The decade of the 1960s is remembered for many things: Long-haired hippies, tie-dyed shirts and jeans, love beads, Woodstock, drugs, Nixon, rock and roll, the Vietnam War, the peace movement.
Even the name “the Sixties” simply conjures up an image of some tumultuous times for the United States. It is a decade of gigantic culture, memories that won’t soon go away.
Jim Dette remembers the ’60s, but in a different way. Although the long-time Weehawken resident was very active in the peace movement back in the ’60s, he wasn’t exactly a hippie. But he was very opposed to the Vietnam War.
“At the time, anti-war sentiments weren’t exactly popular,” Dette recalled. “I think the younger generation at the time who were anti-war was basically a sell-out. The movement was just kind of taken over by that element. We promoted anti-war, as they did, but that’s not where we were coming from.”
In 1969, as a way to lash out at the American involvement in the Vietnam War, Dette helped to form the group “Weehawken Citizens for Peace,” which started with humble beginnings.
Dette was contacted by a friend who said that a neighbor was going to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument on Boulevard East to begin a candlelight vigil for peace. Dette quickly found a candle and went to the monument to join in.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Dette said. “Before long, a passerby asked what we were all about. We explained that we were concerned about the direction that the nation was taking in Vietnam and we felt that we had to demonstrate our objection to it. Those that agreed with us stood with us. At the end, we all exchanged names and addresses and promised that we would meet again the following week.”
Added Dette, “We met again the next Friday and even more people showed up. We made a formal list of those who supported our cause and from that beginning, the ‘Weehawken Citizens for Peace’ was born. We formalized the group to the extent that we elected a leadership and spokesperson. I was asked to be chairman. The vigils continued.”
As the group grew, some of the members expressed an interest to open a peace center. The group rented a vacant store on Park Avenue in November, 1970, and called the center “The Community Store.”
“Nothing was sold there,” Dette explained. “It was just a place where people went if they had problems, like rent issues. It was also a recycling center. But it was our meeting place. It became quite a large organization, with over 100 members.”
Spawned WEC
Out of the “Community Store” on 38th and Park Avenue stemmed a group that eventually became the Weehawken Environmental Committee, which still exists.
“The WEC was founded as an offshoot to the store,” Dette said. “We had fund raisers and cultural activities. But the main activity was to try to end the war in Vietnam.”
During that time, the Weehawken Citizens for Peace marched in the Weehawken Memorial Day parade and placed a wreath at the Soldiers’ and Sailors Monument.
“To the credit of the veterans’ organizations in town, we were able to march in the parade,” Dette said. “My wife [Evelyn] and I decided that we wanted to be a presence in the parade. The veterans treated us like we were regular participants. It was a touchy subject. We respected them and they tolerated us.”
However, once the Vietnam War ended in the early ’70s, the peace movement flickered and died. The Weehawken Citizens for Peace lost some of its luster. The Community Store closed.
Always keeping his stance against war dear to him, Dette became involved in other issues, including the environment, as a charter member of the WEC. He was also active with education concerning global issues, with the international group known as Global Education Associates and its Earth Charter, trying to save the world’s environment. Dette is also an active member of the “Floating the Apple” group that rows across the Hudson River from its dock space in Weehawken.
Dette’s focus went back to anti-war last year. After the events of Sept. 11, when talk immediately turned toward retaliation and war against the terrorists who caused the horrific attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Dette again turned his thoughts and focus in that direction.
“I would never support a war,” Dette said. “This was a heinous crime and should never be forgotten. But the people who bombed the World Trade Center the first time were hunted down and prosecuted, not bombed out. The terrorists who blew up the Pan Am plane over Lockerbie, Scotland were prosecuted. I didn’t want to see our guys getting sent to Afghanistan to die. I do not share the revenge motive that others do. It’s a terrible thing and we’re still recovering. But those people didn’t die at the World Trade Center so others could die as well.”
Added Dette, “I’m never excited about the attitude people have towards war. We should be honored to strive for peace.”
With that in mind, Dette thought that the time was right for the “Weehawken Citizens for Peace” to make a return appearance. Dette, his wife, and four others stood with their banners at last Monday’s Memorial Day parade. Just like they did more than three decades ago, they lit candles at the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument. “Some people sort of looked at us funny, but I think some of the older ones remember us from the older times,” Dette said. “We were noticed. There were a couple of firemen who spotted us and held up the peace sign. Others asked us, ‘What do you think we should do?’ We just wanted to make an appearance, especially now.”
Dette doesn’t know what the showing at the Memorial Day parade will lead to.
“The last time, we had a lot of young people who were around our age who were active and enthusiastic,” Dette said. “I don’t know if this will mushroom. I don’t know what to expect with this. But we’re there. We wanted to make a presence, to show that we don’t support a war. We’re giving it a shot to see if others will support us as well.”
Basically, Dette is looking to give peace a chance, once and forever.
“I hope others feel that way as well,” Dette said. “We’ll see what happens.” If anyone is interested in learning more about “Weehawken Citizens for Peace,” feel free to contact Jim Dette via e-mail at JTDette@aol.com.