The year was 1970. I would be sixteen that June. I find that to fully understand the world as it today in 2025, one must go back to that particular year first. So, I hope you will indulge my urgings to watch this "flashback" to get a glimpse into what life felt like from the perspective of a teenager (who didn't have instant access to information from either a cell phone or computer and had to rely on newspapers, libraries, and only three networks of television News: ABC, CBS, & NBC.)
*The genesis of Climate Change took place in 1970 with "Earth Day" being formed along with the "Clean Air Act" and the "EPA" (environmental protection agency becoming instituted.) It is noteworthy to say that cigarette smoking aboard airplanes in the United States continued until fully banned in 2000.
*Computer advances were being made with this design of a "mouse," but it would be years before an American household would have a computer (or a mouse attached) in it.
*The World Trade Center in New York (better known as Twin Towers) was completed in December of 1970. And sadly, we all know what happened on 9/11/2001. America still remembers!
*Civil Unrest & Riots have sadly been a long part of American history...long before 1970 (as seen on a Wiki timeline) and unfortunately, there seems to be no end to them!
But, I wouldn't have thought to write of this, except for an old letter written to me by my Aunt 'Cile, dated: May 8, 1970. You see, I had written to her of my anxiety involving an incident which had occurred on a college campus in Ohio only days before, on May 4, 1970.
Kent State University...
The letter reads:
Honey, about the campus hippies and radicals: At one time I thought I knew the cause and all the answers for such action by such people (they were known as misfits, thugs, hoodlums, and criminals when I was growing up,) but now it seems like a nightmare that so many of the college and high school students have absolutely lost all sight of who they are, and what and where they are going (whether it be a fad nowadays to get yourself killed or if a great deal of them are on dope. Seems rather futile and shallow to me.) I suppose there are various reasons why, but this overly-populated world is attributing to most of it.
I just pray that you and your siblings can cope with all the realities and never feel you have to be a part of or associate with maladjusted people. Because, believe me honey, something is wrong with a bunch of kids who think they can destroy the country and all that it stands for, while all the time pretend they want "Peace," "Love," and "Understanding."
If my generation, who went from the depression years, lived through the horror of the atom bomb, and now are living in the Space Age, can adjust and still survive, still feeling that this is the greatest and only nation on earth who cares that the freedom and liberties we cherish so much today will remain with the generations to come after us--it is very strange anyone can rationally think they can change for any period of time, our great republic and democratic process for a nation without law, order, respect or productive responsibility.
I am saddened and concerned deeply today for your sake, and for your siblings, and for what you may have to face tomorrow, next month, or next year. Looking back, I wouldn't trade for one minute all the hardships, neither the happiness nor the sadness I experienced growing up for the turmoil you are having to experience today.
But I am optimistic--because you see these people will become thirtiesh and fortiesh (or die earlier) and hopefully, the ones who follow will have a new perspective and truly work for the good of this nation and its people.
*But what have we learned since then??? (By the way, Aunt 'Cile would have been 100 years old last year)
About the Creator
Shirley Belk
Mother, Nana, Sister, Cousin, & Aunt who recently retired. RN (Nursing Instructor) who loves to write stories to heal herself and reflect on all the silver linings she has been blessed with :)
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Expert insights and opinions
Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Keep reading
More stories from Shirley Belk and writers in History and other communities.
Tory Story
Having been enthralled with genealogy and my DNA results, I became a master sleuth at hunting for my ancestors and tracking down their stories. I wanted to know why they came to America, their background information, and what they accomplished. As I did, a vivid textbook of American history was compiled. It was my history. My facts.
By Shirley Belkabout a year ago in History
Why Early Aircraft Designs Failed Before They Ever Flew
Long before airplanes became symbols of speed and global connection, flight was an idea filled with uncertainty, ambition, and repeated disappointment. Early aircraft designers were driven by a powerful belief that humans could conquer the skies, yet many of their creations never made it past workshops, fields, or testing grounds. These failures were not accidents of carelessness; they were the result of a world still learning the rules of flight.
