Black and White
When Henry Stuart arrived in Mobile he was attacked by a fellow train passenger who was really upset that he had given his boots to a black man on the train. He was upset with this encounter because it was so unexpected, not anything like this would have happened in Idaho.
I remember the days when I lived in South Alabama. I can remember going to see the Klansman when they had a rally. I remember the hurt of those days (1964-1966). It was big news. People were hurt. Some of you may remember my growing up in Clinton Tennessee and being the first school in the nation to integrate. Lots of hurt there.
Looking back, with a perspective of 40 years, I realize how much progress has been made racially. 40 years ago you would not see a black and white person eating together. Now it is common. Sure there is lots of progress to be made but there has been significant progress, even among the whites.
Have you ever been involved in anything where race was an issue?
posted by Dan Phillips @ 8:04 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
JURY TRIAL......a married couple vs a single man over an auto and car accident. The blacks dominated the jury and sided with the black couple though it was shown that they were lying.(I was told: Do they look like liars?) I was chairman of the jury and had to go back and read a vote result that was not fair. Bad experience. It was almost like saying: "If you have ever been treated unfairly, then it is your duty to repay by being, yourself, unfair to an innocent person." I hope to NEVER be in that situation again. I had to read a decision that I knew was unfair since we said that we would return to the courtroom with the voted decision.
APOLOGY...........If my remarks above hurt anone's feelings, I apologize. My intent was not to hurt but to simply point out that the jury voted in a race-influenced manner. It was not black/white....it was honest/dishonest. Let's hope our system gets better and better in fairness to the innocent...no natter what their color. We have had some very shameful wrongs done in our past.
SIGN IN CHURCH........Back in the early fifty's I was in the Army and stationed in Louisiana. In the church in town, I was shocked to see a 'can't miss this' size sign in the back of the church: 'Reserved for Coloreds.'I told the pastor that I was shocked and diasppointed to see this in a church. He replied, rather lamely, "I don't like it either but it is the way things are down here. We hope to change hearts and be able to take down the sign someday." That is almost like the people who say they are looking for a cease fire but NOT RIGHT NOW because we have more pain to inflick! Grandkids are growing up in a different world...more tolerant for sure.
Prayers for Janet and you. Psalm 124:2 "As the hills are round about Jerusalem, so are the arms of the Lord around us." In the loving care of God we shall be blessed and healed and comforted.
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