For a moment, put aside the politics of the university student protests. Look back to your own youth.
Switching to America, in the 1960s and early 1970s, the anti-Vietnam War protests commonly turned into riots, as we have been reminded lately. When President Richard Nixon ended the military draft and pulled all troops out of Vietnam in 1973, the riots ended.
In 2024, the main objection of the protesters is to U.S. and university policies backing Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. But let’s look deeper.
The 1960s produced an economic boom that lasted until 1974. When the protesters graduated, they easily found jobs. Housing was cheap. Inflation was starting, but you could manage the higher prices with higher wages.
College debt was low or nonexistent. Blue-collar jobs were declining with industry. But a college education in most fields would bring a paycheck shortly after graduation.
Then the 1980s brought President Ronald Reagan’s cuts in taxes and regulations, declining inflation, and an economic boom now even conceded by most liberals today.
An effective nihilism reigns. And the students at Stanford and other elite schools the past 37 years have seized control of the universities, public schools, government, and even many churches.
- $1.7 trillion student loan debt;
- $783,666 average price of a home in California, according to Zillow;
- $974,105 the average price for a home in Los Angeles, where USC and UCLA are located;
- 20 percent-plus inflation since 2021, when President Joe Biden came into office;
- 5.3 percent California unemployment in March, probably rising in coming months;
- $6,084 yearly tuition at Cal State for in-state students, compared to $0 in 1968;
- $14,436 yearly tuition for in-state students at the University of California, compared to $0 in 1968;
- $35 trillion federal debt;
- $73 billion California deficit for fiscal year 2024-25, which begins on July 1.
- The traditional family still largely was intact, although fraying;
- Dad could support his wife and several children on one salary;
- Divorce still was fairly uncommon, although increasing;
- The manufacturing industry still was the world’s largest by far, supplying good, middle-class jobs;
- Manufacturing especially was strong Southern California, with its thriving aerospace industry;
- Silicon Valley was growing fast;
- California’s public schools were the envy of the nation. Apple co-founders Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs received good math and science educations;
- California’s population soared from 16 million in 1960 to 20 million in 1980s, a 25 percent jump.
The Vietnam War was a noble cause to prevent the communist conquest of South Vietnam. But it was badly mismanaged from the start. That gave the left wing on campuses an excuse to launch their anti-American protests, including riots and burning the American flag. Most of the kids were just joining the general atmosphere of anarchy. But when they wiped the tear gas from their eyes, they were not punished, and were even celebrated.
Cell phones also make it much easier to organize the campus protests, then provide immediate videos of what’s happening.
Like all generations, kids these days somehow will survive and take their place in society. But it’s too bad the adults aren’t giving them a more solid foundation on which to go forward.
