The Limits Of Freedom And Democracy

This dissertation will explore the American's memory and perception of the student movement in 1960s. By analyzing different perceptions from different groups and individuals, and among mainstream media and public communication media, it tries to illuminate the great molding and remolding ability of the American mainstream ideology in the shaping of the perceptions of the above social institutions and members. Then it will further explain that this kind of strong capacity reveals the limitation of liberty and democracy in America.The whole structure is like this: first of all, the dissertation will start with the instantaneous reporting of the student movement from the mainstream news institutions and tries to dig out the great impact of the mainstream ideology on the shaping of their perception of the movement. Secondly, it will focus on the second thoughts of the former student activists to show that they are greatly influenced by the mainstream ideology in their contents and ways of perceiving the movement they once took part in. Thirdly, it will pinpoint on a typical case of Tom Hayden. In remolding his new image, Hayden is always trying to defend himself and make his new image in accordance with what the mainstream society has expected of him. Fourthly, it will explore the observation and research of the academia and try to illustrate that their perception of the movement also shows the mainstream ideological marks. Lastly, it will analyze the remolding image of the former activists in media and films to reveal their ideological tendency.The various observations and perceptions above share some recognizable similarities. No matter whom they are and no matter how they judge the movement, their debating base about the meaning and legacy of the movement is founded on the fundamental value system in American society, that is to say, the discourse system of liberty and democracy. From different political view and observing perspectives, they form their own perceptions of the movement: the conservatives believe that the 1960s' student movement is the origin of the current social evils and becomes a great disaster to Americans. What they have left has been becoming a destructive power to the American society. On the other hand, some liberals and left people affirm the positive meaning of the movement. They even think that the 1960s' movements create a kind of "60's Spirit" and it is still exiting and developing in American life. But no matter which sides they belong to, they all agree that the movement is typically an American movement and it is a movement about liberty and democracy.It is within the mainstream discourse system that the former activists return to the mainstream society and construct a set of language appropriate to the above "discourse system". Some of them give a second thought about their past radical experiences, or try to criticize, modify or defend what they have done in the past; some go further to give up their original belief and take a completely different political stand. It is also within this discourse system that the new-and-old conservatives, mainstream cultural institutions and social members launch a comprehensive attack upon the movement and its participants. They belittle and distort the movement, or marginalize and demonize it.On the whole, only when the dissenters are behaving and expressing their oppositional opinions within the framework of liberty and democracy and without engendering the social stability and damaging the image of the state can they be allowed to exist. Once beyond a certain limitation, the mainstream ideology will employ various means and approaches to recast those challengers, to filtrate their radical minds and to exclude their speeches and activities; when they can't be excluded, the mainstream ideology will try its best to marginalize, deface or demonize them, and finally make them unable to survive.It is obvious that with liberty, democracy and equality as its core values, and with openness, diversity and inclusion as its main characteristic features, the United States of America isn't a state that contains and tolerates everything. When the dissenters challenge and even threat the validity of the American democracy system and the core values, it will make all efforts to eliminate those "heterogeneities" to defend its legitimacy. So, to some extent, we say American liberty and democracy are limited.