We need protests. But are young people of today like the young of 35

[maveric]

years ago? I dint think so. When I was in my youth Viet Nam was raging with the unpopular fervor. Eighteen and nineteen year olds were coming home in flag draped aluminum coffins. This scared and infuriated the youth of that time and we took to the streets, college campuses and even to the white house. I didnt see that happening today, during this war, when kids are still coming home in flag draped aluminum coffins.

I'll try not to totally slam today's youth. Most I know are fine people but I detect a certain level of complacency. I dint now what it could be to make them that way. There will probably be a draft and many will be shipped out to fight this insane, illegal war for oil and profit. And many will die.

We need to protest up to or go beyond the Viet Nam era levels. And we need to have these demonstrations often. Make ourselves visible, force the media to pay attention. But we need the youth of America to feel the anger that we do and stand with us. We need to get to them so we can get to THEM, and show this administration and the world that this war is WRONG.

[Worst Username Ever]

1. Young people in the 60's didn't have xbox n/t

[walldude]

28. Well they also didn't have Cable TV, The Internet

DVDs, IPods, Wal-Mart, ADD, Aids, Rush, Hannity, Coulter and a number of other choice things. They also didn't have a government controlled, coporate run media telling them how great things are going over in Vietnam. We on DU have a tendancy to think that everyone is as informed as we are and should all be making the right decisions. I mean, even though the election was fixed, nearly half of America truly believes Bush is a moral, honest man who is doing what is best for his country. The minute they are proven wrong like with these pictures from Fallujah they spin it to blame the messenger. Usually the spin is that it's all partisan lies, but since this one is on film they are calling for the head of the cameraman who actually had the audacity to film the truth. I certainly cannot blame a 16 or 18 year old who's biggest concern is their raging hormones for not taking to the streets in protest.

[Goldmund]

2. "I didnt see that happening today, during this war, "

Really? You didn't? Only the biggest protests in history -- at least by number -- Feb 15th, 2003.

See, I don't entirely think that your point is just bullshit. It's not. But you're making it so black-and-white. To say that today's youth is not at all taking to the streets is just wrong.

[maveric]

6. But not as frequently as they did in 1967-72.

I was at the San Francisco rally in Jan/03 and althought there were many young people there most were over 30.
I guess that I'm just an old guy who is comparing now to 1970. It seems like most of those who protest today are over 30. Just my observation from the rallies I've attended.

[distantearlywarning]

3. This won't happen unless we are faced with a draft.

This is a truly horrible thing to say (I admit it up front), but a part of me thinks that people will never wake up in this country until the draft happens, so I kind of hope the evil bastards enact one...

[shakerbaker]

10. I fear you are Right about the Draft

Even then it took several years of them dying and non stop media coverage of the carnage and the demonstations. We won't get that from this media I fear.

[naturalselection]

13. I hate to say it as well but you are right on.

But even if a draft is started, most young Americans will not rise up right away. The mentality of "They won't draft me" will initially be in place until young Americans start to see their buddies leaving and coming back in coffins.

[regnaD kciN]

31. That's very much the case...

Not that I hope there is one like you do, but much of the motivation for activism back when I was young is that your own life was literally on the line because of the draft.

If you look back, you'll find that a lot of the activism among young people simply evaporated when we went to an all-volunteer army.

[knowbody0]

4. today's movement

is more powerful because in includes all generations, making it more powerful than vietnam.
they do not televise the revolution because that gives it power.

[demnan]

5. Remember

it took several years to get people organized enough for those mass demonstrations in the late 60's. It took people coming home from the war, and it took the media to broadcast it. We have to come up with another way to wake people up.

[AnIndependentTexan]

7. you underestimate youths.

Hell some children 13 to 17 years old have more common sense then most voters. Didn't you listen to Mike Malloy last night? It was amazing how much these 13 year olds knew.

The youth were also the ones who voted the most for Kerry. They just need the right people to inspire them.

