John Andrew, The Other Side of the Sixties
Reading and Discussion Questions
How does studying the history of groups like Young Americans for Freedom help us understand the history of the 1960s (and subsequent decades) in general?
What are the origins of YAF? When was it founded? What ideas or values did it promote? What was it meant to accomplish?
Who were the leaders and members of YAF? What was their family background? How did they compare to their peers?
What was the Sharon Statement? When and where was it drafted? Who were the main writers? What was its “ideological heritage”? What did it say?
How was Barry Goldwater different from Ike Eisenhower and Richard Nixon? What distinguished their conservative principles?
What about Goldwater’s politics attracted YAF activists? How did he aid and support their cause? How did they help his political career?
Who was William F. Buckley, Jr.? What claim does he have on helping launch a new conservative movement? What was his role in YAF?
How did the Kennedy administration respond to the new right? What methods did they use to silence those critics and undermine the movement?
How was the YAF challenge to a liberal consensus similar to the challenge coming from the Left? How was it different (in ideas, tactics, goals, and outcome)?
What did the new conservatives think about the civil rights movement? How did that effort fit with their particular principles and agenda?
What issues and ideas divided the YAF? What explains the differences of opinion and principle? How did division and factionalism play out over time?
How did young conservative activists negotiate their relationship with the “extremist” right? Why was this a difficult situation for them?
What was the American Conservative Union? How did it differ from YAF? What was the relationship between the two groups?
How does Andrew describe the legacy of YAF? What does he think the young conservatives contributed to changing American politics and culture?