8: Doctoral Studies: Thesis Struggles and Feelings of Alienation

Richard Nixon took office that January. Compared to Trump his policies seem almost liberal as he established the Environmental Protection Agency and went to China to open relations. Still, he pursued the war in Vietnam which led to more protests. During the winter of 1969, a major event was held at the University of Missouri at Kansas City with a conference on Vietnam where Benjamin Spock and Allan Lowenstein spoke passionately against the war. Their talks deepened my conviction that the war was wrong.

When I received my draft notice, I started reading the Manual for Draft Age Immigrants to Canada (Satin, 1968). As I wrote in the first chapter, Jean and I had decided to go to Canada if I was drafted. This book was my guide till I reached Toronto. It began with statements from different Canadians. One was by a professor at York University in Toronto, William Mann. He wrote: