Margot Adler explains life in the 1960s showing how painful and dangerous it was to fight for human rights. Her work is honored today for pointing and restoring the appropriate way of life. As a determined young woman, she was taken seriously for acting as an agent of change. She had diverse opportunities in the 1960s to influence desirable changes, including the social revolution in Cuba, civil rights in Mississippi, activism at the University of California, and antiwar protests. This paper explores the movements’ primary victory in the Long Sixties while explaining challenges that youth brought to American exceptionalism.
The Free Speech Movement started shortly before the fall of 1964 when Adler arrived at Berkeley. The movement involved long-lasting and massive student protests between the 1964 and 1965 academic years. It was meant to protest against a ban on activities on the campus, limitation of free-speech rights, recruitment of volunteers, and distribution of literature. The victory included achieving the Civil Rights Movement’s goal to create disobedience on campus (Adler, 2013). It enabled students to make demands to the university administrators and improve their ability to make more vigorous protests in the future, including involvement in the Vietnam War. Moreover, the movement realized success in demanding rights for students, such as being treated as citizens. The Free Speech Movement’s primary victory included acknowledging students’ rights, lifting the ban of political activities on the campus, and improving academic freedom.
The Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi made various victories, including enforcement of equality for African Americans where the Constitution guaranteed them. The movement influenced the provision of the right to use public facilities, public education, fair trial, vote, and government services. The signing of the Voting Rights Act by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, allowed Blacks to participate in elections (Adler, 2013). The Act eliminated discrimination of voting practices after the Civil War.
The Antiwar Movement was marked with protests to stop the killing and wounding of people in the Vietnam War. Anti-war activists started in 1964 and became stronger as the war intensified (Adler, 2013). Many students supported the Civil Rights Movement influencing the achievement of its objective. The primary victory of the movement was bringing political and social changes that improved sharing of resources. It opposed the war on economic and moral grounds since it affected developing and disproportionally affecting Blacks’ education. The movement influenced the government to end the Vietnam War and improve the quality of life of African Americans.
American exceptionalism usually views the U.S as a unique nation with a distinct set of ideas such as limited government interference, set rule, and equality. It promotes the ability and freedom to pursue individual desires (Adler, 2013). The ideology developed from the American Revolution, and youth challenged the promotion of equal rights, representative democracy, and freedom. They influenced the nation’s transformation by joining activist groups, movements, and protests to challenge the government to develop laws that are favorable to everyone. Their efforts supported the establishment of patriotism and American nationalism.
In conclusion, there were many movements in the 1960s meant to promote equality and eliminate discrimination against minority groups. Adler played a considerable role in influencing the achievement of success, such as equal voting rights, elimination of education constraints against Black students, and freedom of expression. Youth brought many challenges to American exceptionalism by pointing out areas that needed improvement to promote everyone’s quality of life. Organizing and participating in protests influenced authorities to promote equality and freedom.
Reference
Adler, M. (2013). Heretic’s heart: A journey through spirit & revolution. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.