At first glance, the UCB event Wednesday was a chance to cover (and run) a light-hearted look laden with nostalgia back at some Sixties lore. A closer examination of the changes that have occurred in the last fifty years would require a bit more than a quick column geared to please in the skim and click age.
The Congress on Racial Equality isn't in the news much lately but if you look around on the internets you will find that the assertion that a person of African-American heritage is shot by a police agency (on the average) of once every twenty eight hours is ubiquitous.
Fifty years ago, 18 year old young men were being drafted to
fight in conflicts started by politicians whom the draftees couldn't vote for
until three years later. Now new
military action can be sanctioned by a budget vote held late at night. The all volunteer military is staffed by
young folks who can't afford to go to college and don't want to be burdened by
student loans.
Corporations are still reaping large tax benefits from Prop 13. The loss of property tax revenue has meant that tuition costs in California have become astronomical (metaphorically speaking) and so the people struggling with student loans are probably not thrilled about the fact that corporations are still reaping benefits from that decades old bit of legislation.
Have things changed via the Free Speech Movement or is it a
case of the more things seem to change the more the reality is "same ole, same
ole"?
The words of Mario Savio will be quoted extensively in various "Week in Review" round-ups and so, to be different, we'll quote Andy Gowdy who once said to Chef Teddy Owens: "For your birthday, we'll take you up to Vegas and get you some new scars."
The disk jockey was tasked with finding songs about being arrested, so he will play
Johnny Cash's "Live at Folsom Prison" album, and Merle Haggard's "Mamma tried" and Toby Keith's "I'll never smoke weed with Willie again." We have to go post bail for a buddy. Have a "'get out of jail free'card" type week.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
1
1
