Host this is Clarence Page, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune joining us on this thanksgiving day. We appreciate your time. Especially this morning. Guest glad to be here. Host i will read the headline of your column. It says welcome to the other side of a generation gap and enclose the journalist from years ago. Although we still have to face our responsibilities someday, our first impulse is to turn our backs and form a Second Society of our own. Someday we shall know for whom the bell tolls but for now the sound is covered by the sound of our hot rods and beatles records. . Wrote that guest i wrote that in 1965. The quality has held up so well over all these years. Our wonderful advisor, bless her heart, she just passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 102. She first put the bug in my ear about considering journalism for a career. I thought she was not at the time. Host what are you hoping to accomplish when you wrote that . Guest my generation had been a cover story in time or newsweek. I thought this was a good article and i thought it would be good for us to talk about in the Student Newspaper. They were talking about how baby boomers were different from previous generations. We were raised on television and did not have to go through a recession or depression. Little did anybody know how much more of an adventure this was 1965. We already had dr. Kings march on washington and numerous other. Vents that occurred the assassination of jfk. Then we had in the latter part of the decade the vietnam war and all the protests erected. Erupted. It was interesting for me at that time. We were kind of cocky. We had the world ahead of us. The economy was doing well. More of us were entering college than the previous generation. There was a sense of optimism and also some trepidation that we werent all that candid about at the time. That was just part of our mystique. I have a son who is now 30 years old. I call him grandmas revenge because a funny thing about parenting, you know that you are indeed a grownup when youre hear your own parents words coming out of your mouth. You must think money grows on trees, all these innocuous comments now they have such power when youre raising a child of your own. It was interesting for me to see this ok boomer remark has become the great retort of this new generation. The millenials and post millenials. They see the world differently than we did. We can talk about that. Host how do they see it . Guest it is interesting. We see in the polling going on that young people tend to be tend to vote democratic more than older voters who tend to vote republican. At the same time, i found that my son, once he got to college, seemed to be a lot less patient than my generation about change. Of course we were impatient compared to the earlier generation. As a result, we now see young people having the cancel culture. They have decided if somebodys speeches unworthy of being heard, they will just shut it down. My generation was more of the free speech movement. They started campus activism in 1964 at the berkeley campus. We have a different view of that today. I find myself talking to my son about how it is better to let bad ideas die from their own illogic then trying to silence the people who speak because then you make a martyr out of them. These are the kind of chats that go around our thanksgiving table. Host Clarence Page will be with us for this discussion on politics and generational issues. If you want to ask questions, we have divided the lines differently today in light of our discussion. 202 7488000 if you are under the age of 35. If you fall between 36 and 55, 202 7488001. If you are between 56 and 75, 202 7488002. You can text us at 202 7488003. What do you see today as far as views held by those who are younger than you politically . What are the differences that are interesting to you . Guest one difference is they dont have a draft. It was hung over our heads throughout the latter part of the decade back in the 60s. We talked about how i learned about drill sergeants when i got infted after i graduated 1969 and started working at the tribune. That made such a big difference in activism. When the draft ended in 1970, after the kent state massacre, that whole disaster, and also the jackson state massacre. Things got quieter. The danger of being drafted into the war really took the steam out of the Student Activist movement at that time. Now we see a new Student Activist generation rising up on a variety of different causes. Not as centralized as things were back in those days but nevertheless, young people now are standing up to gun violence, for example. My generation did not worry about being shot in the classroom. We were worried about them take into a war overseas. There is a sense among young folks now that we boomers have to catch up. I dont blame them. We were the same way about the older generation. Why dont you guys get out of the way and let us take things over . That has not changed but the trappings of it changed. I mentioned the beatles records and motown, the culture of the 1960s. Todays culture i knew i had grown up when i was saying, turn down that noise and change the station on the car radio to a golden oldies channel. Now that is some good music. Host what are the things students look at, one is student debt. Guest thank you for bringing that up. It is one of my favorite examples. When i was coming out of high school, i applied to Ohio University and was accepted. My freshman tuition was 770 and with room and board it was about 1240. That was a big difference to when my son came along in the late 1990s. It was like 10 times what it was when i was going to college. Student debt became as much of a factor in young peoples lives as the draft was in our lives. It has not caught on as much as Social Security or medicare expansion because young people dont vote in the same numbers as older folks. We saw that but we saw that change