Jim Crow Lessons learned to help defeat Juan Crow more effectively

[SargeUNN]

I had the pathetic luck of growing up during Jim Crow in Mississippi, and now I live in Arizona as I watch Juan Crow take off. I have spent nights unable to sleep lately and pondered the situation based on my Jim Crow experiences with an eye how to stop Juan Crow from going as far as Jim Crow did. A lot of things seem to apply to both and as I look I see more and more of the same attitudes from those pro Juan Crow and those anti Juan Crow. I am watching as those who live with it have to deal with the same things we did during Jim Crow who didn't like it and was guilty of only living right there. I hope this will help the reader to gain an insight and form opinions that will be sensible and constructive. I have heard it is good to listen to one who has experience with any situation so you can form a constructive and effective battle that will end in a quicker and more complete solutions. I hope this helps.

Reflections of Jim Crow

I grew up in a very racist home in Mississippi that hired black people and depended on them for several important duties such as taking care of the children, doing the jobs that would keep the customers doing business with their stores, and many other things that affected the future. As a child I was able to play with black children, learn from the black women that took care of me, and when I went to the store, I got to respect and learn from the black men that worked there as well. The attitude of hate for the black people I saw in the home and the experiences that I had didn't verify each other. The more I learned the more I questioned what I saw.

I was a teen standing in front of popular store downtown of my hometown one day and a black man was standing there as well. A white man and his wife came walking along in a bitter fight with each other, the man being extremely angry, saw the black man and suddenly walked over to him, starting hitting the black man. Now the police department was right across the street so as the beating got worse some cops came out to see what was happening. Finally the black man's friends came and rescued him. I asked the cops why they just stood there and allowed this man to beat on this black man who wasn't even trying to defend himself, and the response I got was extremely shocking, they told they couldn't do anything because the guy was black and had they reacted they would have been fired and unable to work in Mississippi or any place in the South again.

I remember when Humphrey was running for President and the remarks that he hated the South and if elected he would bring pain and suffering to the area even though some of those people said they liked a lot about him, they couldn't vote for him due to his hatred of the region.

These type stories were probably common throughout the South and to this day a lot of that attitude exist. I listened to Air America and heard put downs on the South because of the political leadership, and even as a liberal Mississippian who had to deal with the supporters of these leaders, I felt isolated and more concerned I was just a ship sailing in an ocean of turbulence. I thought about my basic training days in the Air Force when I was declared to be a KKK member since I came from Mississippi and of course I had to be a racist, even though I wasn't, and most were thinking that when a young black man from Harlem N.Y. and I met it would be a fight. Well, we met and we became fast friends. We decided to have some fun and teach our flight mates a lesson and we did. Our flight members soon learned they had made a mistake when they saw us put on a false racist encounter and then start laughing and showing we actually liked each other. I learned right there that stereotyping was the problem, not just on the racist side, but the none racist side. People in our flight saw that they had make some stupid decisions based on general attitudes.

Here in Arizona there are many who don't share the views of the Juan Crowers and yet as I watch I see that same stereotyping starting to come about. We really need to not isolate the people here in Arizona who hate and are fighting this garbage, we don't need to make it where these children here see how people are good and bad from all groups without lumping all in the same group.

Martin Luther King Jr. knew he had to keep his local supporters in the South that were white (and he had some) and at the same time fight those who were the real enemy. The attitude toward Southerners nationwide did hurt progress because as we Southerners got into other areas and were cast as racist and KKK members it made it a lot easier to just throw up our hands and give up. I had that thought back in my basic training experience, but thank goodness my black friend gave me the strength not to.

We must work with those here in Arizona and the other states that this problem is so big and not cast a general net. We must educate the young people that the haters are not right and must be overcome with realizations that we can overcome it, but also those not in the area must not take away support from those fighting against this in the area. If we don't, what will happen is that we will isolate and strength the very movement we want to get rid of.

I call for all to step back, use good judgement and let's end this fast without generations of the stereotyping and false impressions that I saw in Jim Crow, and honestly still see. We can retard progress if we don't.

[Bluzmann57]

1. Wonderful post

Sarge, you have some damn good posts, particularly about this abomination in Arizona. Keep up the good work and I will listen to the radio show.

[Dappleganger]

2. In complete agreement with you

although I suspect it's far easier to throw out gross generalizations by people who have no intention of helping to enact real change.

