Choosing Sides

Apparently, Bill O'Reilly thrice labeled Mark Foley a democrat on his show. Proof that he is delusional.

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The other night I watched Eyes on the Prize on PBS about desegregation and the difficulties that those students faced, being the first black faces in white schools. Clearly, it's unimaginable to me; I have the luxury of taking my racial equality for granted, and society's support in labeling anyone who thinks otherwise an ignorant racist. It was really interesting, and moving, to watch it and be reminded of the struggles people had to go through such a short while ago. In particular, the part I watched focused on James Meredith, who had to fight a nine month legal battle and then attempt to register three times in order to go to Old Miss, his attempts being twice personally blocked by the governor, and his third attempt, with the support of US Marshalls, causing a riot the previous night. Where does that courage come from? To demand your right to gain entrance into a place where no one wants you, and to have the courage to go there, alone and most probably in danger of being the victim of a hate crime? The interesting thing is that he prefers not to be called a civil rights activist, and instead sees himself as simply an American trying to get his inalienable rights extended to him. Which is true, of course, but I see no wrong in people of color or certain colors banding together; sometimes you need support.

The most striking part of the documentary was a clip discussing the desegregation of an elementary school, where four little black girls were enrolled first grade. Could those four girls possibly understand the gravity of what they were doing? How can any parent be so brave as to put their children into such a situation?

I watched this with my grandfather. Sometimes I forget that he hasn't been exposed to any of this, and the questions he asked about black people were fairly shocking (i.e., do they live in the same place as white people? are they allowed to be teachers and professionals, too?). I doubt he's actually ever met a black person, and I don't know where such questions in his mind would originate. South Indians and Africans are said to have the same ancestors; I wonder what he would make of that piece of information.