[Skidmore]

9. It's the 18-25 year old group that needs to get its rear in gear.

[AnIndependentTexan]

14. Hello I am one of those 18-25 year olds

I'm 23. It was my age group that came out more then any other age group. Inspiration is the key here. Kerry inspired a lot of youths and they are still here. I've never focused on a election before or watched politics. It was because of Kerry that I am interested and here as a member of Democratic Underground. Kerry Inspired me to do more. I'm still proud that my first vote in any election went to Kerry. I don't think he will see this post, but my dad lurks here as well. I pretty much forced him to the voting booth and we are Texans!

[AnIndependentTexan]

16. I forgot to mention that I am also one of those xbox'ers as well

[Skidmore]

17. Thanks for coming out.

And thanks for staying. My son and his friends are all in your age group. I watch these young people and my siblings children in that age group. The greater number of them appear to be more concerned with social activities than the possibility that they may end up with a Baghdad mailing address one day. It's not for want of parents and grandparents trying to get more of a response than a shrug.

I'll bet your dad is proud of you, young Texan. Keep on keepin' on. Us old fogies used to say that once upon a time.

[maveric]

19. I beleive that we need more of you and us old timers too, to organize

and make noise up to, if not to surpass, the levels that were present during Viet Nam.
Viet Nam was an evil, illegal war but I fel that this one is even worse.

This is NOT a slam but perhaps a rallying cry and recruitment. Its the only way we will be able to end this war.

[shakerbaker]

11. ITA. My 14yo twin nephews

absolutely detest Bush and wished they could have voted.

[Skidmore]

8. I saw a discussion recently about young people and the

"herd" mentality we raised them with. The premise was that they have been socialized to group participation through lots of before and after school team activities. I found it plausible that young people tend to have problems breaking out from perceived expected behavior.

Sounds half-baked but I can see that it's not too far fetched either in observing the behavior of my nieces and nephews with their peers.

[DrWeird]

12. I, of course, wasn't there, but didn't they have more to rebel against?

I mean the "greatest generation" were mostly uber-patriotic war hawks. It seems, naturally, their kids would be doves.

[sandnsea]

20. I disagree

My uncles that were in WWII are very much against this war. None of them were uber-patriotic either. They saw war, they weren't impressed, they rarely talked about it. They did their duty absolutely and were proud of it, but they came home wanting peace. And raised peaceful kids. Korean War vets, that's a different story. Somehow I think their uber-patriotism resulted from not having their war glorified, kind of like the John O'Neill types. I think the WWII generation gets confused with the Korean War generation an awful lot. They're very different.

[vanboggie]

15. My daughter once said to me...

about the 'Nam years - "I wish I could have been there."
Who knew she would get her wish and then some.

She has deep convictions about what is happening now and has been actively protesting, locally and in DC, since 2000. She has often rallied many friends on short notice. We have protested together. Don't "misunderestimate" our youth.

Bad part is, I worry about her more activities more than parents worried back then. The powers we're protesting against now are more powerful and much more dangerous to life, limb, and liberty.

[Tikki]

18. What I read into your post, was a concern...

...of; not just the numbers of young people showing up at protests, but, that the young people of today might not be up to the 'art of protesting' that signified the protest of the 60's.

[maveric]

24. Many are up to the "art of protesting"

I just dint see the numbers I saw from 67-72 and that bothers me. Many of these kids will be coming home in body bags.
I have 3 sons ages 22, 18 and 13. They are all anti-war/bu$h but would not attend protests in San Diego with me. They either were embarrassed or had better things to do and that bothered me greatly.

[Mend]

21. No, We Were Awesome! n/t

[blueraven95]

22. I think...

that some of us in the 18-25 range feel that protesting doesn't seem to do anything. That is, that the government and the media have found ways to delegitimize protesting, so that even though many more people are protesting now than have before, it is not in the public's conscious.

Many of us, I believe, want to do something, but we have no idea how to go about it in a productive way. We want to make a difference, but most of the options we have heard of don't seem to have any impact. I truly feel that we are just waiting for someone to orchestrate our protests.

I personally feel paralyzed...l'm not sure what I can do that won't be turned against the whole progressive movement.

