MAKE WAR NOT LOVE

"EACH AGE HAS ITS OWN FOLLIES, AS ITS MAJORITY IS MADE UP OF FOOLISH YOUNG PEOPLE." SO SAID PHILOSOPHER AND WRITER, RALPH WALDO EMERSON, A HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO. HE REMINDS US THAT THERE IS ‘NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.’ FADS, FOLLIES, DELUSIONS AND THE MADNESS OF YOUNG CROWDS WILL NEVER LEAVE US BECAUSE IT IS IN THE NATURES OF THE BEASTS. THE SECRET TO MAINTAINING SANITY, IN THE MIDST OF THE ABSENCE OF IT, LIES IN PREVENTING A SOCIETAL TAKEOVER BY IRRATIONAL NONSENSE. LUCKILY, RALPH THE OPTIMIST, DID NOT LIVE TO SEE THE 1960'S. IN THE 60'S, A NEW DANCE CRAZE, THE TWIST, SAID THEN PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, EQUATED WITH "VULGARITY, SENSUALITY, INDEED DOWNRIGHT FILTH." IKE ASKED "WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR CONCEPT OF BEAUTY AND DECENCY AND MORALITY? WITH THE ADVENT OF ROCK AND ROLL, NONE OTHER THAN THE GREAT SINGER FRANK SINATRA CALLED IT "MARTIAL MUSIC OF EVERY SIDE-BURNED DELINQUENT ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH." ANOTHER MUSICIAN, MITCH MILLER, HOWEVER, EXCUSED R & R BECAUSE "YOU CAN'T CALL ANY MUSIC IMMORAL." ALSO, A HARVARD PSYCHIATRIST APPROVED OF IT AS A HEALTHY OUTLET "FOR RESTLESSNESS, FOR UNEXPRESSED AND SUBLIMINATED SEX DESIRES. " ANOTHER PSYCHIATRIST WITH PRESCIENCE SAID, "THE TEENAGER IS ENTITLED TO BE YOUNG."

ONCE THE UPSTARTS OF THE 60'S BEGAN TO HOLD SWAY, THEY NEVER LOST THEIR GRIP. HIPPIES, DRUGS, MINI-SKIRTS, LONG HAIR, ROCK AND ROLL, BEATLEMANIA, PANTY RAIDS, PROTESTS, CAMPUS TAKEOVERS - THE LIST GOES ON AND ON FOR THE LOVE GENERATION WHO PREACHED LOVE NOT WAR. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY AND WE FIND THAT AMERICA'S CULTURE IS NOW ONE OF PERPETUAL YOUTH. IRONICALLY THE 60'S WAGED WAR, NOT LOVE ON OUR CULTURE OF OUR DECENCY, OUR SENSE OF BEAUTY, OUR MORALITY. THE GENERAL OF WAR, EISENHOWER, WHEN OUR COUNTRY WAS AT PEACE, BEST CHARACTERIZED THE LOSS AMERICA WAS SUFFERING. I SAY IT'S TIME 'AGIN' FOR A WAR TO RECAPTURE THE GOODNESS IN AMERICA'S SOUL.