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Friday, December 2, 2011

Blog Post #8 -- "The Port Huron Statement" (READER pg. 107-114)

Blog Post #8 -- "The Port Huron Statement" by the Students for a Democratic Society
December 1, 2011 Started at 8:43 p.m.

In this essay, the Students for a Democratic Society criticize society's lack of democratic action and acknowledge the many contradictions of American values, for instance, the belief that "all men are created equal" not being fully realized as African Americans were being unjustly treated by Jim Crow segregation. Among other criticisms, the Students for a Democratic Society mention that in educational facilities, moral and social values are not being taught and that "theoretic chaos has replaced the idealistic thinking of old,", perhaps so much so that men and women alike are "unable to reconstitute theoretic order". Thus, as the Students for a Democratic Society put it, "men have condemned idealism itself". Unfortunately, I have to agree with this sentiment. It would appear that even in this day and age, there are traces of neglect with regard to even the most fundamental of human principles. The SDS wanted the "establishment of a democracy of individual participation, governed by two central aims". One of which being that individuals participate in the decisions that determine their quality of life and the other goal being that society be restructured to encourage independence in men and the perpetuation of media for the purpose of extending their participation (pg. 67 or 110 in the READER). Perhaps we have achieved the latter of the two goals with the implementation of the internet (or worldwide web) towards politics, but as for the actual involvement of individuals in political choices and the recognition of the correlation between politics and the human nature, there is certainly room for improvement.

1 comment:

  1. David,

    This starts off well, talking about the death of idealism but then you take on other topics.

    3

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