I‘ve gotten remarkable response to my column today “Boomer bust hinders Democrats’ aims.”
A small fraction has been ugly, but that’s mostly from reactionaries who are fighting the culture war as a win/loose proposition — it’s going to either be an American theocracy or an Aquarian explosion:
“I am sorry you grew up in a hardcore Christian family that didn’t let you be yourself and chided you when you thought outside of the box. I did too. The only difference is that once I reached adulthood I began thinking critically on my own. You can do it to and so can the rest of America” — etc.
I didn’t mention religion or even Republicans (and to clarify, my folks let me be as weird as I wanted, I was just more of a bow tie than a tie dye), just the argument that if liberals want to have successes like they did in the early and mid-1960s, they need to get serious again. But mention Woodstock and you do tend to touch a raw nerve.
I confess that the selfishness that has become a national trait of Americans has made the self-seeking of many in that generation something of a hot button for me.
Most of the responses have been generally positive responses from my peers, liberal and conservative, who are utterly exhausted by the culture wars and eager to see a serious discourse instead of the reformation and counter-reformation of American culture that so often dominates. My generation is much more libertarian and much less partisan, so that makes sense. Liberals want to see liberal ideas win, conservatives want to see conservative ideas win but the illusions of either remaking the 1950s or ushering in a new countercultural paradise. We are a more pragmatic set.
But my favorite emails have been from the members of the Baby Boom who weren’t part of the counterculture, particularly those who passed the summer of 69 far away from Max Yasgur’s farm. Like this one from a retired Marine colonel:
“I had just been commissioned to 2ndLt, from Staff Sergeant, when Woodstock took place…I was in Vietnam for my third trip working with 3d Force Recon Company. We knew about it thru the “Stars and Stripes” as well as in-country radio AND HANOI HANNAH…! I was in a funk over it, and even back then, knew nothing good would come from the event and could foresee problems ahead for our Nation. Hate being right so often…!”
Ooh-rah, colonel.
