<p>A little off topic but this reminds me of a funny story.
I arrived at Columbia in 1970 with radicalism, strikes, black power, gay rights, as issues that were constantly present. To pay for my Columbia education I worked all summer outdoors in the fields (and yes the Who's Next album was blaring from my dorm room). I am already dark complected and was quite brown when I arrived on campus. Though I'm white, my hair is black and very kinky. I let it grow into a full 'fro. Walking across campus I was stopped by one of the leaders of a militant black group. After greeting me with the "handshake" he said "Brother, the meeting is tonight at Furnald, you be there!" He went on to explain how important black unity was. Not knowing how to respond I finally told him I wasn't black but actually white. I braced myself for his reaction. At first he looked confused then he burst out in a long fit of laughter. Before walking away he said "Hey you can come to the meeting anyway, brother".
Many of the radicals have moved much closer to the center now. In my class Abbe Lowell was the leading shrill leftist and he went on to join a large Washington law firm (and represent President Clinton).</p>