If you listen to the fake news MSM broadcasts, you'd think the end of the world is near. Things are bad, no doubt about that, but we've been here before, and it was worse. Many of you are too young to remember, but the worst year in my lifetime (from a social/political perspective) was 1968.
We had it all -- out of control riots, billions in property destruction, and death all across America after MLK was assassinated. We had a major war on our hands, and for the first time we were losing ground because of the Communist Tet Offensive in Vietnam. We had a Hong Kong Flue pandemic (that also originated in China) and killed 10s of thousands. Mid-year Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, while college campuses were burning across the country in protests against the Federal government and the War in Vietnam. To top it off, the streets in Chicago ran red with blood when during the Democratic National Convention hundreds of young protesters were beaten to a pulp by the local Chicago PD and the National Guard. It was mayhem, and in retrospect, 1968 was a defining year for our country. We still live with the repercussions of that terrible year.
1968 reduced the Democratic Party to shreds, and paved the way for Richard Nixon to lead this country. Most people didn't like Nixon, but he promised to restore order and get us out of Vietnam -- that was enough to get him elected. The legacy and ideals of JFK had been lost and the country was floundering, yet within just a few years we as a country prevailed (despite Nixon and Watergate).
Yes, things are bad today, but they were worse in 1968 -- much worse. The legacy of 1968 is a defining moment in our history, and even though we have problems right now, it's a far cry from the chaos that we experienced 52 years ago.
