In 1964, Bob Dylan released the song “The Times They are a-Changin”. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS7aBrBUaFU . I was eleven years old that year and was more interested in baseball, bikes, and skateboarding than I was in generational revolution. But the movement and national unrest that was addressed in this song matured along with me and reached a crescendo during the Vietnam War (featuring major U.S. combat involvement) in 1965 through 1973. I graduated high school in 1971 and went through a hurried four years of college. My wife and I married in 1972 and we couldn’t wait to pursue our dream of middle class nirvana. My four years of college went by in a flash, with little opportunity or desire to get involved in political protests; we were kids raising kids.
I
am one of the few people my age that will readily admit I was not at
Woodstock. But even though I might not
have packed up and headed west for the summer
of love or walked in marches with signs and shouts, I grew up in the midst
of that and had friends who were immersed in it. Much like many of the protests we see today
all across America, a large portion of those past events were recreational in
nature and the signs and slogans were oftentimes props to lend some credence to
a good ole time with smoke, sex, and rowdy behavior. At the end of the day…then as it is now…the actual percentage of the protesters who are
truly devoted to the cause du jour is relatively small compared to the overall
numbers that turn out.
And
though some things about those protests and the ones we see today are similar,
there is one distinction that leaps out at me.
The protests of the ‘60s and ‘70s involved kids…teenagers and young adults.
Of course, there were some older folks lurking in the background, posed
to take advantage of exploitation opportunities as they presented themselves. But
the crowds were mainly just kids. Today’s protests…by and large…appear to me to be composed of a much older
demographic. The joy and celebrity that
existed in the past protests do not seem to be present in today’s events. What we see today is a group of people who
are angry, hateful, and they make you wonder…Who are these people? Do they have a job? Do they have families? Do they even know what they are complaining
about?
There
are many aspects of modern American culture and society that invite
Machiavellian-minded scoundrels to worm their way into the empty lives of
people and manipulate them to their private causes. There are so many among us who have empty
spaces within themselves and unwittingly seek something…anything…to fill up that void.
The line of shysters willing to fill that emptiness is endless and they
are enjoying a rich environment of opportunity these days. America has a long and storied history of
peaceful, stoic protests for any number of causes, and it has been that way since
the year of our inception as a nation.
This is one of the constitutional rights that make our nation unique and
precious as compared to so many others.
The
irresponsible and manipulative protests that we see today, largely driven and
financed by political opportunists on both sides, are eroding the true value
and integrity of that constitutional privilege.
There is a sizeable effort on both sides of the political aisle these
days to try and suffocate those voices that do not align with their party’s
beliefs. Free and open debate has been
replaced with scorched earth demagoguery and character assassination has become
a highly-valued skill for political office holders and their minions.
We
boomers take great pride in espousing the belief that in our youth, we
experienced the greatest eras of rock music.
Right or wrong, I believe this to be true. Without elaboration, I will simply refer you
to the wealth of classic rock radio stations nationwide, the soundtracks used
with movies and commercials, and the sales of classic rock music products as
testament to this reality. In some ways,
I think there might be something of an analogy here in how we can compare the
protests of the ‘60s and ‘70s with the protests we are witnessing today. Just as many of today’s youth have discovered
the pure exhilaration of classic rock, so have many of today’s protestors tried
to emulate the protests of years past. But
the innocence…what there was of it…is
no longer there. The celebration of support for a perceived noble
cause is no longer present. The contrast
between the overall tilt towards peaceful action versus violent behavior is
striking.
Don’t
misunderstand me…the past protests had their episodes of violence. Property was destroyed and people lost their
lives. Kent State was a tragedy in the
greatest sense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYOz12OG8mI
. The 1969 Stone’s concert in Altamont went way
off the rails: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRWpKevJjNE
. There were some occurrences of extreme
hatred and violence on both sides of these older protests. But anyone who was
alive at that time and knew the players involved know in their hearts that
there is a clear distinction between the innate objections expressed through
public displays of protests then and
the inexplicable personal animus that is so clearly prevalent in today’s protests. Today’s protests have a discernible edge that portends destruction and
occasionally dances around pure evil.
It
is inevitable that our people, our culture, and our society will evolve and
change. It is inevitable that those who
hold the levers of influence, power, and authority will move from one hand to
another…with dramatic differences in how they view this world. But to anyone my age…73 years and counting…who
can span the decades that have passed us since the Vietnam War and the
political mess we find ourselves in today, cannot help but wonder if our nation
has changed in a fashion that will not serve us well as a people. The callousness, cruelty, hatred, spite, and
malice that is so prevalent in our country today is not only abundant…it is actually prized and encouraged by many
amongst us.
Look
at the common crude rhetoric being exercised by our elected leaders…even our President. Look at the permissiveness and amoral
behavior being not only demonstrated, but encouraged by our government: https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2026/04/sodom-and-gomorrah-return.php
. No doubt, my parents looked upon the
behavior of me and my generation and considered it as devolution of American society.