By Beckett Dowhanabout 20 hours ago in History
Muammar al-Qaddafi: The Desert Revolutionary Who Ruled Libya for 42 Years
Muammar al-Qaddafi was born into a Bedouin family of the small al-Qadhadhfa tribe in the harsh environment of the Libyan desert. His early years were marked by poverty and traditional nomadic life—sleeping in tents, caring for livestock, and attending a local primary school in Sabha. From a young age, Qaddafi was deeply influenced by the sweeping changes in the Arab world, especially the rise of Arab nationalism championed by Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser. This ideology, centered on unity among Arab states and resistance to colonial influence, would shape his worldview throughout his life. � Pakistan Times +1 Qaddafi continued his education, moving between schools in Misrata and Sabha and showing early signs of political activism. During his studies he organized protests supporting Arab nationalist causes, including opposition to the dissolution of the short-lived United Arab Republic between Egypt and Syria. Expelled from school at one point for his activism, he eventually enrolled in the military academy in Benghazi, where he joined a group of young officers harboring revolutionary ambitions. � Pakistan Times +1 The 1969 Coup: From Officer to Leader On September 1, 1969, at the age of just 27, Qaddafi and a small group of junior military officers executed a swift and bloodless coup that overthrew King Idris I, who had ruled the newly independent Libya since 1951. The king was abroad for medical treatment, and the coup leaders seized the moment, abolishing the monarchy and declaring Libya a republic. Qaddafi was immediately named chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council and commander-in-chief of the armed forces—positions that gave him de facto control of the country. � Encyclopedia Britannica Once in power, Qaddafi moved quickly to assert Libya’s independence from Western influence. He ordered the removal of U.S. and British military bases from Libya and nationalized the country’s oil industry, which was dominated by foreign companies. He also expelled many Italians and Jews from Libya, echoing his brand of strict Islamic principles and fierce opposition to colonial legacy. � Encyclopedia Britannica Domestic Policies and The Green Book Qaddafi sought to reshape Libya’s society through a blend of Islamic socialism and revolutionary populism. In 1973 he published his influential manifesto, The Green Book, outlining his ideas of direct democracy, economic redistribution, and rejection of traditional political parties and institutions. According to Qaddafi, power should reside in people’s committees and popular congresses rather than centralized state structures. � Encyclopedia Britannica In practice, these reforms were a mixture of radical inclusivity and strict authoritarian control. Healthcare and education were made widely accessible, and Libya’s vast oil revenues funded ambitious development projects. But political dissent was ruthlessly suppressed, freedom of speech was virtually nonexistent, and secret police kept tight control over public life. While some Libyans benefited from state welfare, many others lived in fear of arbitrary detention and persecution. � Encyclopedia Britannica International Relations and Global Controversies Qaddafi’s ambitions were not confined to Libya. He positioned himself as a voice of anti-imperialism, supporting revolutionary movements and opposition groups across the globe, from the Irish Republican Army in Europe to radical organizations in the United States. These policies often brought Libya into direct conflict with Western powers. In 1986, U.S. aircraft bombed Qaddafi’s compound in Tripoli in retaliation for Libya’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities, killing several of his family members. � Encyclopedia Britannica Perhaps the most notorious international incident linked to Qaddafi was the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, which killed 270 people. Libya’s alleged role in the tragedy led to years of United Nations and Western sanctions that isolated the regime. Although Libya later handed over suspects for trial and sanctions were gradually lifted in the early 2000s, the episode cemented Qaddafi’s reputation in the West as a sponsor of terrorism. � Encyclopedia Britannica The Arab Spring and the Fall of a Regime In 2011, inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, Libyans took to the streets in protest against Qaddafi’s rule. What began as peaceful demonstrations quickly escalated into a full-scale civil conflict as government forces attempted to crush dissent with brutal force. The international community, alarmed by reports of mass atrocities, authorized a NATO intervention to protect civilians. After months of fighting, rebels captured Tripoli and later Qaddafi’s hometown of Sirte. On October 20, 2011, Qaddafi was killed by rebel fighters, bringing an end to his 42-year rule. � Encyclopedia Britannica +1 Legacy: A Leader of Contrasts Muammar al-Qaddafi’s life remains deeply contested. To some, he was a visionary revolutionary who challenged Western dominance and tried to uplift his people through welfare and development. To others, he was a ruthless autocrat whose regime was marked by repression, human rights abuses, and international provocation. His death did not bring immediate peace to Libya—rather, the country has struggled with instability and factional violence in the years since. Yet the debates over his legacy continue, reflecting the complex and often contradictory nature of his life and rule.
