Monday, July 23, 2007

The Stuff Of Legends And Religions

Next month will be the 39th anniversary of the 1968 Democratic National Convention that was held in Chicago. The convention largely represented the birth and strength of the anti-war movement in America. In it's wake, it brought along other cultural changes and movements that would change the U.S. forever. These included the environmental movement and American-style socialism with expected and unexpected applications of the newly passed Civil Rights legislation.

The poster group for the counter-culture was the Chicago 8 later to become the Chicago 7 when Black Panther Bobby Seale had a separate trial. The Group was primarily made up of activist, socialist/communist Jews. The leader was Jerry Rubin. The message was anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-business, anti-critical thinking and some would add anti-personal hygiene. Despite the mostly unsustainable agenda, the group and others did change the course and culture of America. Subsequently President Nixon did stop the Draft and other politicians were elected to office as anti-war representatives.

So with some clever editors in a hundred years from now, could Mayor Daly become a kind of Roman governor like Pontius Pilate and the scene of the riot at Lincoln Park become an Insurrection On The Mount Historical Landmark? Could the Chicago seven 7 be like the 12 Apostles? Could Jerry Rubin be a more modern anti-establishment Jesus? Is this the way the Catholic Church stumbled into existance?

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