For what it is worth, Healing Soul Hypnosis describes mass hypnosis as where a massive part of the populace focuses on a leader(s) or series of events, with their attention focusing on a small point or issue. Followers appear to be under hypnosis, guided anywhere, regardless of data that may prove otherwise of the leader(s) or point or issue . I was disturbed to see kids on college campuses being led in chants of “death to America.” Not that kids don’t know everything, unlike when I was a student, and, of course, I knew everything—kids can be led down dark paths without a coalition of responsible voices. The problem is getting young people to not only respect but listen to those voices. Every generation has described the previous generations as some form of the establishment, most recently as boomers.
I was ready to condemn the little spoiled brats for daring to chant death to America, and then I thought of my protest against the Vietnam War and how my generation called soldiers “baby killers.” Essentially, a great deal of those baby killers a few years before had been my high school classmates and teammates. Most were drafted, and resisters faced either jail or escape to Canada. The other unattainable alternative—for an inner-city kid was being a rich white college student to avoid service. As it turned out, the Vietnam War was unjust, unfair, and unwarranted, but the soldiers were as much the victims of their government as the Vietcong. Had anyone told my all-knowing self then that the military was not the bad guy, I would have scoffed. That same generation that excoriated the armed forces now stands, waves flags, and denounces anyone who would dare to say the members of the military are not heroes.
I know what it is like to get caught up…
Growing up in Washington, D.C., when I was fifteen, I participated in a march to rename Meridian Hill Park on 16th Street N.W. Shouting, ‘We want Malcolm X Park! ’ We were joined by a myriad of groups, some of whom I do not remember. There were contingents from the Black Panthers, the newly formed Operation Push, undercover FBI agents, and even remnants of Garveyism. Mixed in the hysteria and joy was a group carrying a huge banner with a Yellow Star of David emblazoned across it, screaming down with Zionism. At fifteen and supremely confident, I did not understand the term and was too arrogant (or ashamed) to ask, so I shouted along, “ Down with Zionism .” The silly part was that I fervently supported Jews whom I admired for courageously supporting Dr. King's civil rights movement and dying for same.
Being a member of either a religious or racial minority comes with its own set of problems, and you are constantly balancing on your nose the ball of compassion, fairness, and truth. When Jesse Jackson's now infamous Hymie-town comments were made public, I was torn between my support for his good works and his admittedly anti-Semitic remark. When Minister Louis Farrakhan made what can only be deemed as slurs against the Jewish religion, my young friends and I did not want to be called traitors or sellouts if we spoke out publicly against him. After all, Muhammad Ali became a Muslim; could our hero be wrong, too?
I hope that when these kids mature and temper their bravery with common sense, they rescind chants of death to America and Genocide Joe. President Joe Biden’s administration officials have asked to meet with the protest leaders and have been rebuffed by some. When the moment is lost, so is the sympathy. The people the protesters are most angry with—the Israeli government, overplayed a winning hand. I implore the future leaders of tomorrow not to overplay theirs.
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