Hello:

I'm a dumb kid from Denver. What did I know from racism? Then, I was sent to Charleston, South Carolina where the Navy expected me to protect the country. But, I got into trouble instead...

On the bus to town for my first night of liberty, I noticed a strange phenomenon. The front of the bus was crowded with white people. All the seats were filled, and they were standing in the isles. About 20 seats from the front, there was a white line painted on the floor, and there were plenty of seats available behind that line. Yes, that was where black people were supposed to ride.

So, there I am, sitting in the front with all the other white people, when a little black girl got on the bus. She couldn't have been older than 12. Anyway, like all good pliant black folks who know their proper places in society, she tried to wend her way through all the standing white people, to the back of the bus...

But, the white people wouldn't move. She tried and tried, but there wasn't any room. So, she stood there. The bus driver saw her there, leaned over and slapped her real hard, and told her to get back with the rest of the niggers...

I came unglued, and wound up in jail.

It's taken a generation, but THIS is a NEW day. THAT era is over.

excon

It's about time!!

I am sorry your story ever happened. I agree there were and there still are people that are ignorant to see the color of skin instead of a human being. Just because Obama is president, doesn't make all that ignorant stuff go away. I wish it did. Glad you stood up for that girl, and yourself Excon, true to the heart is you;)

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Originally Posted by startover22

. Just because Obama is president, doesnt make all that ignorant stuff go away.

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No it doesn't, but it certainly helps push it further into the dark corner where it belongs. It certainly helps let people who were bothered but felt they needed to conform to stand up and be counted. It certainly shows that the majority of people in this country won't tolerate racism anymore.

So, yeah, I agree with excon that a new era has dawned. Doesn't mean there is still some way to go.

But you know what would be fitting? If, for this year, we move the inauguration up to Martin Luther King's birthday.

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

we move the inauguration up to Martin Luther King's birthday.

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Hello Scott:

Now, THAT would be cool.

excon

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

But you know what would be fitting? If, for this year, we move the inauguration up to Martin Luther King's birthday.

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That would be cool

America was a terrible place for Black people up until we took to the streets for civil rights. People got killed, the powerful don't give up power without a terrible fight, but here we are, in an almost completely different, AND BETTER, America as of 11-4-08. So much went into this fight for civil rights, it boggles my mind. We made it; I never thought in my lifetime, but here it is, a Black President. This is a REAL miracle!!

Thanks for sharing Ex.
I hope this feeling of pride and unity doesn't diminish when the hysteria dies down and things start to get real tough. Because they are going to.

Down here we elected a new Government for the first time in 11 years. Everyone was happy. Not twelve months later the new Government (the left wing Labor party) are being blamed for the global financial crisis we now face, the price of petrol, the price of groceries, global warming, our diminishing cricket team, and every other problem the previous government had 11 years to address but refused to.

As they say, timing is everything.

Are you kidding me! I find that incredibly insulting!
I was born and raised in the Charleston, Mt. Pleasant and Isle of Palms SC area. I am 32 years old and I have never and I'll repeat NEVER seen this there!
Everyone black and while are full of southern hospitality and respectful toward one another and tourists. It's historical and full of culture but not racism and hate that you speak of.
I don't know how old you are ex or when this happened to you, or if this is even a joke, but this is not the way it is now. People have risen above that here.
I did however move to a different part of the south and was appalled at how race was such and issue and understood why... It's due to pure ignorance on both parts of the whites and blacks.
They do not know their own history therefore color alone spews hate toward one another.

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Originally Posted by AKaeTrue

Are you kidding me!? I find that incredibly insulting!

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Whoa, calm down. I know excon and I know what generation he's from. I believe this happened to him in the 50s, maybe early 60s. I know it was not a recent event. What his post was trying to show is how far we have come, not a knock on where we were.

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Originally Posted by AKaeTrue

I am 32 years old and I have never and I'll repeat NEVER seen this there!

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Hello A:

No, you wouldn't have seen it. But if you studied history, you'd certainly know about it. Racism like this ended with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I was in Charleston in 1961. It was the bus that ran down Hazel Street.

excon

Yes I was not even born yet.
And I know the history and thankful it was over before my day.

I have so much respect for the blacks that live there today. They are some of the most kind, hospitable people anyone would have the pleasure of meeting and hold no ugly grudges in this day and time. They have moved beyond it and I feel the rest of the country should too... thats all I'm saying.

