The World is Crazy
This is a saying I'd never heard before, until just now, as a matter of fact. What impelled me to look for this, and other statements about prejudice? The news I'm reading and hearing about the happenings in Jena, Louisiana. The fact that better than 40 years after the trials and tribulations of the Civil Rights Movement, after all the strides made by those that came before, there's still such blatant, disgusting ignorance in the world and, apparently, it should only be winked at, written off as a juvenile prank, shunned away.
So, of course there were fights, anger, heightened tension, and yes, of course, it boiled over into other ugly incidents. This is why it should have been dealt with severely to begin with. The fact that this happened in front of a building that is supposed to aid in the defeat of ignorance makes this even more sad.
"Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible."-Maya Angelou
Confuses the past, indeed. Like someone that didn't pay attention in history class confused the nooses with some kind of joke, something to laugh at. That the school librarian, let me repeat that, the school librarian didn't know what the nooses symbolized is abhorrent, sickening, add your adjective for nauseating here. Threatens the future? There's kids sitting in jail over this, being put in the hospital over this, having guns pulled on them over this. The children are the future. Clear enough to see. And the present, apparently, is inaccessible in Jena. The present is 2007. Surely, this should never, ever have been seen as acceptable behavior, but for this to happen now is a complete and utter travesty.
"Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passions and prejudice and evil tendencies to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future lives and crimes to society."-Daniel Webster
Educate. Yes, there's a strong word in this case, showing the lack thereof. Someone had to teach these kids that what they were doing would elicit a response, someone that probably led by example in this case. The world is hard enough without saddling a child with something so idiotic as a prejudice. Seriously, if you're teaching your child," Hey, hate them. Their skin is different/they don't worship our God/they're foreigners," take your pick, you're sending them into the lion's den with steaks for clothing, and you're endangering them, and everyone around them. As for the government in Jena, those who "protect and serve" (or not), I guess this one's for you...
"One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothin' that can beat teamwork."-Edward Abbey
Published by Jeremy C
Married with two kids, proud native of Essex/Middle River, MD, returning to college to obtain massage therapy degree, first published book, "The Illusion Stick," a children's fantasy story, now available! Ch... View profile
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3 Comments
Post a Comment"So, of course there were fights, anger, heightened tension, and yes, of course, it boiled over into other ugly incidents. This is why it should have been dealt with severely to begin with. The fact that this happened in front of a building that is supposed to aid in the defeat of ignorance makes this even more sad." ..... The whole piece is powerful, but that third paragraph is tops. ..... On some sites where commentators don't seem to know the significance of a noose, I have been posting the words of Billie Holiday's Strange Fruit, but clearly they are not needed here. Thanks!
great article!!!!!!
I can not begin to imagine what it would be like to attend High School in the deep South, with a librarian that would actually claim she is ignorant about the Ku Klux Klan activities in the 1900s. If she is indeed 53, she was 15 when Southerners called the police on blacks trying to attend a Christian church, along with other examples of insane behaviors. The quote at the end of this article sums it up accurately. It is sad that the ignorance is not limited to Jena and those who lack common sense will not see themselves in your article, because it seems people prefer to cling to inane beliefs.