in bill first race with al gore. Young voters turned out in larger numbers. When barack obama ran. They went and sought out the around. Ters, first time and i think today, youre not seeing as much of what well, democracy havent gotten their act together. They dont know who their nominee is going to be. But we also have a situation today where young people arent Property Owners like older folks are. You know, this is one thing that can make you a conservative. Ha and having to pay property taxes. And being invested in the that way. It has a big impact on causing moree to vote conservatively. So thats interesting to me now, because, as ive told my son, youve got to get out there and vote, because if you dont play you dont have any standing to change the rules or whatever. I expect to see a much larger turnout of young people becausee around, partly of that student loan issue. Bernie sanders has been very that,ive at promoting effective at promoting the health care for all issue four ago. That, i think, is a big factor for this generation. Calls,re we take some that Student Newspaper that you pointed out has a Group Picture. Whats the importance of the picture . Well, that Group Picture on the front page is our Editorial Staff, and i show this to my friends and say, guess which one is clarence . [laughter] im not the only the not but the only black person the only well, me and david god rest his soul. He passed away about three years ago. He and i were the only guys on the Editorial Staff there. That was actually something of a ouringer of the way profession has gone. Many more women now back in days, in the mid60s, not only were black folks rare in newsrooms but so were women. Nowadays, things have not enough, much, of course. But people dont jump out of surprise at ah female editor in chief or a female publisher. Number of them come along in their careers. Of those factors make a difference on our generational change and outlook on life. Our first call for you comes from albany, georgia. In the category of between 56 and 75. Eva, good morning. Good morning and happy thanksgiving to our nation and thank you for cspan. Too come out of college. 69 graduating 69, celebrating the 50th class here. Is, as it have seen relates to the generational, as been as a physician also. My husband, the same. People who came out of harvard and duke andersity, radiologists ob gyn. And i see their friends being multigenerational, multicultural in the context of indian, chinese. Celebrated our Columbia Medical School graduation in new york at the 21 club. We are, black folks the cotton fields of georgia. So i have seen quite a bit of country. In our i think we have much to be thankful for. We are seeing young people now conscience that is real and whole, because theyre seeing their lives unlike my people, who come from the opportunity that a family, a community and hard work and perseverance, as we think on them. Giving today, gave there are many people in the world, in our country, who are not and have not had that foundation. Evenow right now that after those of us view my sir and i appreciate you. You have been a voice of reason. Solutionsk pragmatic for our country. I read you. Thank you. Online and i used to get you, as my husband and i went to university of chicago during residency. Biggest difference, i think, is we do have a problem in our country that we have not people. In our i was listening to the gentleman the ohio, who talked about farming issue. Theres a gentleman thats consideready to running against jim jordan. When i think about how we came together as black people and jewish people and white ofple now, the browning our country came after the 65 laws, you know i hate to stop you there. I apologize. Out theret a lot already. Mr. Page, pick something from it. And go with im glad you mentioned the multiculturalism. One of the lesser celebrated it gets crowded out in our memory. In 65, the year after the civil 65ts act, same year as the Voting Rights act, there was also the National Immigration passed at president johnsons urging, which shifted our impetus fromr immigration policy, eurocentric, flipped that around so we had larger quotas for the rest of the planet. Also, there wasnt that much of a driving demand by european come to the u. S. Then. Earlier. Ly peaked as europe got back on its feet. At the same time, we became more multiracial as a country. Now, immigration policy is this us in europe for places,t of other because people are looking negatively at the impact of diversity. Thats a big shift here in the last few years. A nationals out of policy being set in washington. But i do find that young you saw themean, picture of my high school there. Had, i dont know, about hard to say now about 10 or or so of my high school had was black students. And today, my son has grown up evermulticultural world since preschool. So hes much more relaxed about social and racial diversity than my generation was. These thingsl of make a difference. But one thing we older folks can be too sanguine about the way young people get along each other across racial and ethnic lines, going, oh, they cute and adorable when they Work Together . The neonazis, right fringefar groups, and i have to say, theres always been some groups who can be as well racially discriminatory in their outlook. That is a new factor thats come up, because we havent talked enough with young people. So after the fact, you might looking at, are we comfortable with our own diversity . This is from west virginia. Ahead. O youre on. Yes. 1964. Uated in that didnt in west virginia. Ive seen that are really big changes from 60s,s date back in the 70s and even 80s, when the got out draft was, you of high school. You went down. You either took the draft or ilisted in the service like did, for four years. Then the other thing was, west 90 democratic in the 60s, 70s, 80s and even early 90s. 90 republican. That to one thing. The clinton administration, when they came out