The 1960’s
The
time when we come of age leaves an important mark on who we become as adults.
There is no set calendar age that an individual “comes of age,” but there are
general rules. Typically we come of age between puberty, and the selection of
our chosen professions. Donald Trump began the 1960’s at the age of 14. The
decade covered his high school, his first college, his second college, and
wriggling out of the Vietnam War, just prior to the assumption of
responsibilities at what would become the Trump Organization.
The
‘60’s are a much loved period of American history. The economy was good, with
the United States a clear leader in post war manufacturing. Americans could
leave high school and expect to live a full middle class life while working for
one company in a single income household. We were fighting the cold war but had
gotten over the worst part of it. You know the part where Joseph McCarthy had
people on edge? He passed away in 1957 and the worst part of his scare had
subsided three years earlier with his censure. We were freewheeling and free
loving nation of producers! The makers were making and there were no takers to
do the taking. That’s when we were great!
The
best part was America was in Love with our leaders. Well we seemed to love
Kennedy, and LBJ was someone we begrudgingly admit to being a good leader. As a
curmudgeon though, Trump likely finds a kindred spirit in the man who succeed
JFK.
There
was some racial tension of course. The Civil Rights movement was in full swing,
and the KKK had risen to oppose it. South Carolina responded by flying the
confederate battle flag in their state capital, a sign that treason looks best
if it’s disguised as states’ rights. They are easily explainable as some sort
of aberration, a few bad apples, just like we explain them now?
The
best for part for Mike
Pence though? No one had heard of Roe v. Wade! That’s right, women were
starting to have abortions since they had been outlawed in the previous two
centuries and states were starting to let them too. But of course they weren’t
being all shove guys face in it talking about their rights. Couples had a right
to birth control but not the everyday harlots, they wouldn’t get that until the
70’s.
We were
even stuck in some unwinnable wars, so the landscape looked pretty similar.
This could not be when America was Great though. Why? Well first of all the
decade was plagued by assassinations. Three major ones in 10 years, far more
than any country should have to endure. Not something Mr. Trump would want to
return to, nor me for that matter electoral politics is blood sport enough.
This
cannot be when America was great though because we passed the Hart Celler act
of 1965 and abolished the quota system for immigration. We were opening our
doors to the world and giving them a chance to help make America diverse,
inclusive, and thrive. We passed the voting rights act, these days we have a Republican party that is all too happy to try to suppress the votes they think will go against them. We may have had some trouble over the years living up to
that goal, but the 60’s were more about giving rights and bringing people to
the table than the recent executive action on immigration
from Muslim nations.
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