Perhaps they were correct…at least to some degree. But it is impossible for me to watch the news
today, to read the expanse of print and opinion that exists in the media
universe, and not believe that our
nation’s people are changing in ways that will not serve us or our future
generations well.
Who
amongst us hasn’t stood on the beach and looked upon the endless ocean…or
walked out in our yard and gazed upward at the infinite universe of stars and
planets…or stood out on the balcony of our apartment and marveled at the
incredible number of lights and activities of the city in which we live…and
wondered: What does it all mean? There has always been a restlessness that
exists in our people that pushes us to yearn for that which we do not have…that
tells us to seek change when that change is undefined or not entirely
justified.
As
the Dylan song prophesied…The Times They
are a-Changin. As it was apt on the day
of its release, it remains apt today.
Maybe what we are going through now in America…and the world at large…is nothing new, but simply the next chapter
in the ultimate passage of time and history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyoeJr6ZcPM
. Perhaps we are only fooling ourselves when we feel we are
steadily moving towards a predetermined place, cause, or environment. Perhaps that place, cause, or environment has
already been decided by a power greater than us, and we are simply passengers
on the train hurtling down the tracks towards that destination. Only time will tell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Nri2626CfI
.
I thought I was through writing
this piece, but I got an urge to say a bit more…perhaps a bit of Easter
lingering still. I beg your indulgence. If you find yourself in any of what I have
written about…this confusing world, the void within ourselves, and wondering
who the hell is conducting the train we are on...here is some advice. Find a church in you neighborhood. Churches and faith are very personal things;
one size does not fit all. Find one you
are comfortable in…the people, the
person delivering the message, and
just the simple feel of the
moment. You do this…then consider it,
study on it, and if you are ready to make
the commitment, take the next step.
The answers to your questions are right there before you. There will
be solutions to all of your problems.
If
you’ve read my posts, you know I do love music.
I feel like most every great song I have ever heard is the product of a
writer and/or singer who has actually lived that moment. To intently listen to a song like that is to
relive the experience. One of those
really good ones is “Baptism” by
Kenny Chesney and Randy Travis. I can
tell you from experience that once you come out of that water; you will not be
the same man or woman that went in. If
you give it a chance and a moment or two, this song can come close to giving
you a glimpse of what that feeling is like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW_oBGbvROg
.
At
the time of this writing, a cease fire is in place for the Iran conflict. We can only hope and pray that reason will
prevail and this war can be settled sooner rather than later.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/04/an-uncertain-cease-fire/
https://amgreatness.com/2026/03/31/the-two-wars-for-iran-the-war-in-a-historical-context/
https://freebeacon.com/columns/finish-the-job-theres-only-one-way-to-lower-the-price-of-oil/
https://jewishworldreview.com/0326/doran033026.php
https://amgreatness.com/2026/04/02/a-foolish-nato-was-a-big-loser-in-the-iran-war/
https://americanmind.org/salvo/the-war-in-iran-is-a-mistake/
Power
corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. History has shown us that our elected leaders
do not have the moral character to serve without limited restraint. Free speech in is peril today and government
overreach is one of the culprits. Rapid
advancements in technology make this issue even more critical than ever.
https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/free-speech-wins-8-1-in-the-supreme-court/
We
would like to think that our elected officials and those who serve and protect
us every day…such as teachers, police, courts, lawyers, bankers, and our neighbors in general…are honest,
well-intentioned, and virtuous. Unfortunately,
that is not always the reality. Our laws
must limit the degree to which both elected and unelected people in positions
of power and authority might control or influence our private lives.
Here is a good example of rogue
individuals operating unfettered: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFqQ42aiMuo
Yes…this abuse has extended up to
the Executive Branch through the abdication of Congress allowing the President
to assume and control their constitutional powers:
https://reason.com/2026/04/04/who-can-stop-the-president/
Education…Education…Education
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/look-to-the-states-for-higher-ed-reform/
https://amgreatness.com/2026/04/01/windy-city-school-woes/
The
U.S. economy is poised for an enthusiastic rebound. Will events ever settle down to the point
where that can begin? Will common sense
restructuring of government entitlement programs ever occur?
https://reason.com/video/2026/03/30/you-are-paying-for-retirees-lavish-lifestyles/
Next
question: Will simple government function ever occur?
https://jewishworldreview.com/0426/york040126.php
Four
quick hits on the way out the door…
Is space travel worth the funding
it requires? What is the cost of
dreaming? How strategic is space control
to our future national security?
Will common sense election reform
ever become a reality?
https://amgreatness.com/2026/04/06/election-day-and-election-reforms-not-week-month-season/
What will the SCOTUS have to say
about birthright citizenship?
With our two national parties’ dysfunction
growing more evident by the day, what are the prospects of a third party rising
to represent a moderate approach to governing?
https://amgreatness.com/2026/04/08/californias-future-elaine-culottis-independent-vision/
