The legacy of the Hippie movement (regular, March, parties, versus)

[Roadking2003]

Originally Posted by hawkeye2009

Hippies of the 1960s are probably 100% democrats. Given the "success" fo the democratic congress over the last four years, I think that the competence of the hippies speaks for itself.

Hippy Legacy?

1. Endorsement of illegal drug use
2. Contempt for the family and sex outside of the marriage
3. Lack of respect for the institution of marriage
4. Lack of embracing the work ethic of the previous generation
5. Bad manners
6. Sloppy dress
7. lack of respect for the US and contempt for thier own nation
8. contempt for US servicemen



All in all, essentially everything bad

#1 is not necessarily bad.... it's a good thing to fight oppressive government restrictions.

I gather from your post is that they have different opinions than you and you can't handle it.

And they did help teach us to achieve balance in our lives. They just went too far the other direction.

[Visvaldis]

Originally Posted by hawkeye2009

The hippies were "the herd" who engaged in mindless protests for the purpose of getting high and raising hell. The hippies mindlessly took dangerous drugs (that was real well thought out), "dropped out" (another brilliant decision) and engaged in wanton sex (another bright move). How much thinking is involved when one decides that breaking windows, over turning cars and burning buildings is a good idea. These were useful idiots and spoiled brats who were acting out like toddlers.

Now tell me again- how do you associate the word "hippy" and "thinking" again? They seem mutually exclusive.

The vets I have encountered were midwesterners. Did they smoke pot? Sure. That does not make them a hippy. However, MOST say they had ill treatment by the hippies at one time or another after returning home. Oddly, I have a patient with very long hair, tatoos, and wears sandals who I called a damn hippy (I was kidding). He (as many of the vets) described what evil SOBs the hippies were to him and his buddies on return from Vietnam. My uncle was in country with the 101st and heard Jane Fonda's radio broadcasts. After returning home (after about a year in a few military hospitals) he was suprised to hear she had not been shot for treason. That is a hippy for you- "concerned" for the world, yet hateful and scornful of thier "brother". What pigs.

Very vague. Overturning cars? Breaking windows and burning buildings?
Easy to tell you were not alive during that era and receive your info from people who hate hippies. Violence of that sort did happen but rarely. How many incidents can you recall?
You generalize without any specifics..."mindless protests", "getting high", "raising hell", "took dangerous drugs", "dropped out", "useful idiots and spoiled brats acting out like toddlers".
What ever your metaphors mean only you know. I think you have a communication problem.
Where did you encouter the vets, in good ole Dixie?
Thousands of soldiers returned (alive) from Viet Nam. You want to condemn all hippies by what you heard from a handful of GIs. Did you personally know any hippies? Your credibility sinks.

A question occurred to me. You say you treat Viet Nam vets. Have you ever heard of Agent Orange?

[Visvaldis]

For anyone who is interested, here's a brief explanation of American veterans against the Viet Nam War:
GI opposition to the Vietnam War, 1965-1973 - Howard Zinn | libcom.org

[saganista]

Suppositions of disrespect by "hippies" of returning vets is just another level of pure right-wing mythologizing. No case of spitting has ever been confirmed, for instance. Airports were packed with soldiers coming and going from all sorts of places all day every day. There were no incidents. Now the disrespect shown by groups such as the American Legion and VFW was real enough. Nam vets were shunned as long-haired, dope-smoking hippies who had shamed the country by losing a war that never was any sort of real war to begin with. That actually happened, but the right-wing doesn't like to talk about it very much.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Neuling

Seems there is no thread on Hippies, yet.

Since Hippies are almost always mocked on this board, is that really justified? What were the positive and negative aspects and consequences of that era?

Well - earlier I said some negative aspects of the hippies and I've had all day to think of some positive aspects - but still I have none.

I think Charles Manson and his group were the ultimate hippies.

[Visvaldis]

Here's some scenes of Viet Nam veterans throwing their medals over the fence. This event was part of a large anti-war demonstration in Washington, DC. and covered by CBS, NBC, and ABC. This footage has some nasty language that was blipped.
Sloppy dress? Beards? Long hair? Check out the appearnces of these Viet Nam Veterans.

YouTube - Veitnam Vets throwing medals back at Washington

[Huckleberry3911948]

the good news, a green movement and animal rights
the bad, an anti people movement, the majority became the shame based society. the minority became the entitlement people instead of earning your way people.
free love instead of respect, drugs instead of sobriety
rudeness instead of courtesy. civil rights law used to defend uncivil behavior
courtesy of gloria steinem, divorcing on up and EEOC fast track career hopping took the place of family and career.
social chaos instead of social structure
and last but not least, 7 month old baby killing became known as fetus termination.

[Visvaldis]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

the good news, a green movement and animal rights
the bad, an anti people movement, entitlement instead of earning your way
free love instead of respect, drugs instead of sobriety
rudeness instead of courtesy. civil rights law used to defend uncivil behavior

This one gets me laughing. I can't tell you how much I enjoy pro-people and courtesy from the Right.

[cuebald]

Originally Posted by hawkeye2009

The hippies were "the herd" who engaged in mindless protests for the purpose of getting high and raising hell. The hippies mindlessly took dangerous drugs (that was real well thought out), "dropped out" (another brilliant decision) and engaged in wanton sex (another bright move). How much thinking is involved when one decides that breaking windows, over turning cars and burning buildings is a good idea. These were useful idiots and spoiled brats who were acting out like toddlers.

Now tell me again- how do you associate the word "hippy" and "thinking" again? They seem mutually exclusive.

The vets I have encountered were midwesterners. Did they smoke pot? Sure. That does not make them a hippy. However, MOST say they had ill treatment by the hippies at one time or another after returning home. Oddly, I have a patient with very long hair, tatoos, and wears sandals who I called a damn hippy (I was kidding). He (as many of the vets) described what evil SOBs the hippies were to him and his buddies on return from Vietnam. My uncle was in country with the 101st and heard Jane Fonda's radio broadcasts. After returning home (after about a year in a few military hospitals) he was suprised to hear she had not been shot for treason. That is a hippy for you- "concerned" for the world, yet hateful and scornful of thier "brother". What pigs.

Funny - I could have sworn you had said you were a med school prof. If you are old enough for that, you would surely be old enough to remember the Viet nam era first hand instead of through having it recounted by your uncle.

If you do remember the era, you will also remember that many of the hippies were drafted, and many of the servicemen who returned home reverted to their natural states once out of the service.

The violent actions of a few were never typical of the masses, any more than the teabaggers of today are all racist although some try to paint them as such with a broad brush.

if there is a problem with people who believe in self-awareness, peace, and individual freedom, I can't for the life of me figure out what it would be.

And yes, I was there, I was a college student in the late 60s and early 70s, I was called up but was declared 4F, I played guitar, smoked weed, and got tear gassed a couple of times. It was a great time to be alive. It's a shame you missed it.

[burdell]

Originally Posted by malamute

Well - earlier I said some negative aspects of the hippies and I've had all day to think of some positive aspects - but still I have none.

I think Charles Manson and his group were the ultimate hippies.

You can think whatever you like, doesn't make it so.