Do you think the country is more divided today than

[kairos12]

at the time of Kent State in May of 1970?

I still think the Kent State was era more divisive.

[shenmue]

1. I think you're right

although it's messed up out there.

[elleng]

2. Maybe/maybe not,

but today's split is exacerbated by public media, imo.

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. ^^^this^^^

[gwheezie]

4. I agree with you n/t

[appalachiablue]

5. Much more divided now with broken institutions like labor, press/media, schools, prisons, medicine.

[LeftInTX]

6. The divide was more obvious and sharper back then

Now it's the Fox News crowd who can be anyone anywhere etc

People are probably more fickle because of the internet. One day they support something, the next day they change their minds.

[Basic LA]

7. I agree.

No comparison. Today is a period of calm when matched with that crazy era of chaos.

[tularetom]

8. The guys who lost the culture wars of the 60's and early 70's

Are the same guys who are opposing abortion, legalized weed, same sex marriage and a host of other social issues today.

And now, as before, they are functioning as useful idiots for the 1%, and they don't even know it.

Archie Bunker would fit right in.

But I agree, it was worse back in the day.

[840high]

9. Agree with you.

[avebury]

10. What we have become is a broken country.

The Democratic Party has no backbone, ran from the President in the last election and seem incapable of actually taking on the Republicans in a no hold bar fight. The Republican Party has been taken over by the bat sh*t crazy group who are incapable of irrational thought and could care less about the masses because all they care about is achieving permanent control over this country. Police department are becoming more and more militarized. Companies like Nestle want water to me a commodity controlled by big business instead of a human right. The 1% wants total control and the masses to become 21st Century serfs. States want to limit voting rights. Congress and States want to eliminate civil and Constitutional rights.

[kairos12]

12. Sometimes I think that instead of shooting students on campus authority is

just shooting people in the streets. I suppose there is more subterfuge that way.

[Cosmocat]

23. This is the winning post in this thread

I agree there probably was more intensity to things in the 60s/70s. but GOVERNMENT was somewhat functional.

We are in a REALLY bad spot right now.

As noted, the republican party driven by a virulent and extreme passion as well COMPLETELY, I mean member for member united in what it does toward an end these morons don't even get AT THE SAME TIME the Democratic party is almost literally on life support, no foundational issues and as noted, absolutely absent of any desire or heart to engage the political battle even remotely at the level of intensity that republicans are operating at.

Republicans are cravenly driving toward something completely different from what this country has been and democrats are bugs on the windshield.

[AlinPA]

11. In my 72 years, I've never seen it this bad. I've only read about the Civil War era, but it seems we

are close to that. I've seen maps somewhere recently that shows the red states are close to those of the confederate states.

[blkmusclmachine]

13. Worse today.

The CONS really need to secede, and they can institute their wet dream -- of a King James Bible version of Afghanistan. No taxes, guns everywhere, no health care, perpetual war, religious fundamentalism, no women's rights, and no minorities rights. They'll die in their 30's. But at least they'll "be free."

[kairos12]

14. They would be like the NFL--the No Fun League

[bemildred]

15. That was the tragedy, this is the farce. nt

[GeorgeGist]

16. I think today is worse ...

today's youth are much too passive.

[greymattermom]

17. We weren't passive then because of the draft

The volunteer army removes the fear of being taken unwillingly to fight a war you oppose. Everyone knew their draft status and lottery number then.

[otohara]

18. The Media Wasn't Fueling Hate

24/7 so there was that.

[Myrina]

19. Not sure about divided left/right, so much as ....

... divided 'authority'/'non authority'.

I am increasingly concerned/frightened by what I see in my local media ...
the fear mongering ("How to protect your family from X, Y and Z, on tonight's news at 6!&quot ,
the blind devotion to law enforcement,
the discounting of the personal in favor of the economic ("A new Wal Mart is coming to town! A hundred new low wage, shit jobs! And no positive impact on the local tax base because all profits will go elsewhere!" -- the headline you DON'T see)
and the incessant need to turn every sporting event, every holiday, every everything into a 'support the troops' display of false patriotism.

I am no great scholar but I have this sinking feeling that we are well on our way to becoming the reincarnation of Cold War Russia.
All the money is going to go toward the military and law enforcement, at the expense of everyone and everything else. We will be bankrupt - financially, morally, spiritiually, and certainly civically.

[Paladin]

20. In May of 1970, "liberal" wasn't as yet a dirty word in this country.

In May of 1970, the Democratic base had enough guts to take to the streets and voting booths to express their outrage over governmental overreach. In May of 1970, the military wasn't the subject of so much uninformed worship by the populace, and violent war games didn't capture the attention of so many. Two words, finally: Fox "News." I think the country is worse off now than the Kent State era, by far.

[Odin2005]

21. It hasn't been this bad since the Civil War.

[Amishman]

22. more divided? no. More frustrated? yes.

More divided back then but simpler. Sides were clear, directions were clear, it was just a matter of which path would be taken.

Today is more fragmented, more despair, and less hope. Never can I remember so many people (with very different viewpoints) wonder if it would be best to just let it fall apart and start over fresh.

Then it was fighting over who would steer the ship, today we question if we would be better off just hitting the rocks.

[TBF]

24. It would be interesting to see this OP

as a Poll with ages < 50 and >50 and their view. I was born in the mid 60s - I don't remember the Kent State time. I vaguely remember the moon landing and clearly remember Nixon's resignation.

So, it is hard to vote on this.

From what I've read I think the 60s were a very definitive time & losing that battle (the Kennedys being assassinated & Reagan taking over in '80) was the first step in the slide towards fascism.

I don't know if there's a way to truly fight it now. You'll see me post a lot in the socialist group about what is happening to people, but it's more of a recording of what is happening than anything. I spend just as much time thinking about how to get myself and especially my kids out of this country. I really don't see people fighting back in a way that could be victorious. Maybe that is the difference. Maybe in the 60s there was still hope that things could change.