By Hasbanullah6 days ago in History
Comments (11)
What an interesting letter—it’s so cool to see the viewpoint of that generation at such a tumultuous time. The parallels we can draw between past and present day are also fascinating to me, as well as kind of disheartening in more ways than one—but alas. I do understand where your aunt was coming from, though I disagree with her conservative and rather judgement outlook. There’s absolutely no excuse for violence, but there are reasons for it, and those reasons can and often do actually matter. I don’t think the majority of hippies were these unruly, violent thugs; that’s simplifying a huge group of people and the movement behind them quite a bit, especially since their anti-war stance related specifically to Vietnam has aged pretty well (in my opinion). The Vietnam war was an absolute tragedy for our nation, and its war propaganda/recruitments/long duration was certainly responsible for more American deaths than any group of hippies were, and for what, I’m not quite sure. It’s sort of ironic, how that intense show of “patriotism” killed so many of us. It was a massive failure that was bound to warrant a strong response, and while it doesn’t ever justify violence, it isn’t shocking or even uncalled for that it incited it either. It reminds me of the 2020 protests we saw as a result of George Floyd’s murder during Covid, where people are more fixated on specific riots/violent moments in the aftermath rather than the deeper, century-long issue at hand that caused everything to spiral and fall apart, and become as terrible as it did in those moments. If that is the only way we see things, nothing will ever change. The root causes of these issues are often quite worth looking at, rather than just the fall outs and the easy to jump to condemnations of said fall outs, no matter how wrong the fall outs are. Fascinating piece, Shirley!
Brilliant ✍️🏆💙
It is so interesting to hear the perspective of the earlier generations. It was so interesting to read her words.
♥️♥️♥️
Fascinating reading your aunt’s letter & hearing her perspective on current events of the time.
Your aunt's letter was so wonderful and emotional!
I feel the emotion. Painful memories can make you think about the world today, and we are heading for more painful memories for generations to come because of the sorry state we are still in.
Interesting. But if I can be honest, I feel that your aunt got it completely wrong about what happened on Kent State and the students that were killed. First of all just because you’re a hippie doesn’t mean that you’re a thug or a degenerate. Not at all. They had not lost sight of who they are. They protested because they knew what they believed and what they stood for. These were intelligent youths that had a mind of their own and were not dictated by what a corrupt government was trying to tell them. These Students were not protesting because they wanted to be killed or they were trying to get themselves killed. Not at all. They had a right to have their voice heard, this is the United States and our U.S. Constitution guarantees us freedom of speech and the right to protest. These students should not have been killed for it. The ones that were in the wrong were the National Guard, the then mayor of Kent, and the then governor of Ohio. They made the order for the National Guard to be there based on rumors that were never substantiated and were later found to be baseless.
Thank you for sharing such an inspiring and wonderful story
In 1970, I was 6. I didn't know when the twin towers in NY were built, but I will never forget when they were attacked. I watched what was happening with horror, tears streaming down my cheeks, holding my 9-month-old son, thinking someone's sons and daughters were in the buildings. I still remember the feeling.
What a wonderful letter from your Aunt.