[SargeUNN]

3. What caused me not to sleep last night

Please listen to the woman caller (mercedes) and how she was distressed as well as what she said. I happen to know the woman and she is a wonderful, and smart woman that I think highly of. It really bothered me and still does to this moment. http://smcws.podbean.com/

[SargeUNN]

4. If you think this helps and is worth getting out please

post something to keep it visible. I truly believe it is sound and worth getting out, but then maybe I am wrong. I just hope I am helping with it, and if you agree please help get this message to people. Thanks

[roody]

5. k

[roody]

6. I am shocked at the lack of common courtesy that the

governor showed by not shaking hands with your caller. What a contrast to the President.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Because everyone knows that the REAL victims are good whites.

(facepalm)

[SargeUNN]

8. The filth thinks that anyway

I hope you listened to Mercedes and my caller from San Antonio Tx. I think their messages really carries the true horror is this vile law and it shows how humans can create their own hell just acting out of stupidity and hatred.

[roody]

9. I'm not curious enough to change ignore.

[Hekate]

10. Sarge, you keep on being a living history witness for the younger generations.

Thanks, more than I can say. I'm probably your age, but I couldn't have grown up in a more different place. Most families on my block, most kids in my school, were racially mixed in ways too numerous to mention. My window on the South of that era was a small black and white tv in our living room, searing photos in LIFE and TIME, and a mother who was determined that her white kids would learn that all are created equal. I can talk about it, but you actually saw it and lived it, and that means so much more.

Hekate

[SargeUNN]

11. Thanks I need that encouragement

believe me living through Jim Crow, Katrina, and now this stupid Juan Crow I do have many times I think about just giving up and staying to myself. I have really suffered greatly from Katrina efforts and came very close to dying just because people in my hometown in Mississippi were scared to be around me. I took on Arpaio when I first got here and his thugs went after the sponsor of my radio show because I dared to let Dan Saban guest host my show and be a guest numerous times. I of course an not on the air here in Phoenix since someone's ego feels voices such as mine and Jeff Farias is too threatening to his status, but we keep trying to fight the good fight in spite of it. I woke today and the first thought I had was why am I so tired and depressed? I knew because I had troubled sleeping after hearing Mercedes and the caller from San Antonio and thought why do I do it. I thought the thoughts I voiced here in this thread and decided that is why. Someone has to keep trying. We might not get it done, but at least we tried.

[Meldread]

12. K&R! You're absolutely right.

I'm probably more than half your age (28), but my own life experiences have taught me about the evils of generalizing an entire group of people. I've also come to learn that this type of generalization is key to how we discriminate against others - it dehumanizes them. We can boil it down to a "us vs them" battle. The downside of doing this is that you end up attacking would-be allies. Some people hold no real opinion, and just go with the flow. Other people may fall to one side or the other simply because they are misinformed and lack the necessary information to make a correct decision. The majority are sometimes manipulated by fear - either fear of the unknown, fear of coming change, or fear of the Other. Sometimes the catalyst of the fears may be true, while the need to fear them is hyped up. Other times, perhaps even the majority of the time, the reason that you should be afraid is completely unfounded if not outright untrue. The reality is very few people act out of unadulterated hatred for one group or another, but it is that group that is often the core and leaders of movements that dehumanize other people.

Hispanics that don't speak English are particularly vulnerable because those people who have been indoctrinated by the generalization that dehumanized them have no way of communicating with those who stand against them. That just allows people to project all of their fears, and all of their misguided beliefs onto them.

MLK Jr. didn't lead the Civil Rights Movement by attacking other people. He didn't generalize and dehumanize anyone. He painted a vision of a future that he'd like to see, and offered those who shared that dream to follow him. That is what our movement needs. A vision for the future that can be sold to those who may be afraid, or hold misguided views... we do not need a politics or leadership of division. It might lead to short term victories, but it won't lead to long term success.

[SargeUNN]

14. Your wisdom is well beyond your years and as I read this ....

I am was sitting here with my window open and listening to my hispanic neighbors, who are nice enough and have 2 beautiful little girls that I have watched play during the day. The couple was speaking spanish and I was listening to the beauty of the language although I don't know it and I was thinking how they were like so many families here in Phoenix. I thought of those families who have the same problems and same desires as this family outside my window, and thought of how this beautiful and decent family can be harrassed by that other family that seems to be decent just because of language and skin color. Just think those children might actually enjoy playing together as I did with my black friends in Mississippi, they might form life long friendships with one becoming a celebrity as my childhood friend Walter Payton did. Oh well, I am rambling, but today I am feeling sad and down because I am hurting for Arizona, for my neighbors I am listening to, but most of all because of some stupid hate and anger at that hate that might rob them of some wonderful moments.

[EFerrari]

13. The Latino community in Arizona needs back up

and the people who passed this POS need to hear from the rest of the country.

They absolutely need to be isolated.

But thanks for your concern.

[tavalon]

15. Juan Crow is the best framing ever!

Well done.