This past week I’ve been struck by the similarities between the Parkland high school protests which have had immediate media attention, and the student protests that intensified and gained media coverage in the aftermath of the Tet Offensive of January-February 1968. It’s fifty years to the date, and I haven’t seen any commemorations, nor recognition in the media for the watershed the Tet Offensive ushered in. Then as now, a wake up call by the youth of the nation was the catalyst for change.
Protestors against the Vietnam War were primarily college students. Protests against the tyranny of the NRA have shifted a notch to high school students. Both groups separated by about three generations were directly impacted by senseless violence, and their passion moved and is moving mountains.
There are caveats. The violent clashes on the streets of Chicago in the summer of 68’ ushered in the Nixon Regime in its bid to restore order with a silent majority. The protests cropping up spontaneously in 2018 will hopefully remain peaceful despite provocation from seriously unhinged alt.right elements. There is no convention to disrupt this summer, but the bipolar media loves its sensationalism, and any sort of nasty confrontation that is goaded along will be seized on by Trump and company to stem the looming Democratic successes in November 2018. The most ferocious weasels in Trump Land with their Russian enablers will look for any chance to contain the wave in November 2018.
I fully support the Parkland students, and I hope they continue to apply pressure as we have the privilege to witness a sea change occurring before our eyes. They are a bright, articulate, and diversified bunch who were thrust into the national spotlight a mere week ago, and yet they remain strong despite having lost so many of their schoolmates and friends within that same volatile time frame. It must be overwhelming for them, and still, they hold their own. They are remarkable, but they will need our support.
In short, I think we’re witnessing that Walter Cronkite moment during Tet when he announced to the nation via CBS News, the Vietnam conflict was ground in stalemate, and victory seemed remote and impossible. The wakeup call from Parkland is the stranglehold the NRA has on this nation has got to end, and any politician standing in the way is going to get steam rolled. Good.