with gun control p west stronga went from democrats and they had senator bird, rockefeller and 90 republicans. The whole state has changed based on, i believe, the plus firearms. Thank you. Very good point. I remember that well. I grew up in southern ohio. I also worked the summer of 67 upward bound, one of president johnsons war on in the programs appalachian area. Hes right. West virginia was always a very democratic state. And the flipover did come in 2000. I remember it well because al wanted all gun owners to have these i. D. Cards and the allocated a 25 million ad campaign, a lot of money in days, talking about al gore wants to take your guns away. Flipped torginia become a republican state. Remained so since. Even the democrat, joe mansion, senators from west virginia, when he was campaigning, first thing he did, himad this commercial of firing his shotgun at what i think it was a general target . A proposal. One of the proposals of the democrats, he was firing his at it on the street. And it worked. It was effective. Still one of the last remaining folks, democratic in a state that votes predominantly republican. In thisthe fence now whole debate about impeachment. Point. Ah, its a good generationally, we are a more down polarized now politically. Recall, he won, as i five states plus arizona, home state. Thought, of folks well, conservative wing of the Republican Party is dead. Ha ha, you know. 1980, when Ronald Reagan won, and we saw the conservative Movement Still alive and well. In thehave Donald Trump White House and democrats are wondering how to come back. Thats a big generational difference now that we see, compared to the old days. Now thismentioned, young generation is pushing gun control. Ill just show you the a recent gallup to youngn it comes adults, when polled about the are grasp they had of socialism. Son went through that too, much like i went through my grateful dead phase. Im still a grateful dead fan. Anyway, but yes. This Younger Generation i been madeie sanders the difference there. And a. O. C. Alexandria ocasiocortez made popularizedrther it. Young people arent scared of the word socialism like my generation was. Team,mber in the debate our national topic was socialized medicine. Nationale u. S. Go to a Health Insurance plan . 63, as in 1962 or recall. So this is not a new issue. The bighat time, argument against it was, its socialism forgetting that, say, social is socialism by that measure or a few years later, medicare was passed. Same argument was made there again by Ronald Reagan, among effectively. But it didnt stop medicare from enactment. And becoming one of the most popular programs the federal has today. So this new generation i call bernie bros generation. Bernie sanders has made well, taken the fear out of the word socialism and now young at, what canoking government do to make sure that covered in this country like they are in countries . Lets hear from someone who is over 75, from stockbridge, georgia. Youre on with Clarence Page. Go ahead. Good morning. Im a wanted to say disabled veteran and i come from a military family. I wasck in the 30s, when born and on up through my after war. It was war and then we got into world war ii. And then all my uncles, which came from a large family, were in it also. And i didnt go to school with black, brown or yellow. School with whites. And i had a different culture. Later, when i went into the military, i soon found that they were my best friends. They backed me up wherever i to be backed up, in whatever decision i made in the military. Cant say that it was the wrong thing to do, because it for us to come together, all of us. Not justwhite people, brown people, and not just black people. That we need to put aside our differences and Work Together. World would be better if we forget all the niceties of life and look at that are not as fortunate as we are. The generational gap, i see a lot of young people that need to be talked to. Need to be told what it is hard way. Ings the and if you ever learn that you succeeded, its because those that came before you showed you how. Ok. Thanks, caller. Theres a lot there. Its very true. I think i want to say a couple of good words about young people, for one thing. Im very impressed with the student interns we get these days. No less crazy than we were about journalism, about professionalism, about public service. And their they are very smart. Theyve got to be, to understand all these Digital Gadgets and usedus older folks to get to them in this age of twitter, et cetera. I feel badly for them in terms of, as i mentioned, the a college education, has gone through the roof. Thats the importance to Americas Development in the past. Its going to be important in the future. Need to work on that. The difference i dont want thank the caller for her service. Theres a big difference in by this participation Younger Generation now. Theres not a need for a draft heavy recruitment nowadays, because rumsfeld said, can replace humans with computers. Besides, the new generation of combat is more digital. Differencea big there. I never thought i would be saying this, because i tried so the draft that i sometimes wish i told my you cant get drafted so you can learn something about discipline, organization, et cetera. Thats when i know i really am old. Ng offerses a viewer who this characterization. Saying Younger Voters tend to and idealstion rather than experience and analysis. Hence, politicians with ideas up to scrutinyd have coopted our Younger Voters. Well, you could say that everybody who says something they dont agree with, have been coopted. Dont we all vote on emotion, it. We get down to ive learned a lot since i attitudes my own after Donald Trumps victory. Most of us were geared to the trump was suchd a long shot. Was republicans thought he a long shot. Lets not make the deal out of attacking him. Have looked at the diversity of people in this country and those who have not been benefiting from ch