EDIT: I do also understand your generations points of view. Don't mean to put that down in any way shape or form.
But many of the older blacks living in Charleston have moved on despite what they went through those many years ago, yet the younger population hold the grudges... makes no sense to me...
But maybe the young people that follow churches the preach hate by people of that generation is the cause of why it's still happening in today's time - who knows.

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Originally Posted by ScottGem

Whoa, calm down. I know excon and I know what generation he's from. I believe this happened to him in the 50s, maybe early 60s. I know it was not a recent event. What his post was trying to show is how far we have come, not a knock on where we were.

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True that... please see my edit above:)

Just wanted to make it clear that I did not intend to put your generation
Down. I feel bad for all involved in that time. Everyone in Charleston is so
Nice compared to where I live now. I live in the middle of a racial war zone and it sucks so when I saw my home town being spoke of like that, I was
Offended and didn't think of the time frame being spoke of. My apologies to you ex.

I grew up in the North but heard that this was typical of the South.
Sounds like what would be a typical bus ride for Rosa Parks.
And yes thankfully that era is over and sorry Rosa Parks and others are not here for today's election. Whether one is for or against Obama this is a big moment in history for all.

Hello again, A:

No problem. I was just reminiscing about times past. The point was, the times ARE past.

I have more stories:

Our home port was Jacksonville, and we used to drive back and forth on the weekends. One of our shipmates who traveled with us happened to be black. In all the restaurants we stopped at on the way, HE had to stay in the car, and we had to bring him his lunch... Yes, they had a sign saying "Whites Only".

I did participate in the Woolworths lunch counter demonstration that happened in Charleston. Do you remember that? That was very cool. Yup. They arrested my white a$$.

excon

Ex,

Good for you for standing up for what was right in a time that it was not acceptable. You are part of what helped to change the face of this country. It has been a long time coming, but what happened last night was a truly great moment in the history of this country. Finally, it is true that we are a country that believes that all men were created equal.

Regardless of political points of view, the record turn out of voters and the racial equality that we witnessed make me a proud American today.

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello again, A:

No problem. I was just reminiscing about times past. The point was, the times ARE past.

I have more stories:

Our home port was Jacksonville, and we used to drive back and forth on the weekends. One of our shipmates who traveled with us happened to be black. In all the restaurants we stopped at on the way, HE had to stay in the car, and we had to bring him his lunch.... Yes, they had a sign saying "Whites Only".

I did participate in the Woolworths lunch counter demonstration that happened in Charleston. Do you remember that? That was very cool. Yup. They arrested my white a$$.

excon

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Good for you ex for standing up for what was right.
Even if it meant landing your butt in jail.

I have to be honest and say that no I don't remember anything about or learning anything about woolworths in Charleston SC.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by excon

Hello:

I'm a dumb kid from Denver. What did I know from racism? Then, I was sent to Charleston, South Carolina where the Navy expected me to protect the country. But, I got into trouble instead...

On the bus to town for my first night of liberty, I noticed a strange phenomenom. The front of the bus was crowded with white people. All the seats were filled, and they were standing in the isles. About 20 seats from the front, there was a white line painted on the floor, and there were plenty of seats available behind that line. Yes, that was where black people were supposed to ride.

So, there I am, sitting in the front with all the other white people, when a little black girl got on the bus. She couldn't have been older than 12. Anyway, like all good pliant black folks who know their proper places in society, she tried to wend her way through all the standing white people, to the back of the bus....

But, the white people wouldn't move. She tried and tried, but there wasn't any room. So, she stood there. The bus driver saw her there, leaned over and slapped her real hard, and told her to get back with the rest of the niggers....

I came unglued, and wound up in jail.

It's taken a generation, but THIS is a NEW day. THAT era is over.

excon

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Isn't racist, or at least prejudiced, for the vast majority of the media, the populace to make the distinction that Obama is the first [half] black president?

MLK wanted content of character, not skin color, to be the attribute people should be judged on.

Will it take another generation to vote based on charater and actual past performance and accomplishments, rather than on good speeches and skin color, or gender for that matter?

Here is the details of the Woolworth lunch counter sit ins . It started in Greensboro but spread to other cities.

Greensboro sit-ins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia