Perspectives

Betty’s letter described how the political parties were acting during the unrest that was happening globally. She wasn’t just a woman who would confide herself with the household chores but actively took part in the debates about the war putting a strong viewpoint. She had a traditional perspective and thought that a Republican president would be able to bring peace than a democrat.

Massive Changes

A lot of things happened around that time when Betty wrote those letters to the future generation. A cold war was going on, Cuba was facing challenges and Americans were in constant fear that the Nuclear bomb might explode anytime. Racial segregation was widespread around the Country. The people feared that they might have to leave anytime if this continued.

Equality Of Rights

Previously the state of Virginia had forbidden interracial marriages, let alone same-sex marriages. But in 1967, the US Supreme Court took a landmark decision and struck down all state laws banishing interracial marriages as it seemed as breeching of Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. After this decision, the state saw a lot of interracial marriages.

The Chicago Campaign

In 1966, after abolishing interracial marriages the civil rights movement gained popularity and people started to fight for equality. Even though Martin Luther King Jr. was advocating nonviolent civil disobedience, uproar and violence still prevailed. His motive was to remove the slums peacefully but people’s outburst was increasing day by day.

The Turmoil

The time the letter was written was when the Vietnam war was going on and Betty was concerned about the same and mentioned the war in her letter. Despite the protest by the people of America who were against their involvement in the war still, they were dragged in it even without their will. Betty had 2 sons at the time of war and she was in constant fear that any day they would be posted in the Vietnam war.

The Letter

The letter continued: “Barry Goldwater (Republican candidate for president) lives on top of the hill, with the big T.V. antenna (N.W. bedroom view.). We are sure truth and love will prevail and the constitution will remain. We are hopeful that the Republicans will be in office when this time capsule is recovered.”Contrary to what she thought, the time at which the time capsule was found, a democrat Barak Obama was ruling the country but things were better and development was at the peak.