60's Spirit

[Gary Blanchard]

From a new page on my website.

The 1960's were a special time. There was a lot of negative events like the assasinations of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy, the civil rights struggle, the continuing war in Vietnam are some of the larger ones. Out of that, however, came some very positive vibes. There was a growing awareness that peace could become a reality, that equality was achievable, that we could live in a state of love, acceptance, and freedom. Tie dye clothing, bell bottom pants, flowers in our hair, and beads were just outward symbols of a major change in thinking that has helped to shape our world. To me, the most important thing to emerge from the 60's was a sense of hope - that no matter how bad things look, we can make them better.

Our world now seems very dark at times. We need to reconnect with and renew our sense of hope. Things may seem bad, but they can get better. They will get better, if we maintain hope and work for change. We can't be "waiting for the world to change;" we have to help the world to change. The spirit of the 60's is not gone; it lives inside us all.

Peace!

[PEACE FROG]

Eloquently stated my friend. If I might add, change begins in our hearts with a desire to experience a higher love. To experience a better you and a better me. It is not just the absence of war, of hatred and violence we seek, but a living and growing manifestation of the self that we were created to be. So not only must we become the change that we seek but seek the change that is of the highest good for all. The sixties to me was a cultural time in America to run with scissors.

[Gary Blanchard]

Gret point, my friend. Thanks for the thoughts.

[hedgewitch]

Wonderful posts guys!
:hippie:

[shaggy]

Howdy,

Check out this website for some fantastic sixties photos: *******
Larry Kennan - Photo Gallery
Photos of the 1960's & 1970's counter-culture.
http://www.emptymirrorbooks.com/keenan/c1967-1.html

Pax.
Shaggy

[PEACE FROG]

I love this post^. fascinating photos. Thank you SHAGGY!!!

Hey Gary do you have one of yourself from 67' 68' ?

[Gary Blanchard]

I love this post^. fascinating photos. Thank you SHAGGY!!!

Hey Gary do you have one of yourself from 67' 68' ?

Unfortunately, the first Mrs. Blanchard (acquired in 1970, fired in 1973) decided that she was going to cleanse my hippie past and destroyed all photos, my record collection (replacing it with 5th Dimension and Carpenter albums), and anything else that linked me to myself. She also wanted me to recant my pacifism and conscientious objector status (I was serving alternate civillian duty at the time) and join the army. So no, I don't have any. I might check with the Baltimore police and the FBI though; I think they took some back then. :hippie:

[shaggy]

Howdy Gary,

You wrote: "She also wanted me to recant my pacifism and conscientious objector status (I was serving alternate civillian duty at the time) and join the army."

Man, you should have sent her to the Army in your place, as she sounds like she would have made a good soldier.

So you had a 1AO draft status, eh? What did you have to do for alternate service? I had to fight like hell, but I did finally get a 1-O Conscientious Objector status. The draft board knew that I was a draft counselor and led a local peace group. They tried to get me to opt for alternate service with: "Do you think Jesus would refuse to give medical aide to injured soldiers on the battlefield?" Don't know, can't speak for him, but _I_ won't! They turned me down for not belonging to an organized church. Then a month or two later, a ruling came down from the courts that a person did not have to belong to a church to have religious convictions. Sooo - I got my full C.O. status. Then I got a buzz on and, coupled with Jimi Hendrix's music, went to the draftboard and turned my cards in - stating that I was divorcing myself from their system. That caused them to revoke my I-O status and issue a 1-A (fit for service) card. They thought they had me until I informed them that my wife and I were a couple months away from parenthood - and a draft deferal. They asked why I hadn't told them earlier and I told them I was having too much fun with them!

Pax,
Shaggy

[Gary Blanchard]

I served in a civillian hospital as an orderly. When I filed for CO status, I was sent the 1-A. I filed an appeal and had to meet with the draft board. I had an ace in the hole. When I was 12, there was a kid who wanted to beat me up; I had been a pacifist since I read a biography of Gandhi at age 10, so I would not fight him. I was also not too keen on being hit, so I would run. The school system, in their great wisdom, decided that the kid who wanted to beat me up for no reason was okay but I needed to see a psychiatric social worker. Before I went to the draft board appeal hearing I got a letter from the school system that proved I held the same beliefs at age 12 as I did at 18. They found that hard to dispute. Had the appeal failed, I was prepared to go to jail. :hippie:

A fun little anecdote. I cleaned myself up for the hearing - haircut, jacket, tie, something beside blue jeans but realized I didn't have suitable footwear. I went to the local shoe outlet and bought a pair that had the price, 9.99, written on the sole in magic marker. I ahd to be sure not to cross my legs during the hearing because those across the table from me would have seen 666 written on the bottom of my shoe. :p

[Adam Blanchard]

There was a lot of negative events like the assasinations of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy

and yet they couldn't take out Ted Kennedy.. damn...

I might check with the Baltimore police and the FBI though; I think they took some back then.

humm... I mist hear more about this one Dad. ;)

A fun little anecdote. I cleaned myself up for the hearing - haircut, jacket, tie, something beside blue jeans but realized I didn't have suitable footwear. I went to the local shoe outlet and bought a pair that had the price, 9.99, written on the sole in magic marker. I ahd to be sure not to cross my legs during the hearing because those across the table from me would have seen 666 written on the bottom of my shoe.

and just think, if your suit were all black you could have resembled me.. although I probally would have tried to show the bottom of my shoe. lol :bat:

[redthewitch75]

Unfortunately, the first Mrs. Blanchard (acquired in 1970, fired in 1973) decided that she was going to cleanse my hippie past and destroyed all photos, my record collection (replacing it with 5th Dimension and Carpenter albums), and anything else that linked me to myself. She also wanted me to recant my pacifism and conscientious objector status (I was serving alternate civillian duty at the time) and join the army. :hippie:

Sounds like you found a woman you could really be yourself with...