On a warm June day in 1964, I hitch-hiked from Cincinnati to New Orleans by car. I went through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi before I arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana. I had gotten rides with many different people, and I heard many different stories. The Civil Rights Movement in America was on the minds of some of the white people that picked me up on my way to New Orleans. It was, I found out later, a very dangerous time to be traveling through the deep south, especially if you were perceived as being there to work on for the Civil Rights Movement and voter registration of black people in those southern states. It was during that month of June, 1964, that three young men were murdered for working with the Civil Rights Movement and their bodies were buried by a bridge in Mississippi.
Today, it is 2012. Almost 48 years from when I graduated from college and decided to spend my summer working on a ship out of New Orleans. Much time has pasted since those days of the Civil Rights Movement. Much has changed in the deep south, and yet there is, in my opinion and that of others of a like mind, that racism is still very much with us today. I guess I am a bit naive to think that an African-American elected President of these United States in 2008, would not be subjected to such bigotry and hate. What does it matter what is his religion? Why do people persist in saying he is a Muslim if he says he is a Christian? I wonder what they would say if he were a Jew? Why do some people use such language as he is not legally our president? What is that all about? President Obama won the election by a wide margin and was sworn into office by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court! What sense does it make to call into question that he is legally our President?
People can have honest disagreement about how our country should be run. Honest disagreements about political philosophy. Honest disagreements about the role of the Federal Government in the 21st century. But, why the hate? That in my opinion, doesn't belong.
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4 comments:
You are so correct and I'm not sure why either. I have a friend that just hates Obama and everything he stands for (in actuality, Obama has more scruples than many of our past presidents). My friend complains constantly of socialism. What he doesn't seem to realize is that HE is enjoying the fruits of socialism through the government retirement system and free medical benefits from the VA.
Mitt is white but being a Mormon, is being subjected to the same bigotry. If I didn't know better I could swear I am living in one of the foreign countries that fight everyday over religious beliefs. Now we can thank the Supreme Court for the ruling that allows for uncontrolled funding of uncontrolled groups that back either parties candidates and twist the stories and info. They've even started it within their own Party.
Winslow, this country suffers from ignorance. Too many people do not know the definition of the words they use. Socialism, capitalism and so many other words are thrown around and the people who use them have little or no understanding of what are the facts behind the words. Social security, medicare, police, fire fighters, teachers and the military and on and on are part of the way we live in the 21st century, and yet, people throw out socialism and do not even realize that we have had socialism in this country with capitalism for a long long time. How do we educate uneducated adults? That is a serious question!
Butch, I agree with what you said. Too much money in the political process from top to bottom.
Separation of church and state was a principle the Founding Fathers of this country understood because they knew their European History, and lived through it.
Again, how do we educate uneducated adults? People are not encouraged to use logic unfortunately!
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