Chapter 4

First Annual SIU Riots

   18-20 year olds in 1966 were the beginning of the peak of the baby boomers. While growing up, they were repeatedly propagandized about the "Red Menace," digging fallout shelters, and the glory of dying for our country in war. In 1966, the government propaganda tried to justify the vietnam war as a fight against the Red Menace, and that getting drafted for this was just as good as fighting Hitler. This was not well-received, especially in view of nightly news coverage of the war that contradicted the government. Many people, especially those of draft age, became uneasy, distrustful of authority, and angry.
   Meanwhile, it had only been a few years (maybe since the mid-'50s), that an adolescent identity had been "allowed." First, it was music, only for adolescents (rock & roll). Then it was movies (First, "Blackboard Jungle," "Rebel without a Cause," "The Girl Can't Help It," later, Beatles' movies). Then, special clothes. There was special language (Groovy. Uptight. Freakout.) Cigarettes, cars, cosmetics. Hairstyles. Special activities ("Skateboarding" was originally called "sidewalk surfing"). There were special TV shows like "The Monkees," Shindig, and Hullabaloo. We may take this for granted now, but, prior to the mid-'60s there was very little "generation identity." But now, added to the general feeling of invincibility adolescents always seem to have, there was a pervasive feeling, for the first time, that this generation was a TEAM, they had some power, they had their own way of doing things and MAYBE they were strong enough to avoid being pushed around.

   In 1966, SIU had enough students to qualify as a major state university. Yet, in some ways, the school was run as the small college it had been just a few years ago. Springtime meant panty raids. Panty raids involved a crowd of males gathering in front of a female dorm. The females were supposed to "satisfy" the frenzied males by tossing panties out the windows. At some point, the males would leave with their panties and go home. From today's point of view, it all sounds pretty tame.

   In 1966, spring came early to C'dale and the sap was rising as the panty raiders were out in force. Yet they were too impatient to wait for their panties, so a few enterprising males invaded the dorm to find the panties themselves. The dorm matrons were outraged and they complained to the security police and the administration. The offenders were expelled, with no right of appeal. Since they were male, this meant they would be drafted, and likely be sent to the jungles of vietnam, in a matter of weeks.

   Students were outraged. How could their comrades be "sentenced" without a hearing, and with no right of appeal? This was not the American way as they had been taught for years! What about constitutional rights?

   Here we had the age-old conflict between abstract principle and practical application. The idea of constitutional rights to due process and to petition for redress of grievances versus keeping order in the face of "doing things not normally done." In today's world, the reaction would probably be individual, and one extreme or the other. Either the offenders would be afraid of "getting in trouble" (i.e., interfering with their future job prospects), afraid of "rocking the boat" (being branded as different), or just feel powerless and they would do nothing. Or, they would get a lawyer and sue. Either way, an individual response. In the late 70's or early 80's, getting expelled from SIU for being overly zealous at a panty raid would likely be worn as a badge of honor. It would not be perceived as restricting anyone's future.

   But in 1966, most students were not concerned about future earning power. They were concerned about their chances of surviving until next year. Getting drafted lowered those chances substantially. And expulsion meant getting drafted.

   The effect of the expulsions cut across students as a group. Almost all male students were subject to the draft if expelled. Almost all male students felt that panty raids were reasonable, necessary and proper, and most certainly not an expellable offense. If they were going to be arbitrarally expelled and drafted, they had nothing to lose.

   So the panty raids increased. The crowds got larger. The administration and police were scared. Martial law was declared. A curfew was imposed.

   There were meetings among faculty, administration and student representatives. The faculty and administration agreed that the students needed to be taught a lesson. As it turned out, the students did teach themselves a lesson. But, it was the faculty and administrators that were taught the big lesson.

end of Chapter 4