OLD HIPPIES
I graduated from High School in 1969 during the hippie movement. The main goal of most hippies was music, mind expanding drugs, free love, flower power and rebelling against "the man". In the 60's and 70's I bought into the peace and love, sampled the drugs but I completely struck out on the free love, not that I wasn't trying. I did immerse myself in all of the amazing music especially Motown. I did question the war, questioned authority, believed in the absolute freedom of speech and completely bought into loving everyone.
When I was young I grew a resentment toward wealthy people and assumed they were all crooks, but then I had the pleasure of spending time with Orland Denny. Orland, an extremely wealthy business and land owner, who may have been one of the wealthiest men in the state. He owned 49% of dozens of large and small local businesses. He invested in the ability of average hard working people with good ideas and a solid plan. He silently advised them financially but never micromanaged their business. He invested in land an property but mostly he invested in people.
He was a kind and generous man but always out of the public eye. He had anonymously put hundreds or more young men and women through college and trade school. Ten years after he passed away his long time secretary went public about his generosity. Knowing Orland he would not be happy with this disclosure.
I talked with him dozens of times. He was always smiling, always had time to talk and was usually dressed in newly pressed Dickie work clothes and necktie. His work truck was a one owner dark blue 1952 Dodge step side pickup. His everyday driver was a dark blue four door Chrysler K-car, standard shift, no rugs, no radio, no air conditioning, black wall tires and caps because he was a devoted Mennonite. His house was a modest two story brick home on his small family farm.
His pride and joy was a restored 1940 John Deer tractor. He used it to cut his large lawn. As you drove by his house you could see him pulling a team of reel mowers behind that underpowered antique tractor. Cover alls, a well worn straw hat and his usual big smile.
He waved at every car that passed by. When his kids were still living at home the whole family would smile and wave. Before I ever got to meet Orland I knew him as the guy who smiles and waves at everyone. I can't imagine how many bad days he changed with that simple gesture, he always made me smile and wave back. I think people took a detour to drive past his house just to get a wave. I know I did more than once.
I eventually got the chance to know him. One day at lunch in the local diner he explained capitalism, free markets and free enterprise to me in a way I could understand. He was our local Milton Friedman. He completely changed my attitude toward wealthy people. Instead of resenting and judging wealthy people I learned to admire the character of people who could build wealth and keep it in perspective.
I addressed my prejudice for people with wealth and started looking at the person. Today we are bombarded with endless negative stories about the greedy rich. Ironically we hear these stories from rich people. Sure we have dishonest and greedy rich people but we also have dishonest and greedy poor people. Simply being poor doesn't make you virtuous. We need more Orland Dennys in our world. I believe there are more then we know about, they just do it out of the spotlight.
I had a selective service card in my wallet but I never thought about demonstrating against the war. Like most of my friends we were confused about it so we were just trying to understand it. It seemed to most of us we were fighting in the wrong country with one hand tied behind our back.
The demonstrations were self centered because it really had nothing to do with the actual war, it was all about the draft. Many of the demonstrations were focused on the soldiers which was not fair to those who made a different choice. I was disgusted by the treatment of our veterans and the hypocrisy so that was a large part of why I abandoned the hippie movement.
We were young, idealistic and a bit naive as to how the world works. The worst of us were arrogant and incapable of learning, bad traits for anyone.
In the early 70's I had hair long enough for a ponytail, for about a week. I grew it to piss off my father but it wasn't as fun as I thought, he didn't really care. I went back to my usual buzz cut because I hate taking care of long hair. I thought long hair was all about the freedom to wear our hair the way we wanted but I soon learned it was just a different required uniform.
My friends didn't trust me because of my short hair, they called me a sell out and a "narc". That was the last straw, I have kept my hair the way I like it ever since. I have now shaved my head for the past 31 years because I love the way bald feels. Bald has gone in and out of fashion a half dozen times but I just keep on shaving because I like it.
I also started wearing the clothes I liked and tried my best to avoid the ever evolving latest fashion fad. Sure I still listen to the music I grew up with because it was the best music ever. I did the regular job thing for around 60 years and have tried my best in spite of my limited education to be a well informed citizen.
One thing that has never changed is deep inside I'm still that 60's idealistic rebel. I believe in freedom and liberty but I know it has never been free. My father and brother fought for this freedom I admire their bravery. Fighting to stop oppression is a noble cause but unfortunately the vast majority of our leaders are far from the bullets, they can't relate to or value the sacrifice of the average soldier. They make lofty speeches but they get distracted by pride, power and poll numbers.
America is more then a place or country, it is an idea. Hippies embraced the freedom but shirked the individual responsibility. Questioning authority is a good thing but rebelling just to rebel is foolish. The hippies grew older and many are now in positions of power. A few are still selling the same Marxist crap and the unbridled freedom foolishness.
They now have no problem twisting the law and abusing power. As someone who grew up through the fake outrage about this behavior it is hard to listen to any of them speak. Nothing will change until the so called enlightened free thinkers grow up or pass on.
They say everything eventually turns into high school, I think they are right. Youth will always rebel, the boys during the hippie movement grew their hair long as a statement, today they have just added heels and makeup.
Most hippies made their point and then moved on, I think todays youth will too.
