Like a bad acid flashback, the 2020’s are starting to feel like the 1960’s. Deep political divide, assassinations and controlling what is allowed to be said (and what isn’t) dominates the national conversation.

The 1960’s included the Vietnam War which led to nationwide protests and a growing division in the nation. The decade also witnessed political turmoil with the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert, Malcom X, and Martin Luther King.

The era experienced an uprising in social norms that included shifting ideas about sexuality and religion. It also saw the emergence of the “generation gap” between younger and older generations which led to a counterculture movement that challenged traditional norms with new forms of music, fashion and large-scale events like the Woodstock music festival.

Facing pressure from network censors, the very popular “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” was cancelled by CBS in 1969. The network officially cited the show’s failure to meet contractual deadlines for submitting material, but many saw this as an excuse to getting rid of a program that was sympathetic to the counterculture and critical of politicians during the Vietnam War. 

Fast forward to today and one sees many similarities with the decade of peace and love to today. People being murdered for their political views, debate on social norms and even television programs being yanked for being too controversial.

I think the Spanish philosopher George Santayana said it best when he wrote “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.