Opinion of the riots of 1968

[buritobr]

In 2018, we will remember the 50 years of the riots of 1968.

There were riots in France, FR Germany, Italy, Czechoslovakia, USA, Mexico, Brazil and many other countries.

What do you think about the aftermath of 1968? What do you think about the "1968 generation"?

[darklordoftech]

The biggest mistake that blacks ever made.

[Lechasseur]

HP

[America's Sweetheart ❤/𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖔𝖔𝖙𝖞 𝖂𝖆𝖗𝖗𝖎𝖔𝖗]

The biggest mistake that blacks ever made.

I didn't realize that this was specifically about black people rioting.

[Cold War Liberal]

The biggest mistake that blacks ever made.

A half-decade chock-full of the assassinations of prevalent civil rights leaders/progressive icons (Medgar Evers, JFK, Malcolm X, MLK Jr., RFK, etc.) had just happened. Lots and lots of white people were in favor of segregation even though Brown was decided 14 years previous. The Civil Rights Act had to be split up (into the VRA) and barely passed even after that. A literal segregationist was running for President along side a "moderate" who exploited dog whistle racism to build a huge lead over Humphrey. I'd be pissed right the hell off if I were black (or, TBH, if I were white) in '68.

Also his question wasn't entirely focused on the race riots, there was also the DNC riots (the frontrunner for the nomination was literally dead and the nomination was handed to the VP of the President that the counterculture hated and who had not run in any primaries) and various other anti-Vietnam protests.

My view is that the riots were certainly justified. I'd like to think that an 18-year-old me would be on the streets with them.

[President Johnson]

Terrible. I was always in favor of a law-and-order policy in the 1960s and 70s.

Peaceful protests were fine, even those I don't agree on politically. However, burning buildings, cars and other property, attacking law enforcement and disrespecting the rule of law is unacceptable.

[Lincoln Republican]

The riots of 1968 were clearly a turning point in American history.

[AtorBoltox]

FF

[smoltchanov]

The riots of 1968 were clearly a turning point in American history.

+1. Though - i wouldn't call them neither FF, nor HP. Riots are seldom FF (IMHO), and i greatly prefer peaceful means of solving problems. But - some had very real causes, so - no HP elther.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Which riots? A lot of stuff happened in 1968.

[Rookie Yinzer]

Terrible. I was always in favor of a law-and-order policy in the 1960s and 70s.

Peaceful protests were fine, even those I don't agree on politically. However, burning buildings, cars and other property, attacking law enforcement and disrespecting the rule of law is unacceptable.

I find it condescending to tell someone that they should react calmly and peacefully to things such as being harassed, spat on, beaten, systematically oppressed, and your leaders are being murdered like animals--- that hardly results in a calm and reasoned response. Especially when the perpetrators of a lot of these acts were "law enforcement" themselves.

It's easy to type up the "ra ra law and order, respect the rule of law" when you have literally never had to worry about someone keeping or taking your basic fundamental rights from you.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Regardless of how justified you think they were, they were clearly a strategic mistake.

[buritobr]

Summary of the riots of 1968

France
On March 22nd, far-left organizations occupied the administration building of the University of Nanterre. On May 2nd, the University of Nanterre was closed by the government. Students of Nanterre, Sorbonne and then, students from the whole France, organized big demonstrations against Charles de Gaulle government, against capitalism, against traditional values. Millions workers joined the protests and started strikes. Charles de Gaulle almost resigned, but he gave a speech on the radio, organized a pro-government rally and won the June elections.

FR Germany
There was the "extra-parliamentary opposition" under the leadership of left-wing groups, against the grand coalition CDU/CSU/SPD, which was under the leadership of former nazi Kiesinger. There were students' protests against the assassination atempt of Rudi Dutschke. There were protests against the Notstand, which was approved by the Bundestag, despite the protests. Unlike what happened in France, workers didn't join students' protests.

Italy
Lots of universities were occupied. Workers joined the movement.

Czechoslovakia
Prague Spring. Dubcek tried a more open socialism. He was removed after the Soviet invasion. People tried a peaceful resistence against the invasion.

USA
There were black riots after the Orangeburg Massacre and after the murder of Martin Luther King. There were many protests against Vietnam War. The biggest ones took place during the Democratic Convention in Chicago.

Mexico
Massacre took place in the students' protests in the capital few days before the Olympics

Brazil
Students' and workers' protests against the military dictatorship, which started after the 1964 coup. The "soft dictatorship" became a hard line dictatorship in December 1968