Nestled amid the humiliating demise of an unpopular war and the scandalous resignation of a once-powerful president is a snippet of time often overlooked and misunderstood. It could be argued, nonetheless, that one will discover, hidden inside this intriguing snapshot, the most profound evolutionary transformation in our country's history.
Born through the embarrassment of a lost war, and empowered by the student riots that facilitated its conclusion, came an emboldened generation like none before it. For this rebellious alliance, it was a time of rebirth and newfound freedoms. If the establishment had been wrong about the war, what else could it have been wrong about? Possibly everything
No sooner had the rioters retreated than suddenly, the "sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll" attitude that swept through every college campus in the country stepped in. There were streakers, sex parties, burnthe-bra bonfires, no rules, and no responsibilities. It was a time of discovery and unbridled independence. It was a time for learning. It was a time for growing up.
William P. Bahlke is a 59-year-old semiretired civil engineer finally pursuing his lifelong passion for writing novels. Bill and his wife, Meda, divide their time between the mountains of North Carolina, New York City, and Key West, Florida. William is a graduate of the University of Florida and a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity.