Controversy
Alex Ianni
dictionary.com
controversy (noun)- a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion
1980s Controversy
HIV/AIDS
With being discovered in 1981, AIDS was associated with a high level of stigma and discrimination, prejudice arose in part because AIDS was linked to groups such as gay people and intravenous drug users. Some medical professionals did not want to continue their investigation of AIDS because of their prejudicial beliefs. President Reagan never mentioned to the public about AIDS and the public was confused on why the government was hiding something like this when they claimed AIDS was a top priority to them.
Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics was being held in Moscow, Russia. The Olympic boycott of that years olympics was a package of events that initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan. This lead to the boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics being held in Los Angeles, California lead by the Soviet Union and other Communist countries.
Iran-Contra Scandal
In November 1986, it emerged that the White House had secretly sold arms to Iran in an effort to win the freedom of U.S. hostages in Lebanon, and then diverted money from the sales to Nicaraguan rebels known as the Contras (anti-Communist insurgents) in Nicaragua, even though Congress had prohibited this assistance. Talk of Reagan's impeachment ended when presidential aides took the blame for the illegal activity.
Drugs "Panic", "Crisis", or "Scare"
Cocaine was the most popular recreational drug in the 80s. It was frequently used because of how cheap it was. Cocaine was involved in every social class especially after it evolved into rock cocaine or “crack,” which became a lower class version of powder cocaine. Cocaine was the drug that was the special target of public concern, more specifically, crack, a cocaine derivative. Cocaine was the top drug used over alcohol in the 1980s. This drug dilemma was seen to some people as the social problem of the decade, especially since there was never a big drug problem in the public in any of the past decades.
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall was seen as the fall of Communism. With the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan at the end of 1979, this sparked some controversy along with the rest of the events that took place in the Cold War. The fall of the Berlin Wall stood as a fall of controversial events that occurred throughout the entire Cold War.
The Berlin Wall Falls 1989 NBC Coverage Pt1
The Berlin Wall Falls 1989 NBC Coverage Pt2
Madonna
Madonna mixed her drive for success with her loud scandalous behavior. Performing on the MTV music awards parading in a wedding dress singing her latest hit single "Like A Virgin" was her start to controversial activity. Madonna's 1989 "Like a Prayer" video, was to be aired on MTV as part of a profitable Pepsi endorsement. The video displayed interracial relationship themes, burning crosses, and a blending of sexual references and religious ideologies. As a result of the video, Pope John Paul II pushed fans to not go to her concert in Italy. This also led to Pepsi pulling their endorsement with her.