Question for the older generation....

[ananda]

28. It was just as nasty in previous years.

I grew my political wings in Dallas in the sixties, during the Civil Rights, fluoride, and Medicare era, and talk about hate and craziness ... it was mean, ugly, hot and intense. But there were also beautiful, inspiring moments because of the Kennedy's and LBJ and a few others. Jane Fonda was on the stage working to end the Vietnam War, and the music was fantastic!

Dallas was like a cauldron simmering and seething with a mixture of the whole mess. It was horrible and wonderful at the same time... you know, the best of times and the worst of times. Gotta love that Dickens for sure!

I remember General Walker, the crazy loon, with his confederate uniform and pistols, standing in his doorway yelling and shooting. Also, the John Birch Society was in its prime there. When I was in eighth grade, I had to debate a position against the United Nations, and my mother was no help because she was a diehard liberal and loved the UN, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Adlai Stevenson. So she took me to the John Bircher mother of one of my brother's classmates who had lots of brochures and pamphlets against the UN; and get this, even though we were for the UN, my partner and I won the debate. Too weird. The pastor of my parish was also a John Bircher, and every week in the bulletin a whole page was devoted to "J Edgar Hoover Says," and that pastor was a mean, crazy loon too.

Then there was the time during the primaries when LBJ and Ladybird were in a parade in downtown Dallas and people were yelling at them, throwing stuff, and spitting on them.. because of Civil Rights.

And don't forget, all the bigotry and hate in other states too. Steinbeck described it tellingly on one of his trips (I'm thinking America and Americans, but it might have been Travels with Charley). His accurate portrayal of the Louisiana and Mississippi "Cheerleaders" was so amazing, disturbing, and effective. Plus in the late fifties I believe, there was Edward R Murrow's "Harvest of Shame," a fine segue on The Grapes of Wrath.

Do we even have journalists and broadcasters like that any more?