[maxsolomon]

23. Protests are counterproductive.

The "liberal" media spins every protest against the protestors. People HATE, viscerally HATE, anyone who dares to pipe up & challenge the status quo. Even here in the "Soviet of Seattle", most upright citizens cheered the gassing of non-violent protestors.

Tanks are in the streets & no one notices.

A simple statement of opposition to war like "Bring the Troops Home" automatically makes you an ally, if not a member of PETA, ELF, the SWP, Al Queda, Fight Club, & Act Up all at once. Maybe you didn't notice during the RNC that no one in the media cared about the arrested protestors or what happened to them & innocent bystanders?

Only a draft will mobilize the youth, and Bush's brains aren't that dumb.

I don't know what the alternative is.

[maveric]

25. If we have enough of them with great numbers the media will have notice.

They can only spin it so far before people start to smell the bullshit.
We need numbers and frequency of events.
The media will have no choice but to report what is really happening.

[proudbluestater]

32. In February of 2003 30 MILLION MARCHED

Did you see coverage of it on television? Not nearly as much as it deserved. The WORLD marched against this war, 30 million strong.

After contemplating the lack of reaction from the White House,I came to the conclusion that nothing anybody does has any impact on Dubya and the wrong decisions he makes. He is a person without conscience.

[JVS]

26. The young then had advantages in numbers, parents who busted their humps..

to provide for them, better opportunities because college tuitions were affordable, and felt confident enough about their futures and their eventual inheiritance of a prosperous society that they were willing to fight about this.

Today we are not a large group demographically, many of our homes were broken, educational opportunities are often very costly, we know that if we screw around we are going to be punished harshly and lose the already diminished opportunities to lead a comfortable life.

What an age of luxury it must have been when children of the middle class could occupy a University building without forfeiting their futures.

[Tikki]

29. There was, also, this familiarity factor...

..during the Vietnam War. We all knew (or knew of) someone personally that was lost in that war.

Don't talk numbers, now..it's not pariotic; but numbers... they do have a way of adding up and spreading out, quickly.

[saracat]

27. We had Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. We had real Journalists.

When we do protest, it isn't covered. A million women marched on DC and only C-Span covered it. I have seen lots of young people marching, and in some ways it is more ant-war than we werebecause they are single issue protesters. They are against the war but might be Anti-Gay or Pro- life. Our generation was not only anti-war but for freedom!

[Carl Brennan]

30. There is no draft today like back then. That's an important factor IMO. nt

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

33. Millions have been protesting. The media/administration ignore it.

I'm not saying 'oh effing well, let's not protest then' - keep it up, because who knows, maybe by accident the reichwing media will cover it.
Ha, ha, just kidding. It'll get a 5 second soundbite about 'angry commie libruls were hating our troops, hating america, and badmouthin' apple pie today at...'

Okay, I apologize. I've been a *little* cynical lately... I heartily endorse any and ALL form of protest. Wish that those that are ALWAYS GOIN' ON would get some coverage or somethin' though.

The protests from day one of the Bush regime have been record-breaking.
But hey man... you wouldn't know it, if you watch the mainstream media.
Nosiree bob.

[BorisB]

34. They need to be led and organized

I am a college professor organizing my students to protest. I was there in the 60s too...and the way I remember it 90% of the students back then were more interested in skirt lengths and frat parties than protest.

It doesn't take every kid getting motivated..it just take 10% 10% of the average public university campus is 2000 people.

If I wasn't a newbie, I'd start a thread calling for college instructors to
1. find other like minded professors on campus to pull their students together
2. fit assignments and class discussions to agitate and educate
3. offer time to students interested in direct action to help them get organized and work together effectively
4. study the means to effective grassroots organization...aka. "I put out a flyer and nobody came."
5. start a progressive newsletter or paper on campus. Agitate around the war and the draft, but also around immediate close to home things like parking fees or tuition increases or Pepsi only campuses. Get them used to the idea of their own empowerment before you try to get them to change the world.

There organized activism will not come from within them or because Puff Daddy comes around once every four years to tell them to vote. Those with experience in direct action need to help them make it happen.

and go here www.greatboycott.info