Young Christians Tried To Ease The Anger in 1968. This Film Beautifully Presents That Effort

1968 was a very tense year in the USA. I made documentaries back then as did dozens of other independent documentary filmmakers. This film was made by a doc filmmaker whose techniques and narration writing capabilities I admired. Ken Anderson. A Christian, he wanted to present what he saw as happening in the streets and in the communities he inhabited and to intercut that with footage from an organization of young Christians – Up With People – who were trying to present a positive upbeat message. But in 1968, the noise level from partisan sides overwhelmed much of their message. Pro-war. Antiwar. Prodrugs. Anti-drugs. Pro-civil rights. Anti-civil rights. Pro-youth. Anti-youth. Pro counterculture. Anti-counterculture. And these were just a few of the conflicts that those of us who were adults at that time and were filmmakers, were witnessing. Here are some key occurrences that contributed to the tension and conflict: 1968 saw the assassination of two prominent figures: Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of the civil rights movement, was assassinated on April 4th, and Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a popular candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, was assassinated on June 5th. Both assassinations led to national mourning and widespread civil unrest. The Vietnam war was at its height and public sentiment was turning increasingly against U.S. involvement. The Tet Offensive, launched by North Vietnamese forces in late January, contradicted the U.S. government’s assurances of progress and sparked further anti-war protests. The My Lai Massacre also occurred in March (though it did not become public knowledge until November 1969), adding to the controversy surrounding the war. The Vietnam War prompted a variety of responses from Christian denominations in the United States, reflecting the complexity and diversity of views within these religious communities. Opinions within the Catholic Church varied, from the hierarchy’s official position of backing the U.S. government’s decisions, to priests and nuns participating in antiwar protests. The Berrigan Brothers, both Catholic priests, became famous for their antiwar protests. In 1968, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement expressing concern about the moral and human costs of the war. Mainline Protestant churches, including the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Episcopal Church, expressed concern about the war. Many of these denominations issued official statements questioning or opposing the war, and some clergy and congregants participated in antiwar activities. The National Council of Churches, an ecumenical organization representing many mainline Protestant denominations, also expressed opposition to the war. Evangelicals were generally more supportive of the war and of the U.S. government’s stance, reflecting a conservative political alignment. However, there was diversity within this group as well, and some evangelical Christians expressed opposition to the war. Many leaders within historically black denominations expressed opposition to the war, often linking the struggle for civil rights at home with the fight against militarism abroad. Prominent figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister, publicly opposed the war. Quakers are traditionally pacifist, and many were active in antiwar protests. The American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, played a significant role in the antiwar movement. Individual congregations and clergy often took different positions from their national organizations and many Christian laypeople were involved in the antiwar movement regardless of their denomination’s official stance. Additionally many Christian antiwar activists were involved in broader movements for social justice and peace, reflecting the intersection of various social and political issues during this period. The 1968 Presidential election was one of the most contentious in U.S. history. It saw the nomination of Richard Nixon for the Republicans and Hubert Humphrey for the Democrats, amidst significant internal divisions within both parties. The independent candidacy of George Wallace, the segregationist Governor of Alabama, further polarized the electorate. I would like to thank the organizations who advertise on my video and help me by their support, to keep presenting clips from my archive. Christian charities. Christian charities organizations. Bible college near me. Valley Christian church. Bible school near me. Christian coalition. Conservative Christian. Baptism near me. Evangelical Lutheran Church. Conservative political organizations. MCI Baptist. Evangelical Lutheran Church. Up With People. 1968 documentary. David Hoffman filmmaker