---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think every high school student who was…"
description: "\"I think every high school student who was alert during the early '60s got very embittered by the slow progress and the violence surrounding the Civil R..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png"
---

#  I think every high school student who was alert during the…

![“I think every high school student who was alert during the early '60s got very embittered by the slow progress and the violence surrounding the Civil Rights Movement.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png)

> “I think every high school student who was alert during the early '60s got very embittered by the slow progress and the violence surrounding the Civil Rights Movement.”

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Early‑'s activists became disillusioned by slow civil‑rights progress and ongoing violence.

**In simple terms:** Activists grew bitter due to slow progress and violence.

Key Takeaway

Patience and resilience are needed for social change.

Themes

activism history frustration

Mood

determined hopeful

Type

political inspirational

When to use this quote

- protest planning
- educational curricula
- community organizing

Key Concepts

political science civil rights

Questions to Reflect On

- How can activists stay motivated amid setbacks?
- What strategies sustain long‑term movements?

A Different Perspective

Progress can be painfully slow.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Civil rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-movement/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-movement/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Slow progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-progress/) [Student](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/)

## Related quotes

> [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/)

[Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/)

> [Well, probably the best way to put it might be that at some time, not just in an instant, but over some period of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eggleston/well-probably-the-best-way-to-put-it-might-be-that-at-some-time-not/)

[William Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-eggleston/)

> [When I came back to California in the early '60s I was hanging out with Jimmy Bowen, Phil Spector, and I wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-came-back-to-california-in-the-early-60s-i-was-hanging-out/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There’s a certain urgency that comes from the records of the early 60s before overdubbing and multitracking came into play,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/there-s-a-certain-urgency-that-comes-from-the-records-of-the-early/)

[Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/)

> [Well, I don't think it ever did, but in the early '60s I got interested in folk music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-zevon/well-i-don-t-think-it-ever-did-but-in-the-early-60s-i-got-interested/)

[Warren Zevon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-zevon/)

> [I think in my generation, when I came along in the early '60s, the type of music that was in vogue in society in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra-jr/i-think-in-my-generation-when-i-came-along-in-the-early-60s-the-type/)

[Frank Sinatra Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra-jr/)

> [In the early part of the '60s I was influenced by the Ventures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-wilson/in-the-early-part-of-the-60s-i-was-influenced-by-the-ventures/)

[Carl Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-wilson/)

> [Well - I started writing - probably in the early 60s and by say '65-'66 I had read most of the poetry that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adamson/well-i-started-writing-probably-in-the-early-60s-and-by-say-65-66-i/)

[Robert Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adamson/)

> [The grown-up world was a very ordered society in the early '60s, and I was coming out of it. America was even more ordered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/the-grown-up-world-was-a-very-ordered-society-in-the-early-60s-and-i/)

[Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/)

> [My parents came over from Barbados in the late 1950s and early '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harewood/my-parents-came-over-from-barbados-in-the-late-1950s-and-early-60s/)

[David Harewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harewood/)

> [In the 50s and early 60s, community was incredibly important to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-tushingham/in-the-50s-and-early-60s-community-was-incredibly-important-to-people/)

[Rita Tushingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-tushingham/)

> [I was born in '74, so I missed out on all the great early '60s and early '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-was-born-in-74-so-i-missed-out-on-all-the-great-early-60s-and-early/)

[Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/)

> [In retrospect, the political and cultural climate in the early '60s seems both a time of innocence and also like a sultry, still summer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/in-retrospect-the-political-and-cultural-climate-in-the-early-60s/)

[Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/)

> [But in those days - in the mid-'50s, early '60s - there was less than 300 radio stations that were playing country music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-tillis/but-in-those-days-in-the-mid-50s-early-60s-there-was-less-than-300/)

[Mel Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-tillis/)

> [It was around that time, early 60s. There were like three kindred spirits in New Jersey. I had two friends who played folk music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grisman/it-was-around-that-time-early-60s-there-were-like-three-kindred/)

David Grisman

## More by P. J. O'Rourke

> [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

[Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## More Alert quotes

> [You will not get a Google alert when you fall in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/you-will-not-get-a-google-alert-when-you-fall-in-love/)

[Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/)

> [NBC News found that FEMA has redrawn maps even for properties that have repeatedly filed claims for flood losses from previous storms. At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/nbc-news-found-that-fema-has-redrawn-maps-even-for-properties-that/)

[Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/)

> [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-ride-my-bike-almost-every-day-here-in-new-york-it-s-getting-safer/)

[David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/)

> [“Those who have been in trouble themselves are alert to it in others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/those-who-have-been-in-trouble-themselves-are-alert-to-it-in-others/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [Nothing is worth reading that does not require an alert mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/nothing-is-worth-reading-that-does-not-require-an-alert-mind/)

[Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/)

> [There is, to be sure, sometimes only a small difference between being alert to possible danger and allowing oneself to become terrified to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/there-is-to-be-sure-sometimes-only-a-small-difference-between-being/)

[Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/)

> [...He palmed up the life Alert. Death Alert was more like it: Help, I haven't fallen and I'm standing up-can you come and rectify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/he-palmed-up-the-life-alert-death-alert-was-more-like-it-help-i-haven/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [“Leaders don't venture without vision. They don't pray without plans. They don't climb without clues. They are always prepared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-don-t-venture-without-vision-they-don-t-pray-without-plans/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [“If you are presently facing significant challenges in your life, trust in the Lord! Be an aggressive responder who lives with alert expectancy!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-blackaby/if-you-are-presently-facing-significant-challenges-in-your-life-trust/)

[Richard Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-blackaby/)

> [I like to see the people awake and alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-like-to-see-the-people-awake-and-alert/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“When the risk level becomes too high in the presence of armed police officers, you need to start shouting as loud as you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/when-the-risk-level-becomes-too-high-in-the-presence-of-armed-police/)

[Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/)

> [“Alert fatigue is the single biggest problem we have right now…We need to be more intelligent about our alerts or we’ll all go insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kim/alert-fatigue-is-the-single-biggest-problem-we-have-right-now-we-need/)

[Gene Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kim/)

> [It's a dangerous world, man. You've gotta keep your eyes and ears peeled and be on the alert all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinnie-paul/it-s-a-dangerous-world-man-you-ve-gotta-keep-your-eyes-and-ears/)

[Vinnie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinnie-paul/)

> [To the man whose senses are alive and alert there is not even the need to stir from one's threshold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/to-the-man-whose-senses-are-alive-and-alert-there-is-not-even-the/)

[Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/)

> [Everyone self-Googles. And, I have, of course, the Google alert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/everyone-self-googles-and-i-have-of-course-the-google-alert/)

[Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/)

Browse all 117 Alert quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think every high school student who was alert during the early '60s got very embittered by the slow progress and the violence surrounding the Civil Rights Movement.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "P. J. O'Rourke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-think-every-high-school-student-who-was-alert-during-the-early-60s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Alert"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-think-every-high-school-student-who-was-alert-during-the-early-60s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b84/p-j-o-rourke-184_alert_i-think-every-high-school-student-who-wa_2731414.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think every high school student who was alert during the early '60s got very embittered by the slow…” — P. J. O'Rourke",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "P. J. O'Rourke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think every high school student...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-think-every-high-school-student-who-was-alert-during-the-early-60s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-think-every-high-school-student-who-was-alert-during-the-early-60s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
