Out of the mainstream

1968-1971 I was in graduate school at St. Cloud State and was hired in 1969 to teach political science at St. John's University. I was young 26, married with 2 daughters. 

There were many of us who had sought refuge in academia because student deferments were still being given. Our opposition to the war was vehement and at first resulted in "poetry read ins" and mild demonstrations but as the year went on we began to see this would involve more visible action. 

The protests even in this cultural backwater were no less dedicated to bringing down the insanity of an in-just conflict. Some of the protests became confrontery and many of us were involved in counseling male students to resist &/or avoid the draft. Some of us encouraged students to take drugs designed to get them to fail their draft physicals and a few were aided to escape for Canada.

But all the while we knew we were a backwater of America only heartened by the fact that we had some national stature because of the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago where Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy were battling for the endorsement.

In the streets of Chicago we gathered to make our presence known only to find the cause of peace being struck down by the violent reaction of Mayor Daly and his storm troopers. We tried to bring the message and intensity to our campuses but the effort seemed futile but we were willing to do our part to bring awareness even if we were out of the mainstream.