In the days of the historic civil rights struggle, it seemed so easy to make a clear moral judgment on the big issues in American society. It seemed so easy to tell the good guys from the bad, to stand up and be counted. It did not require great ethical sophistication to distinguish right from wrong when witnessing black children in Birmingham being killed in church bombings and assaulted by police equipped with attack dogs, fire hoses, and electric cattle prods. It was not difficult to salute those fighting to win the elementary right to vote and to condemn those who sough to frustrate that right.
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. The authors imply today's issues are more nuanced than in previous generations. Does this represent progress?
2. Are societal injustices always obvious at the time, or does "clear moral judgment" come as a result of hindsight?
3. Are there any issues facing us today where we can easily make a "clear moral judgment?"
Time Period: Contemporary (The Yom Kippur War until the present-day)