What Do White People Need To Learn?

[dbt]

I saw the Voices Of Civil Rights program on the History Channel last night (2/12) and I cannot believe, at this advanced age, how clueless I was as a youth (1958-1968)!

BACKGROUND: I am from a very small town in Arkansas, which, to this day, has no black residents. Still, the shit that was visited upon Black Americans outrages me.

How did I miss the misery that was foisted upon my Cousins Of Dark Skin, some of whom even bear my OWN FAMILY NAME???? For instance, why did they have to put up with OUR CASTOFF TEXTBOOKS in their schools? And why were all the things I was told would happen when the N*****s came to our schools such outright lies?

Damn. The more I learn, the more I find out that I do not know! What does a middle-aged White Man need to learn about Y'all in the 21st Century? Please be as kind as you can, for I plead IGNORANCE.

:freak:
dbt
Friendship, Arkansas
Population 206, not counting dogs

[GOPFighter]

1. I hear ya"

I'm a white guy about your age. As such, I won't presume to be qualified to answer your questions, but I have some observations I'd like to share.

The violence and shit that blacks had to endure in the south during the 60s struggle for civil rights was fairly well covered in the network TV news and northern newspapers. A lot of Americans of all political stripes were shocked and outraged, even many conservatives. The justness of their quest for simple dignity and basic human rights was apparent to anyone who was paying attention.

I grew up in the same period you did, and what pains me to my gut is the fact that my parents saw all of what was going on and came down on the side of the white segregationists. This had a big influence on me, and if I hadn't joined the Air Force and left their home and influence, who knows - I might be posting on Free Republic now instead of DU.

Hold on to that outrage. We need it now more than ever. There are no Martin Luther Kings anymore, there are few if any principled politicians who are willing to speak out strongly for what's right rather than what is politically expedient, and there sure aren't any respected statesmen in this country anymore. I have a feeling race relations in this country are going to start going downhill fast, and we can't let that happen.

Most of us were clueless while growing up, dbt. Most of today's kids are clueless as well. Hopefully programs like Voices of Civil Rights will hit home when they become adults.

Your town, by the way, has a great name! Who would not want to live in a town called Friendship.