Cute phrasing there, guys.
Was going to say something about how, under our winner-takes-all primary/election system, the 42 percent or so of the people who did vote for McKinney have been told, essentially, "You Negroes get out of line and the Master Race will smack you down", but why bother?
Over at the no-longer-giving-me-500-Server-Error Metafilter, there's a link/discussion about the 44 year anniversary of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. From Mr. Douglas's speech at the first debate:
In pursuance of the arrangement, the parties met at Springfield in October, 1854, and proclaimed their new platform. Lincoln was to bring into the Abolition camp the old line Whigs, and transfer them over to [Joshua] Giddings, [Salmon] Chase, Fred Douglass, and Parson [Elijah] Lovejoy, who were ready to receive them and christen them in their new faith. (Laughter and cheers.) They laid down on that occasion a platform for their new Republican party, which was to be thus constructed. I have the resolutions of their State Convention then held, which was the first mass State Convention ever held in Illinois by the Black Republican party, and I now hold them in my hands and will read a part of them, and cause the others to be printed. Here are the most important and material resolutions of this Abolition platform:1. Resolved
, That we believe this truth to be self-evident, that when parties become subversive of the ends for which they are established, or incapable of restoring the government to the true principles of the constitution, it is the right and duty of the people to dissolve the political bands by which they may have been connected therewith, and to organize new parties upon such principles and with such views as the circumstances and exigencies of the nation may demand.2. Resolved
, That the times imperatively demand the reorganization of parties, and repudiating all previous party attachments, names and predilections, we unite ourselves together in defense of the liberty and constitution of the country, and will hereafter co-operate as the Republican party, pledged to the accomplishment of the following purposes: to bring the administration of the government back to the control of first principles; to restore Nebraska and Kansas to the position of free Territories; that, as the constitution of the United States, vests in the States, and not in Congress, the power to legislate for the extradition of fugitives from labor, to repeal and entirely abrogate the fugitive slave law; to restrict slavery to those States in which it exists; to prohibit the admission of any more slave States into the Union; to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia; to exclude slavery from all the territories over which the general government has exclusive jurisdiction; and to resist the acquirements of any more Territories unless the practice of slavery therein forever shall have been prohibited.3. Resolved
, That in furtherance of these principles we will use such constitutional and lawful means as shall seem best adapted to their accomplishment, and that we will support no man for office, under the general or State Government, who is not positively and fully committed to the support of these principles, and whose personal character and conduct is not a guaranty that he is reliable, and who shall not have abjured old party allegiance and ties.
(Emphasis and links added for the hell of it.)
Slavery? In the District of Columbia? Oh, that could never have happened. There are some limits on American hypocricy, after all.
Wait, no there aren't.
Looking at the U.S. now, it's shocking to imagine slavery existing throughout the country, or in the District of Columbia, the nation's capital. President Abraham Lincoln felt this all his life. On April 16, 1862, he signed an act abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia, an important step in the long march toward freedom, citizenry, and equal rights for African Americans.
Heh. "Black Republican party." Ok, maybe the past did go somewhere, but I'm not sure it's the right direction. . .
Chocolate City...4 years of college there and I still couldn't figure it out.
Its such an interesting place. That our national government is located in this country's weirdest city probably says something...I just don't know what.
Were they murder capitol? Or was that Gary? Or Detroit? Know it was someplace with lots of you Negroes running around. . .
Loved visiting the place, but I couldn't imagine living there. Even when I'm a tourist somewhere, I can't stand tourists.
I'm not a traveller, I'm a tourist. I ain't got that much money.
No plans to move back, I take it?
It says a lot. It's a special relationship, the one between the federal government and the District's residents. Real special. Heh heh. Um, yeah.
And yes, we (the District, since I was born there and l'etat, c'est moi) were murder capital in 1988.
Gary, Indiana, was it in 1993 and at least once before.
Detroit peaked recently; let's hope they've hit their highwater mark.
And yes, we (the District, since I was born there and l'etat, c'est moi) were murder capital in 1988.
Gary, Indiana, was it in 1993 and at least once before.
Detroit peaked recently; let's hope they've hit their highwater mark.
"Looking at the U.S. now, it's shocking to imagine slavery existing throughout the country, or in the District of Columbia, the nation's capital."
I wonder why they find it shocking. Especially since it just went from slavery to Jim Crow. Anybody remember when were Congressional and White House facilities were finally desegregated? Sometime in the early 50s, I think.
Dunno about general desegregation, but E. Frederic Morrow was the first black to serve on a Presidential staff in any executive position. He worked for Eisenhower, originally in the Commerce Department, then directly for Ike doing "Special Projects" as an administrative officer, from 1955 to 1961.
"Looking at the U.S. now, it's shocking to imagine slavery existing throughout the country, or in the District of Columbia, the nation's capital."
That preacher's kid Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. had a lot to do with laying the groundwork for desegregating DC while in congress starting in the mid 40s. I've no doubt it was him and about a majillion other folk, but so goes the lore.
And his 2nd wife is one of my Keyboard Heroes, too. So right on to him.
But a key component of black (well, general) identity is disparging the accomplishments of the previous generation. So Powell has been a no-good for quite some time now, and the name gets no recognition whatsoever from some of the younger set.
Young people these days. Bet they don't even know the words to "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing".
Ok, neither do I past the first verse, but I can mumble/mouth along with the best of them.
George, what is it about you DC/Silver Springs types?
Comments are entirely too informative and thoughtful lately. I'll have to pick a pointless fight with someone again, I see.
Segregation in post-abolition america was absolutely necessary for the safety of Black Americans. Shit, those white boys all had guns and big sticks. If the negroes were allowed in the same bathrooms, just think how many white women would have been raped!
Seriously though, do you think your average "American" in the 1860's/1870's would have been able to deal with desegregation, especially in the south? I would think it kept them out of arms reach (sort of) to avoid more lynchings, beatings, accusals, etc. It just seems like something that needed to be eased into, you know, like over 100 years. Even in the we-never-owned-slaves-so-we're-not-evil" north, there was plenty of animosity toward freed slaves. God forbid a murder, robbery or rape happened within a year or two of a negro family moving into town. "Who needs a trial or a jury, I'm sure the darkies did it. Let's hang 'em."
There, I've gone and rambled myself into incoherence.
They weren't able to deal with it in the last century and are just now getting around to thinking about being able to deal with it now. What's your point?