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What did the founding fathers mean by “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal?” What do they mean by “man” and why were the 18th century Enlightenment ideals so important for posterity particularly when it relates to staking a bet through faith or taking a risk through hope? What does humanity have to do with this? I synthesize and include briefly some ideas of prominent leaders from President Barack Obama, Georges Bernanos, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, and John Adams in order to outline the importance of working for others and not just for one’s own salvation. I specifically address why it has always been the marginalized who have not just led most social movements, but who have also provided an inherent meaning to different kinds of liberty in different eras of American and world history.

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This video/podcast is my conclusion of the analysis and examination of the 45 documents from the New Left period particularly focusing on writings and speeches from 1968-1973 the highest point of not just serious thought, but also organized labor power, student movements, a rise in black electoralism, and the anti-war movement. Focusing on the major insights in these books, I also bring to the surface the major questions concerning not just the rights, privileges, and opportunities afforded people which can only be achieved through a struggle (a spirit of that generation which we need to recapture), but also an exaltation of the question of belonging, inclusivity, and acceptance of woman in social life especially a renewed academic focus on poor black woman and what such a consideration would mean for society as a whole both practically and theoretically.

Even with platforms, programs, and public policy proposals, the New Left generation teaches us three things fundamentally which can be extrapolated into many lessons: We must make clear our grievances which lead to demands, a timeline, and a consequence; we must constantly learn through the struggle in order to reevaluate our methodology in education, agitation, and organization; we must try to make visible our needs and desires whether it is electoral reform or applying public pressure to cause legislative changes. For this last point, during the New Left Movements, 1950-1975 the slogan “the whole world was watching” was true for the first time in history. Only under such circumstances can real nonviolent active Civil Disobedience or other forms of strikes and protest can be viable or successful.

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In this part 1 examination of documents from the New Left period, encompassing the Civil Rights movement as well as several other struggles, I highlight some of the most important insights from speeches and writings particularly from the era of 1957-1967. If you like this part 1 series, I encourage my audience to also watch the part 2 examination of New Left documents highlighting critical ideas from 1968-1973 as well as my video introducing the broader historical context of the New Left period.

This was the height of organized union labor power in American history when people were questioning the tenets of capitalism, Americanism, education/pedagogy, costly/unwarranted wars and division, and what rights and duties citizens should uphold in creating a new world either through reform or revolution.