Matakuliah : G0862/American Culture and Society
Tahun
: 2007
The Counterculture
(1960 – 1970)
Meeting 9
Contents
• JFK and American Politics
• The New Frontier: to the moon
• The Black Panther and the African American
Power
• The feminist movement
• Generation flower
• Military Industrial Complex
JFK Inaugural speech January 20th, 1961
… In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been
granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do
not shank from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of
us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.
The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will
light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly
light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but
what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of
us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you.
With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of
our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and
His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
(1962) JFK Speech, Rice University Houston, Texas
…Yet the vows of this Nation can only be fulfilled if we in this Nation are
first, and, therefore, we intend to be first. In short, our leadership in science
and industry, our hopes for peace and security, our obligations to ourselves
as well as others, all require us to make this effort, to solve these mysteries,
to solve them for the good of all men, and to become the world's leading
space-faring nation.
We set sail on this new sea because there is new knowledge to be gained,
and new rights to be won, and they must be won and used for the progress
of all people. For space science, like nuclear science and all technology,
has no conscience of its own. Whether it will become a force for good or ill
depends on man, and only if the United States occupies a position of preeminence can we help decide whether this new ocean will be a sea of
peace or a new terrifying theater of war. I do not say that we should or will
go unprotected against the hostile misuse of space any more than we go
unprotected against the hostile use of land or sea, but I do say that space
can be explored and mastered without feeding the fires of war, without
repeating the mistakes that man has made in extending his writ around this
globe of ours.
(1962) JFK Speech, Rice University Houston, Texas
There is no strife, no prejudice, no national conflict in outer space as yet. Its
hazards are hostile to us all. Its conquest deserves the best of all mankind,
and its opportunity for peaceful cooperation many never come again. But
why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well
ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?
Why does Rice play Texas?
We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this
decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but
because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and
measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is
one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone,
and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.
It is for these reasons that I regard the decision last year to shift our efforts
in space from low to high gear as among the most important decisions that
will be made during my incumbency in the office of the Presidency.
The Black Panther
The Black Panther Party was a progressive political organization
that stood in the vanguard of the most powerful movement for social
change in America since the Revolution of 1776 and the Civil War:
that dynamic episode generally referred to as The Sixties. It is the
sole black organization in the entire history of black struggle against
slavery and oppression in the United States that was armed and
promoted a revolutionary agenda, and it represents the last great
thrust by the mass of black people for equality, justice and freedom.
The Party's ideals and activities were so radical, it was at one time
assailed by FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover as "the greatest threat to the
internal security of the United States." And, despite the demise of
the Party, its history and lessons remain so challenging and
controversial that established texts and media would erase all
reference to the Party from American history.
The Black Panther
. It was named, originally, the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.
The black panther was used as the symbol because it was a
powerful image, one that had been used effectively by the shortlived
voting rights group the Lowndes County (Alabama) Freedom
Organization. The term "self defense" was employed to distinguish
the Party's philosophy from the dominant nonviolent theme of the
civil rights movement, and in homage to the civil rights group the
Louisiana based Deacons for Defense. These two, symbolic
references were, however, where all similarity between the Black
Panther Party and other black organizations of the time, the civil
rights groups and black power groups, ended.
Malcolm X
The Vietnam
Woodstock 1969
The Counterculture