Reply to "For my friends who remember and can understand."

If you turned the television on before prime time (8 PM) and caught some news, you also learned ...

People were persecuted (made public examples) by McCarthy for the "ideas" they held.

There was extreme pressure on evedrybody to "conform" to rigid social values, ideas, dress codes, rules of conduct, etc. Many of the beloved television shows reinforced the pressure to conform.

A common fear expressed by adults was "what will people think?"

Children, young adults, were shunned by their parents, made to feel like criminals or social outcasts because they refused to conform to simple things, like dress codes. Or because they were brave enough to express non-conforming ideas. After all, "what will people think?"

Song writers, story writers, poets learned to express non conformist ideas "between the lines" because if they had expressed themselves openly, they would have been CENSORED.

Young adults were gunned down by police & national guard on college campuses, for exercising the freedom of speech. The ultimate form of censorship and fear.

An idealistic President, who wanted to do what was right, instead of what was "expected" of him, was publicly assasinated.

People lived in so much fear they built Bomb Shelters!

The schools conducted monthly "bomb drills" where the children dropped under their desks and tucked their heads between their legs. More fear!

Polio reached epidemic proportions and took the lives of many children.

Those who survived Polio might not have survived Viet Nam, the war that tore our country apart.

The government did nothing while cigarettes were being marketed everywhere and lung cancer was rampant.

Race riots burned several major cities.

One of the century's greatest leaders, a man who tried to inspire racial peace and the achievment of racial equity by peacful means, was also assasinated for inspiring people to higher ideals. The leaders who promoted hate, fear and violence lived on.

Lucy & Desi were divorced. Sonny & Cher too.

Superman was found dead in his bed room, bullet in the head.

Elvis was addicted to various drugs originally prescribed by his doctors.

The child actors of the era later told story after story of emotional abuse and worse; they were worked to death and their money squandered by parents & agents. Most developed substance abuse problems very early in their lives.

The Lone Ranger was hauled into court by his former producers after the show had been cancelled because he continued to wear his mask and entertain children.

Comedians Abbott & Costello were targeted & ruined by the Internal Revenue Service.