A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores. A countercultural movement expresses the ethos and aspirations of a specific population during a well-defined era
I came of age during the 1960s. In my late teens and early twenties, I experienced A Blockade of Cuba (awaiting Walter Cronkite to let me know World War III with the Russians was about start.) I watched the assignations of JFK, RFK live as if they were a bad reality series (and this before Reality TV had even been invented.) I witnessed the horrific news of the assignation of MLK, and the rising to the surface of a White Nationalism (before I could even define the term.) I saw a president send in Troops to murder college protestors at Kent State (I had no idea any president could hate American citizens so much, having no idea that Kent State was a prelude to Insurrection at the Capitol) I turned 18 and was the first batch of American men to sign the Lottery to be drafted, having no idea the Viet Nam War, was a political folly and fancy to keep presidents in power (I knew where Viet Nam was located, but the local and name seemed as strange and foreign to me as did the first mention of Afghanistan) Turmoil outrage, anger, blindsided, malfeasance by the government, hate, racism, all ingredients for a poisoned stew, all reasons why I was a part of a COUNTER CULTURE movement; inciting me to beg the question, “If Not Now When?”
In the year 2021, which I truly believe is NOT an actual year, but an extension of 2020, (and for the foreseeable period of time will remain the 13th, 14th, and damn it 15th months of 2020) it seems that the GOP who has morphed into a MAGA-Q-Anon-Insurrectionist Party ARE, conveniently, now using the term COUNTER CULTURE, to define, those of us who believe in Democracy, rely on the Constitution for law and order, and think that equality is the American way. WTF, honestly, the folks who have told “THE BIG LIE,” recite Fake News, Incite Violence because they only know HATE, are using the term COUNTER CULTURE. One more lesson from history, ignored!
