I'm not that sure that things were better in the "good old days." I'm not sure that kids grew up and learned any better under the "old" system than they do today. I'm not sure that politicians didn't used to throw around deliberately incendiary language instead of being civil.
I've looked for the "good old days" in the history books. I see race riots, segregation, desegregation, separate but equal, yellow journalism, corruption charges, McCarthyism, monopolies, the mob virtually taking over entire cities, presidents being impeached, presidents being shot, wars being fought, draft cards being burned, "turn on, tune in and drop out", widespread drug use, police corruption... I see a photograph of a young college woman running, looking back over her shoulder in fear, with a mounted policeman in riot gear chasing her, waving his billy club and obviously only a stride or two away from hitting her with it.
Did all the students in those days graduate with honors? Were they healthy? Did they prosper? Did they speak English? Did they get a good education? Were they treated fairly by the political process?
No.
I'm not of the opinion that things used to be "better" and that the screwed up situation of today is a product of things going wrong. I've been excoriated on this forum before for being a cynic, but I'll go so far to even speculate that things are probably "better" today than they were 50 years ago or 100. I'm not sure, but I suspect it is so.
Mary Baker East Side
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