May 6, 1970: Vietnam protests @ ISU

[pstans]

Thanks to Nicolai from AmesWire (http://www.ameswire.com) for posting about a photo essay on the ISU Library page about Vietnam protests. These pictures makes me ask, where are the students now? Is a draft the only way for the public's outcry to get to the point where it makes a difference?



Here is the entire photo essay: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/exhibits/timesachangin

[rurallib]

1. I have said it before and I will say it again

people don't bother themselves much with stuff that doesn't directly affect them.
And with this admin every body has something that is affecting them directly do they can only expend so much energy, rage and time. Students are threatened with fear of no or low paying employment and massive student loans to pay off. Name a group and W has fucked them someway. And the response to work on that which directly affects you splinters any cohesive response.

[rurallib]

2. Also, someday I'll have to tell you where I was May 6,1970.

[Hardrada]

3. OK, Ames was impressive too.

IC had whole streets blocked off.

[Waistdeep]

4. This was not just about Vietnam

Nixon had illegally invaded Cambodia just the week before. I was a grad student at Berkeley and classes were virtually not taught for the next month or so. The outrage over a president daring to violate the law was almost universal.

In another remarkable bit of timing, the first Earth Day ever was on April 22, 1970. It was an amazing time for politics and education. It lasted for much more than a single day and blended into the protests over the Cambodian incursion the next week.

I have never seen a few months with such amazing energy and hope.