From EvergreenPolitics (OrangePolitics’ west coast cousin): An Open Letter to My Younger Sister by Lynn Allen:
I have a much younger sister, Lisa, who has sometimes said she was sorry that she wasn’t old enough to be involved in the late 60’s as I most definitely was. She always thought she’d missed being part of the political vitality of that time. I understand that. I was too young to take part in the Civil Rights Movement which I felt like I missed out on but I was right there with the anti-Vietnam War rallies, the social experimenting of that time, and the environmental movement and I enjoyed it.
On Friday, after hearing that O’Connor had resigned, I thought that Lisa is going to get what she wished for.
But I am so sorry for her and for all of us. I would have much preferred a time when we could build community together, all of us, red and blue and purple. Instead, it sometimes feels like we are about to really see a new version of the Vietnam War era, maybe with some parts of a softer McCarthy Era and a non-violent version of the Civil War thrown in as well. Or possibly, if the story about Rove outing Plame and committing perjury really has the legs that it’s starting to have, we can throw in Watergate as well.
In the 80’s (when I was in high school) I had the same lament – I felt like I belonged in the 60’s! By the late 90’s though, I began to really appreciate living in an era of tremendous change. My generation is really straddling two worlds. We remember how it was “before,” but we’re perfectly comfortable with the ways technology pervades our society now.
We don’t fear change, and I am certainly ready for some right now. Bring it on!
