CHILDREN AND POLITICS

Interwoven in the decade of the Fifties was another horrible war'The Korean War', the Cold War, the Union Wars, and the reality of the Nuclear Bomb, certainly weighed heavily upon us. In the early fifties, we did a good job of ignoring these events--we knew they were there, and we did care, but "our own backyard" was our concern. But the fifties was the advent of young people being involved whole-heartedly in Politics. And running for office all over the country. It was great. We were so tired of all those old 'fogies' in Washington making the decisions, without ever having a new thought!! John F Kennedy came on the scene in that atmosphere, along with thousands of other veterans. They were intelligent and eager to be heard, with new ideas for the country--it was exhilarating. JFK almost won the vice-presidency in 1956 election against Eisenhower- Nixon ticket. I am so glad he didn't--it would have ruined him for future elections, which you all know, came in 1960!!

A new word swept the political spectrum-"grass-roots". We were the backbone of the political parties. We registered voters, manned the phones, got the voters to the polls, but most of all, we were the petition fillers to get our candidates on the ballot. This wasn't for money at all--this was for love of the Democratic Party's Ideals and Ideas. Most of us were Veterans-same age-same goals for us and our country!! My big reward for my umpteen years of 'service' for the Democratic Party was the paid ticket to Robert Kennedy's Dinner in Phoenix, Az in 1968. Of course, I had a 'schoolgirl'crush on 'Bobby' anyway, but he was so charismatic- I was thrilled just to shake his hand and talk to him!! I still remember to this day, the thrill I got from that meeting--and I still remember to this day, the pain I felt when he was assassinated the next day. I went to bed for a week!

I would be amiss if I didn't mention the McCarthy years. Senator Joseph McCarthy conducted a communist witchhunt for about five years in the middle fifties. He terrorized Hollywood especially. He ruined many lives, branding people communists, with no proof whatsoever. He died in the late fifties, and his committee(HUAC)House Unamerican Activities Committee, didn't get much business after his death. The Space program was upon us, and the decade of the sixties!!