I originally posted the following on 8 October 2007. The person to whom I'd left the comments had posted some drivel about how things had changed in society. I wanted to balance her views with some shared by others who've benefited from cultural changes in the last 50 years. Her response was to have my comments removed from her blog. Make of that what you will. I certainly have. :-)

In the 1960s, "conservative" clergy were loyal to the Democrats and brazenly defended segregation. Today, they've emerged on the other side of the political aisle with the same agenda: reduction of civil rights and social control in the name of their interpretations of various Bible passages.

In the 1960s, President Johnson had to rely on the GOP to pass civil rights legislation. His own party was controlled by the bigots who've become today's Religious Right. The GOP consisted mostly of people the Religious Right disparagingly today call RINOs -- Republicans In Name Only.

Things really haven't changed all that much. Certainly, political allegiances of the Religious Right have. The same forces that objected to integration, to civil rights, to freedom, are the same ones objecting to it today and longing for the "good old days."

I posted the following comments in response to something chihulahualover posted about "The Damage of Liberalism to Our Country." Needless to say, I don't think "liberalism" was much of a problem to the culture (the economy is a different story!):

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Yes, times have changed...

1957: Jack decides to sell his house. He waits for a white Christian buyer because his property has deed restrictions against blacks and Jews.
2007: Jack can sell his house to anyone who can afford it because deed restrictions have been outlawed over the protests of those who've become known as the Religious Right.

1957: Marcus can't sit at certain lunch counters, drink from certain fountains, or use certain restrooms because of his skin color.
2007: Marcus can eat, drink, and even urinate anywhere he pleases because "separate but equal" was outlawed over the objections of those who've become known as the Religious Right.

1957: Johnny, who is white, goes to one school. Billy, who is black, goes to another one.
2007: Johnny and Billy can attend the same school because desegregation is illegal over the objections of those who've become known as the Religious Right.

1957: Sally fooled around at age 15 and missed her period. She found out about someone who could fix the problem for her. After a fierce infection from a botched abortion at the hands of someone without any medical training, Sally died.
2007: Sally fooled around at age 15 and missed her period. She had access to professional medical care. She was able to finish school, attend college, start a career, and have a family -- a normal life. Over the objections of those who've become known as the Religious Right.

1957: Nancy and Wilma have to hide their relationship. People know each is "different," but they have no idea how much Nancy and Wilma love each other. They have to meet secretly, they can't live their lives as freely as others do for fear of losing their jobs (after all, they can't just marry men to take care of them because they're in love with each other), for fear of losing their apartments, for fear of being assaulted or killed.
2007: Nancy and Wilma live in a community that accepts them as human beings. They have their own home (women can own property now), they go out, they go on vacations together, they attend church regularly, and they're foster parents to abused teenagers that anti-abortion zealots won't adopt (and still won't let Wilma and Nancy adopt, either). Despite not being allowed to legally sanction their relationship and occasionally being harassed by right-wing morons, they're living the American Dream. And they look forward to a day when they're every bit as equal as anyone else in their nation. Over the objections of those who've become known as the Religious Right.