy is that the brainwashing has stopped so many from seeing that one good definition of evil is the demonization and persecution of people who just want to mind their own business.