I want to learn about the '60's and '70's from thoose who really lived it. Please write your tales. Enlighten me!
I remember a time we were capping up mesciline at twenty-five or -six to four... freedbypeace, like any time in history, so much happened, so much changed. I think that for most if not all of us that lived then, it was just our world. We maybe did not see the significance of what we were doing with civil rights and anti-war protest. We (I) was just living in my world just like you are living in your world. Who knows what will be said about the first decade of the twenty-first century fifty years from now? As far as changing the world, yes we did. Well the PC has also changed the world. Dig when you are. Be in your world and make it as great as you can. That's all we did. O ya. We got high alot too. Peace, Larry
Sounds good. I like that you are encouraging me to just live my own life and not think about whether I might be impacting the world to an extreme. (Although that is what I want to do!) P.S. My dad is exactly your age and his name is Larry also. Thank you again and hope to keep a friendship.
I got stoned and I missed it!! Please see my thread on Woodstock, it will give you just a small taste of one experience. To tell you the truth the sixties for me were a time of enlightenment. There was so much going on with civil rights, war protests, assassinations, concerts, and the most beautiful music that made a difference. As a Mexican-American living in the Heart of Texas, I expereinced discrimination and prejudice. As children, we were fobidden to speak Spanish in school and the penalties for doing so were severe. We were forced to learn English as fast as possible and were considered dirty and dumb if we couldn't learn it fast enough. It was very hard for a young child to learn a foreign language even though we were born in the US. But it all evens out in the end. The civil rights movement paved the way for great changes in America. I remember seeing and hearing Dr. Martin Luther King give his stirring "I Have a Dream" speech on television. I remember JFK's "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" speech that inspired a generation of young Americans. I remeber seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show and a slew of other rock-n-roll legends to follow. I still remember seeing the Doors give their electricfying performance on the ED show. The music of the 60's was fantastic to say the least. So many legends wrote some of the best rock music ever. Legendary bands like Cream, Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, CSNY, The Doors, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Country Joe and the Fish, Big Brother with Janis, CCR, Grand Funk, Jimi, and so many more, inspired all of us to "Come Together" and "Give Peace a Chance". But the one thing that I remeber the most was the glue that held us together as a movement. I guess that was due in part to the Vietnem War. During the sixties I was too young to go, but my brother fought in the war and he came back with a darker side. Vietnam Vets were treated with disdain and I didn't experience that feeling until I served in Nam in the seventies and came back to an America that saw us as baby killers and criminals. There were no parades or celebrations for returning Nam Vets. It was like we were invisible and didn't exist. America wanted to forget the war and the many who had bled. But how can you forget the dreaded experience of war? Well, as Forrest Gump would say, "that's all I have to say about that". I hope I didn't bore you with my recollections but for more insight read some of my posted poetry such as "American Disgrace" and "Cold Warrior" for the Nam Vet experience. Peace to you and to all who understand, ALI
toolab: You mentioned the hard conditions for vietnam veterans.. I can't imagine people harassing returning soldiers like that, it's unbelievable. A friend of mine who's very into war-stuff had a real dislike towards hippies for that reason.. he kept bringing up the example of hippies bashing returning soldiers at the airports for being 'baby-killers'. To me, being somekind of a hippy, that's the same as those pro-life people killing abortion doctors. Sure, I'd rather have peace than war and sure, I'd probably try talking soldiers out of going to war (in cases like vietnam and Iraq, I'd rather have them going to west-africa if they must go somewhere, but that's a whole different discussion).. but that doesn't mean that I'll go start my own war on soldiers! Maybe I'm more openminded about the army because my dad served there for over 25 years.. I even lived in Germany for 3 years as a kid because of that (at the east germany border, together with an US army base and an Eglish airforce base, near Bergen Belsen) during the last years of the cold war). So I grew up with having the car pulled over because 10 tanks on full speed had to pass.. because of that I learned the other side of 'the army'.. the excitment, the male bonding stuff, the loyalty.. Ah well.. was just ranting really..
hey toolab i was one of those hippies protesting the war and i could never understand the people who jeered the returning soldiers. in my mind they were not what everyone here is referring to as hippies. america can't seem to get the concept through it's head that you can be against the war and not be against the brave people like yourself who fight it. my best friend's name is up on that wall in washington d.c. along with those of way too many of your buddies i am sure. it wasn't your idea to have that war or the one we're engaged in now. and just like vietnam, this one seems to be willing to send people who don't have daddys who are in power. if the bush kids had to go to war tomorrow, it'd be over fast. just wait til after the election..cause if bush wins (god forbid) the draft will be re-instituted so fast it'll make your head spin. when their children are no longer safe from going to war, we'll see how fast the rest of america will want this ridiculous struggle to continue. as we used to say back in the 60's "the vietnam war is the white man sending the black man(latino man) to fight the yellow man over a country he stole from the red man." no much has changed it seems and it's sad how quickly we have forgotten our history lessons. if not many have said it to you before and it may be years to late, but welcome home! :+) deezee
To Deezee, Thanks man, I needed to read that. My condolences for the loss of your best friend. Our generation lost so many good people here and abroad. The Vietnam War torn this country apart and it seems as if this present administration hasn't read their history books. Or if they did, they just looked the other way. I was going to wait to print this poem on the the Wall but I'm posting it today. Please feel free to copy the poem called "Black Granite Wall". It's a protest poem and I totally agree with your argument that this country needs to realize that just because you are against the Iraqi War does not mean that you are against the brave Americans that are fighting and losing their lives. My heart goes out to all the families that have lost loved ones fighting this un-necessary war and I hope not too many more join the ranks listed on the "The Wall". I hope that every young person reads "Black Granite Wall" and understands. Young people, you must rise up and challenge the current power structure and one way to have your voice heard is by voting. Go out and vote this November and let's vote the scoundrels out of office. Your life may depend on it! Think about it. ALI
no one could say it any better than that. i couldn't wait to vote for the first time after they lowered the voting age to 18. it kills me that so many people now waste that priviledge when so many have died defending that right. can't wait til the world turns again and we get back to the thinking that prevailed in the 60's. we just may not be around to see it unfortunately. deezee
