When hippies hate

(JNS) — There was a time, long ago, back in the drug-addled days of Woodstock, when tie-dyed shirts were formal wear, and hair was both a Broadway musical and a countercultural trademark. During those days, the progressive left—known colloquially at the time as “hippies”—knew their proper place, rarely overstepping.

Sure, they made their politics known. And, yes, many wished to change the world by urging to “give peace a chance.” But their groove remained mainly local and cultural. International affairs were largely left to the squares in suits.

Vietnam was important primarily because American...