Chapter Twelve The Malling of America

“We've got it all at Springfield Mall.”

—Advertising slogan In November of 1968, a week after Richard Nixon won

the November 5th election, Lyndon Baines Johnson was still President of the United States. The Vietnam War and the protest movement were both being waged at full tilt. More than 500,000 American soldiers were in Vietnam at the time.

On Thursday, November 14, 1968, Donald Tanner, Susan Roberts, Betsy Wheeler and one or two others handed out leaflets inviting the public to a meeting to protest the draft and the Vietnam War. The leafleteers were members of “The Resistance Community,” and their handouts invited people to talks about the draft board, a potluck dinner, a communion and a dance at Reed College. Copie...

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