Apathy+and+Reform+Reflection

It is amazing to think that prior to this year I would have described myself as “apathetic.” This is such a bizarre thought because it makes me realize what a strong impact my American Literature and U.S. History courses have had on me. From reading The Port Huron Statement to studying the controversial events of the Chicago protests of 1968, the way I view our government has been completely altered. This wall attempts to demonstrate both our ability to enact changes as Americans and our tendency to lapse into periods of apathy.

My wall starts off with a photograph by Angela Strassheim titled (Headlights). It immediately reminded me of a feeling of freedom, protest, and law breaking that is so characteristic of the ‘60s. While the two subjects seem as though they are being caught in the middle of something reckless, their bodies appear to be absolutely relaxed and free. During the ‘60s, people found civil disobedience to be perfectly acceptable if not necessary in order to experience their full rights. (Headlights) is an example of our free American spirits that must not be crushed in the years to come.

The photograph is followed by two excerpts from Tom Hayden’s The Port Huron Statement, which is a manifesto calling out for the support of middle-class youth of America. During 1961, Hayden saw the American government as increasingly tyrannical and exclusive in ways that isolated Americans and left them feeling apathetic to the politics of their “democratic” nation. In order to counter these developments, Hayden proposed several extremely liberal government reforms, some of which are enumerated on the wall. I felt that these excerpts were appropriate as they supply examples of both American apathy and attempts to counter it and in turn enact change. Hayden brings attention to the perfectly well educated, privileged Americans who are content in apathetic states and do little to change the flaws in their governments. On the other hand, the excerpt is a great example of one way the youth of America sought to inspire other young Americans to take part in their government.

I also included a piece of protest music by Creedence Clearwater Revival called Fortunate Son. The basic message of this song is that America is a selective country that favors certain “types” of men and those that do not fit under the stereotype are “unfortunate.” He believes one type of American society promoted were those who felt an unrivaled devotion to their nation. Those boys, bred under civil servants would grow up to rule the democratic nation. Then there are the aristocrats, who greedily acquire money and then cheat their government by evading taxes. The last American described in “Fortunate Son” is the “military son” who feels romanticized by the idea of war. While these men sacrifice their lives to support their country, the government carelessly calls for more as though there is an endless supply of lives to be lost, free of repercussions. The author feels as though he does not belong in American society and likewise feels disconnected from the government in which the people are supposed to be largely involved in. This shows that the war alienated people and made many Americans feel inferior due to their role in society. Protest music is a useful method in spreading political awareness and it is effective to those who feel inspired, even if that constitutes for a minority of people. The greatest thing about protest music is that it comes in a form that is extremely attractive to young people in America. Jerry Rubin, a political activist of the 1960s, felt that the youth were the clearest in mind and the most dependable when interested in inspiring change. Teenagers, who are more likely to be attracted to music than they would be to newspapers or the television, will be moved, even in the slightest bit by the political statements, whether it be negatively or positively. They are responsible for eliciting change in our government and older generations and those in power should assist them in doing so through constructive guidance. Overall, protest music may not have an immediate impact on everyday life, but the fact that it is reaching teenagers (and adults) in a unique way is important as it puts people one step further in becoming politically aware, which is necessary in eliminating apathy that plagues our nation today.

The next piece of artwork, Piss Christ, is in my opinion, another form of protest. Andres Serrano’s controversial photograph depicts a crucifix submerged in urine. This is his way of voicing his opinion about the Church and its impact on Americans. Though the Christian Right and other Catholics found the piece of art deeply insulting, Serrano was taking advantage of his freedom of speech as an American. The photograph is extremely thought provoking and successfully sets an example for the ways in which Americans can make political statements and impact their government.

Piss Christ is followed by two excerpts from Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. Several decades before Hayden observed apathy in his fellow classmates, de Tocqueville noticed a lack of ambition in Americans and their desire for vulgar pleasures. In both cases, the observers recognized how privileged Americans our, yet they make little use out of their vast resources. These are significant as they not only corroborate Hayden’s observations, but they make it apparent that apathy and the desire for material wealth have dominated our society for the majority of our existence as a nation.

Similar to Andres Serrano’s photograph, the “Bong Hits For Jesus” video clip is an example of the American youth taking advantage of their right to freedom of speech. Unlike Serrano, the scandal was planned and executed by a high school student who was later expelled as a result of the sign. The case was taken up by the Supreme Court, which a large amount of high school students from around the country attended. Two of these students included Parker’s very own Adam Kulton and Zack Simon. This is an example of our government’s effort to mitigate our rights as citizens and I am proud to see that the American youth responded in an aggressive and proactive manner!

My final piece is an excerpt from Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior. It provides an example of the repressive nature of a family and its cultural discrimination against women. When Maxine was young she was infuriated by the way her family treated her in a way that one would treat an animal simply because she was female. I felt that this was an important excerpt to include because Maxine does not allow her family or neighbors to shower her with insults without making a scene. She does not remain silent as a good girl should, but she yells in protest. Maxine becomes so frustrated with the way people judge her that she actively tries to be a “bad girl” because she thought it was equivalent to being a boy.

This wall strings together the repressive nature of our government, our privileges as Americans, our attempts to reform, and our potentially dangerous apathetic nature.