This debate, which took place at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, was presented on call public television in 1968. One of the issues debated was freedom to speak your thoughts and feelings and another was whether violence should be used to change or defend political order.

The year 1968 was a tumultuous period in the United States, marked by significant political and social upheaval. This was especially true on college campuses, where students were increasingly engaged in activism against the Vietnam War, racial injustice, and other issues. The University of WisconsinMadison (UWMadison) was no exception and became a notable hotspot for student activism during this time.

In 1968, student behavior at UWMadison was politically charged, reflecting broader national and international movements. The campus was a site of vigorous debate, demonstrations, and sometimes confrontations with authority. One of the most significant issues for UWMadison students, as with many others across the country, was opposition to the Vietnam War. This opposition often manifested through protests, teachins, and sitins.

A pivotal moment in UWMadison's history of activism occurred not in 1968 but in 1967, leading into the events of the following years. In October 1967, a protest against Dow Chemical Company, the manufacturer of napalm used in Vietnam, turned violent when police attempted to disperse the demonstrators, leading to injuries among both police and students. This event, known as the Dow Chemical Riot, marked a significant escalation in campus activism and set the stage for future protests.

Throughout 1968, UWMadison students participated in various demonstrations concerning civil rights, university policies, and international issues. The campus atmosphere was one of intense political engagement, with students organizing through groups like the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) among others.

One of the most dramatic events related to student activism at UWMadison came in 1970, with the bombing of Sterling Hall. This attack, carried out by four young men in protest of the university's research connections with the military, resulted in the death of a physics researcher and significant damage to the building. This highlights the drastic measures some were willing to take in protest against the Vietnam War and associated university policies.

In 1968, UWMadison was a vibrant center of political activism, where students engaged in healthy debate, protest, and sometimes violent confrontation over issues like the Vietnam War, civil rights, and university policies. The actions taken by students during this period were reflective of the larger national and international movements for peace and social justice.

When people refer to some students at the University of Wisconsin in 1968 as being "radical" and supportive of violence, they're touching on a complex aspect of the student activism of the time. "Radical" generally refers to individuals seeking societal changes, often advocating for these changes through means outside the traditional political process. In the context of the late 1960s, this included opposition to the Vietnam War, racial injustice, and other societal issues, with activists seeking profound transformations in government policy and social norms.

The term "supported violence" refers to several things, ranging from a philosophical endorsement of violent resistance to active participation in or support for specific acts of violence. During this era, the vast majority of student activists engaged in peaceful protests, such as marches, sitins, and teachins. However, a small subset of the activist community, disillusioned by the perceived ineffectiveness of peaceful protest and enraged by what they saw as the government's unjust policies, particularly the Vietnam War and racial discrimination, came to believe that more drastic measures were necessary to effect change.

This belief in the necessity of violence for political change manifested in different ways. For some, it meant vocal support for armed struggles elsewhere in the world, such as national liberation movements in Africa and Latin America. For others, it translated into justifying or engaging in acts of violence, such as property destruction, confrontations with police, or, in extreme cases, bombings. These actions were seen by their proponents as a means to draw attention to causes, disrupt the status quo, directly targeting institutions seen as oppressive.

At many campuses across the country the radical faction that supported some form of violence was a minority within the broader spectrum of student activism. The majority of protests and demonstrations on campus remained peaceful and focused on advocating for change through nonviolent means. Nonetheless, the actions of the radical minority had a significant impact on public perception of the student movement, often overshadowing the peaceful efforts of the majority.