Student Agitation Over Vietnam War

Lyndon Johnson’s War better known as the Vietnam War made a significant impact on student views on life not only about the United States of America and its leaders, but also started many social groups that fought for social and political independence in a country ran by white high class men.

The most noted groups recognized were racial and social activists. These groups fought for equality not only for their race, but for their gender as well. Latinos, American Indians, Asian Americans, Gay Rights, and Feminists all stood up for their rights during the war. The motivation for these groups came from disgust with the government not only because of the struggle in Southeast Asia, but from the realization that all should be equal according to our Bill of Rights.

Perhaps the most prominent of the activist groups were African Americans. After being oppressed for years, a powerful voice owned by the world renowned Martin Luther King Jr. a minister from Atlanta, Georgia paved the way for other minority groups to stand up and fight for their civil rights in the preceding years.

Hispanic Americans were led by Cesar Chavez. Chavez was a Latino from Mexico that sparked California’s students and workers to march on Sacramento, California and for Hispanic rights and formed the United Farm Workers labor union better known as the UFW. He also made use of Gandhi’s practice and his followers went on a hunger strike for twenty four days. This was just enough to sway the government’s ruling and grant Hispanics the liberties they so eagerly fought for.

American Indians created an organization called AIM (the American Indian Movement). This group was brought about because the majority of the minorities thought that the Bureau of Indian Affairs refused to address the problems that the Native Americans were faced with. Aside from being oppressed by the Caucasian population, they were forced to live in ghetto’s that were not funded in a righteous manner. The Natives were here long before we arrived, and they did not appreciate the indignity that they were forced to live in as Indian reservations. The Pan-Indian rights movement followed shortly. Asian Americans were also oppressed, and the 1965 Immigration Act gave aid to Asian immigrants that were discriminated against when they came over from Asia.

The 1960’s also brought many people out of the closet when gay and lesbian activists stood up for their rights with rainbow flags and ultra tight shorts. They were and still are proud to be gay and stand for sexual culture and Gay Pride Parades happen all over the globe. Toronto, Canada is the �gay capital’