In the 1960s America was virtually defined by two events: the war in Viet Nam and the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. We entered a foreign conflict, got bogged down over there and witnessed the murder of our young President.

Myself being a ’60’s kid’, I personally witnessed and was a ‘victim’ of both events…and others like them happening here and abroad. I did not go to ‘Nam, nor was I in Dealey Plaza that day, but as an American Citizen, I witnessed and endured the pain of those events.

Now witnessing the war protests and the death tallies conveyed to us each day by the media, coupled with the ‘violent’ events of the presidential race, I am being transported back to the 1960s it seems.

Perhaps the dominant emotion we experienced then was helplessness bordering upon hopelessness, much like conditions today?…Things were going on and I (we) could do nothing about it.

Some back then took to the streets, some peacefully, some not so, and protested…needing an outlet to express their frustrations.

Time marches on and we should learn from both our past mistakes and our past successes. But witnessing today’s events through newspapers, televisions and smartphones’ apps, I wonder if anyone learned much from that rough and tumble decade now over 50 years past?

Feelings stir when I view protesters march for a cause that I don’t agree with…’their’ side got it all backward!…Just look at WHO started all this!

And one might say witnessing the events of the two current major presidential candidates’ campaigns (that are attempting to KILL off the other’s hope of success) is almost as painful as watching someone actually pulling a trigger.

Our alternatives are the ones we’ve always face in times like these: do SOMETHING about it or do NOTHING and just witness the goings on.

The upcoming election will offer the masses one way to effect change…or not.

It, of course, will be only the first step of the many required.

The 60s also provided us with a lot of Folk Music and some were Protest Songs which asked questions such as these:

“WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE?” followed by “WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?”

Richard Phillips

New Iberia