America

Today, I stumbled across some youtube clips of interviews with the leaders of the Beat Generation. I can’t seem to pull myself away from them. I am primarily fascinated by an interview and conversation between Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady (famously known as Dean Moriarty from “On the Road”).  These men were the brilliant and bizarre bearers of knowledge and new ideas that shaped American society during the 1960’s and 70’s leading to everything from “free love” to successful anti-war and civil rights protests. At the time, Ginsberg’s thoughts and writings were punished with brutality, outrage, and imprisonment. Yet, he continued. He did not continue because of disrespect for the American way of life. He continued because he believed deeply in the principles upon which this country was founded and saw the freedoms and individual liberties promised by our forefathers trampled upon during the McCarthyist, Cold War, Lavender Scare, Jim Crow Era, which led the government to impinge upon rights of free speech, free expression, and actively and enthusiastically persecute anyone unwilling or unable to conform to the American “norm.” – The white, Christian, middle class, law abiding, two parent nuclear family.

Ginsberg, and others like him, continued to push the boundaries and explore the criminalized idea that, perhaps, there were other ways of being. And he and his contemporaries suffered greatly for it. Granted, they seem a bit unhinged, even in this video, and certain lifestyle choices were no doubt questionable. However, these men helped to pave the way for civil rights for ethnic minorities, gays, and (as sexist as they may have been) women. Few revolutionary ideas come in a neatly wrapped unassuming package. Or, perhaps they do, but without outlandish delivery they fail to gain notice.

What struck me so profoundly in watching this series of clips are the similarities between that revolution and what is taking place in America today and how similar government response has been. Ginsberg, Burroughs, Kerouac, and Cassady first met in New York City, eight miles from Zuccotti Park, where a few dozen protesters assembled peacefully on September 17, 2011. The former group would soon be known as the Beat Generation and the latter has grown into the Occupy Movement. As the ideas of each group spread, the government and the media have been forced to take notice. The responses first range from disregard to demonizing and finally to silencing by force.

At both these times in our history, most Americans were hungry for a change that was not going to come from those in power. In both cases, Americans were trapped in a position of being ruled individually and governmentally by fear rather than by reason. And in both cases, strength and will to change came from a small group of individuals with lofty ideals that America can be something other than what it now is.

During this day of contemplation, I read Ginsberg’s poem titled "America." I’ve linked it here.  With a few name changes (Muslims instead of Russians, and Somalis instead of Indians, for example), this could have been written here and now.  In fact it reminded me of another poem of sorts, a song written by K’Naan, a Somali refugee, coincidentally also entitled “America”. The lyrics are linked here.

Though clearly written in very different styles by intellectuals from vastly different backgrounds, the message is the same. America has let us down. It is not now what it was founded to be. And as a government for the people, by the people, and of the people, we, the people, are responsible for making it what it should be.