We are Still Imagining All People: Activism is Dead and Gone

Once upon a time in the 1960s and 1970s there was something called political and social activism. It was a time when people would truly invest themselves in their beliefs. This is very different from now days. We may discuss and complain about a change that needs to be made but then move on and do nothing about it. In these days of the past common people from all kinds of backgrounds would get involved in the name of their beliefs; mechanics(Bobby Seale), artists(John Lennon),graduates(Abbie Hoffman),college dropouts(Jerry Rubin), poets(John Sinclair), and those who just lead an ordinary life would take a stance.I cannot help but feel that we took two steps forward to only take multiple back.

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We are surrounded by a society where politics have become out of sight out of mind. The door to door service of campaigners have changed to electronic election posts; the focus of core issues have been replaced by truly insignificant media plots(i.e. Michelle Obama wearing a sweater when meeting the Queen of England).

I am saddened to know that we have become a complacent and comfortable society. We dare not venture out of our safety zone to make a difference. Those who would do so in the past faced some serious antagonism however, they remained true. Bobby Seale was a mechanic who felt compelled to take action for civil rights and turned an ordinary life to revolutionary one. He went on to find the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. He ended up in the New Haven Black Panther Trial for his stance. John Lennon was a “dreamer” and one who fought for his dreams of peace to become a reality.He wrote and sang many inspiring songs of peace, would appear and support peace rallies and radicals such as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin. He would assert his beliefs and hope of inspiration in books, art, and interviews. He wrote a song named John Sinclair and performed it at the free John Sinclair rally and inspired the release of John just a few days later. The result was heavy surveillance by the Nixon Administration and an attempt to have him deported from the country.Abbie Hoffman was an amazing activist who began the Youth International Party “Yippees”. He was very assertive to the point of interrupting The Who at Woodstock to voice his opinion on John Sinclair’s arrest, he was also involved in the Chicago 7 Conspiracy trial. Hoffman was the author of several books including the controversial “Steal This Book”. He spent a chunk of his life underground due to the government trying to arrest him basically for his beliefs and activism. Jerry Rubin was also a very interesting man who was also involved in the Chicago trial and formed the Vietnam Day Committee. He faced a violent confrontation with police officers during a protest which ultimately led to his arrest.