Shawyer dissertation May 2008 final version - The University of ...

sloganeering, the police lines attacking the demonstrators with nightsticks, and thesuccessful disruption of law and order in the park and streets of Chicago. Thesespectators refused to be swayed to the Yippie cause, but they nevertheless were movedenough to take action by writing to the President.In reaction to the flood of letters and telegrams about the violence, the WhiteHouse offered several form letter responses. These bland epistles maintain a cool distancefrom actions in Chicago. White House aide Whitney Shoemaker offers an insipidreminder that “the President has repeatedly declared that violence—whatever itsinstigation—offers no solution to the problems of our time” (letter to Herrity, Box 65).The indignant Mrs. Gardner similarly receives a bland statement that “the Crime Controland Safe Streets Act of 1968 exemplifies the President’s determination to act in the causeof law and order. He has repeatedly declared that violence whatever its instigation offersno solution to the problems of our time—and that the only real road to progress for freepeople is through the process of law” ( Box 67). Due to the large volume ofcorrespondence sent during Convention week, it is understandable that the White Housecould not craft a personal response to each author. But the featureless and unemotionalform letters they sent stand in sharp contrast to the passionate and expressive notes sentfrom a nation clearly affected by Yippie actions on the streets of Chicago.While the most affecting audience responses to the Yippies’ Chicago Theater ofCruelty were demonstrative and emotional, the second main audience response waspolitical. Many writers attacked Johnson for his seeming distance from the events. Theydid not like that he was not at the Convention, but rather at home in Washington.196