“It’s Deja vu all over again.” – Yogi Berra
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I remember the summer of 1968 and through the eyes of my 10-year-old self it was sad and confusing. My parents didn’t even like the idea of me leaving our yard. There were race riots, war protests and of course there were hippies. As a result, National Guard units were standing posts in most major cities in the United States.
The summer of 1968 was a tumultuous time marked by tremendous social and political unrest. In the United States, it was characterized by civil rights protests, anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, and the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Globally, there were protests and political upheavals in various countries, including the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia and student protests in France. It was a time of discontent and instability.
In all seemingly came to a head at the Democratic National Convention which was held August 26–29 at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, United States. This is where the “Chicago 7” (originally the Chicago 8) would become infamous and later charged with crossing state lines to incite a riot. Also, notable and present were the Black Panthers and the Yippies – not to be confused with the 1980s Yuppies. Approximately 10,000 protestors were at hand in addition to literally thousands of police causing CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite to state, “The Democratic convention is about to begin in a police state. There just doesn’t seem to be any other way to say it.”
This year’s Democratic National Convention is again scheduled to take place in Chicago Monday, Aug 19, 2024 – Thursday, Aug 22, 2024. While there are many similarities to 1968 – some of which are eerily analogous – hopefully the violence will not repeat itself. But without a doubt we now live in an age of information and drama overload.
Let just review what has happened on a macro level in the United States just since June 27th – only one month ago
- June 27th Biden shows obvious cognitive problems during one of the earliest ever Presidential debates.
- July 13th Former President Trump narrowly survives an assassination attempt.
- President Biden gets Covid as speculation hit a fever pitch around his candidacy.
- Biden goes into seclusion and then announces he will not run for a second term.
- The head of the Secret Service testifies before congress and as a result members from both parties demand her resignation.
- Vice President Harris quickly earns enough delegates to be the Democratic Party’s nominee without one vote from popular vote.
- July 23rd Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns.
American politics are deeply divided for numerous reasons:
- Polarization: Over the past few decades, there has been a growing ideological gap between the Democratic and Republican parties. This polarization is reflected in the increasingly divergent values of their respective supporters.
- Media Influence: The rise of partisan media outlets and social media platforms have amplified divisive rhetoric and created echo chambers where people are exposed primarily to viewpoints that reinforce their own beliefs.
- Gerrymandering: The manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party over another has led to more extreme candidates being elected, as politicians cater to their party’s base rather than the broader electorate.
- Political Strategies: Both parties have employed strategies that emphasize winning at all costs, including negative campaigning and demonizing the opposition. This has eroded trust and increased animosity between parties.
These factors have contributed to the complex and entrenched political divisions in the United States. In my opinion, however, the attempted assassination of former President Trump had the largest potential to do permanent damage to our country and yes be the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.
There might be no less likely location for a potential assassination than this sleepy location in a mostly rural area of Western Pennsylvania. I grew up 25 miles south of Butler, PA. and played golf there many times at a little course off Route 8 called Rittswood. As reiterated Monday by both Republicans and Democrats during the congressional hearing – in an extremely rare bipartisan moment – it doesn’t pass the smell test. How does a 20-year-old with no military background outsmart the legendary U.S. Secret Service? Will there actually be answers or does this get swept away by the next dramatic event?
Unfortunately, it seems most likely that the uncanny parallels with 1968 will continue and based upon the refusal to answer basic questions and provide transparency we will be overwhelmed with conspiracy theories.
