I was just thinking about the 60s and 70s...

[joemurphy]

How unresponsive the government was to Vietnam...how radicalized everyone became...how peaceful protests eventually became nasty confrontations. I went to school in DC. I remember being on the roof of my dorm after Martin Luther King was assassinated...watching DC burning...I remember classroom boycotts...people carrying candles with the names of American war dead...riots in front of the South Vietnamese embassy...tear gas wafting up from M Street onto the campus...fights between hardhats and peaceniks...radical music...Kent State...

I wonder if this is beginning to happen again. We have 3 more years of Bush...something's going to have to give.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Yes that is exactly what is starting

and what it will take

[Atman]

3. It will take a Kent State, unfortunately.

I actually think these guys are smart enough to know that, and will do everything in their power NOT to wind up killing protesters. It is really, really bad PR for their master plan.

[Atman]

2. The trouble is, Bush doesn't remember. He was too fucked up.

He and Cheney were busy dodging the war to know what was going on back then. Just some rabble rousing goin' on.

[Bluerthanblue]

6. I don't think he was any more

fucked up than he is now- I think he just didn't really care- anymore than he does now- It isn't ...'touching'... him where he lives- He's immune to the death and destruction- it's not real- not HIS friends, children, brothers, sisters, parents that are dying, and grieving.
And it wasn't folks he was close to in the 60-70's- either.

They lived in their bubble of privlidge and power- just like now.

[justiceischeap]

4. Yeah, I'm having a discussion with folks about Black Bloc

on another thread and they seem to forget that every "peaceful" protest has it's militants and generally, it seems from my viewpoint, violence has to erupt in the streets before peace prevails. :shrug:

[omega minimo]

9. Correction

"violence has to erupt in the streets before (martial law) prevails."

The noose has been tightened for at least a dozen years (during both Bushes and Clinton) or more (started with Raygun).

And the savvy, cynical younguns thought they had plenty of time to twiddle their thumbs and eventually go out into the streets....

:boring:

[cyberpj]

5. Back then we were all susceptible to DRAFT! Today's kids are not.

Therefore, even the lazies had more reason to get off fat asses and march!

I've always thought that's exactly why Bush will NEVER have the draft back. A volunteer army can't complain about it so much.

Kid's today don't feel threatened in the same way.

[Angry Girl]

7. We now need a leader who isn't afraid of getting "suicided"... n/t

[KoKo]

8. Yes...I think it's starting again.

It always happens when Government doesn't listen to the people. The numbers have to get bigger then the voices get louder and then it eventually has to lead to violence if no one listens.

I don't think the Bushies have read much history. They think they can control it all. The folks around Johnson and Nixon did too. There wasn't much media coverage of the sit in's and protests when they began way back then. But, when it turned violent it was all the media could talk about.

[catmandu57]

10. We nead a leader

Back then we had Martin Luther, Bobby Kennedy, and a slew of people willing to stand up, I don't see any today. I see a bunch of pissed off directionless people, who if given some direction could take this house of cards down.

When someone arises, and they will, watchout.

[European Socialist]

13. You nailed it-a leader would make all the difference.

[Misskittycat]

11. Were you at GW? I started in Fall '68 and was there for all

the big antiwar demonstrations, especially in '69 and '70.

Wish I could have been there today. I'm about to head off to a sunset vigil locally here in San Diego.

[joemurphy]

12. No, Georgetown Class of 71. I'm sure you know what I'm talking .

about. Nice to find a contemporary. I'm sure you'll agree with me that being in DC during those years was pretty intense.

[Misskittycat]

14. Yep. GW was the "hotel for the revolution." n/t