What is Digg?88 Comments
- alapoet, on 06/10/2008, -1/+63I grew up not too far from where this happened in 1964 (I was four years old at the time), and it left deep scars. People there still don't like to talk about it.
So it struck me when I read this story: Neshoba County, Mississippi (and the United States) has made a lot of progress in 44 years.
Things may change slowly, but the times they are a-changin'. - joeomar, on 06/10/2008, -3/+25I was barely 10 years old, and lived in another prejudice city Pasadena, CA and I remember so well, painful memories for me, but my grandmother always made us pray for people of the south, midwest etc., and today I am so grateful she did. We have come together as Americans and now we must end Corporate Greed and bring our Land of the Beautiful back to the people. We the People, not We the Greedy. Peace, Joe
- alapoet, on 06/10/2008, -2/+18danfive555 - Actually, having lived in both very rural and very urban environments (downtown Birmingham, downtown Long Beach), in my experience racism is a big problem in both environments. You DO remember the L.A. riots, don't you? Those happened 28 years AFTER the event in Mississippi. Those weren't rural people, dude.
Wiping out agriculture and the livelihoods of rural people solves nothing, and creates a whole new set of problems.
And most of the farmers I personally know (and that's lots of them) are good, solid, hard-working, non-racist people.
Painting with such a broad brush does no one any good. It's simplistic thinking at its worst. It does a discredit to the many good rural people, and it also tends discredit your arguments and make people stop listening to you. - alapoet, on 06/10/2008, -0/+15danfive555 - Actually, having lived in both very rural and very urban environments (downtown Birmingham, downtown Long Beach), in my experience racism is a big problem in both environments. You DO remember the L.A. riots, don't you? Those happened 28 years AFTER the event in Mississippi. Those weren't rural people, dude.
Wiping out agriculture and the livelihoods of rural people solves nothing, and creates a whole new set of problems.
And most of the farmers I personally know (and that's lots of them) are good, solid, hard-working, non-racist people.
Painting with such a broad brush does no one any good. It's simplistic thinking at its worst. It does a discredit to the many good rural people, and it also tends discredit your arguments and make people stop listening to you. - foofightrs777, on 06/11/2008, -1/+11If the ONLY reason you don't vote for him is race, yes. Otherwise, vote for whomever you consider the best individual for the job.
- foofightrs777, on 06/11/2008, -2/+11I wish I could up-mod you twice: once for the 1st hand social commentary and twice for the Dylan reference.
- Sairynn, on 06/11/2008, -2/+11I'm not totally on-board with all of his liberal ideas, but when I look at him I see someone who, if he were President, I could feel proud of. The fact that he's black doesn't even factor in for me; I think most people these days (especially younger people, like me) couldn't care less what race he is. This is what the media apparently just can't grasp (judging by how they're always so shocked), that on the whole most people DO treat him in a color-blind manner. Of the people I know who aren't going to vote for him, I can't think of one who lists his race as a reason why (at least I hope they wouldn't). We are definitely making progress, and if the media would stop telling us we have a problem we might actually get over it.
- inactive, on 06/11/2008, -2/+11I'm sorry that you hate yourself so much.
- danfive555, on 06/11/2008, -1/+9As I read the article the extraordinary thing is that Obama won this "Deep South" county with a storied past. But the crux of the matter (as stated) was that most whites joined the Republican party--and so the pro-Obama numbers reflect liberal whites and the African-American vote. Probably not the majority of white voters though.
- mjbk24, on 06/11/2008, -3/+11Racist, no. Stupid, yes.
- inactive, on 06/11/2008, -1/+8I guess the GOP pity party starts here.
- paradexes, on 06/10/2008, -0/+6danfive, have you lived in a rural state before? I grew up in NYC and lived in Idaho for a while. I would agree with alapoet. And to be honest I learned that ignorance breeds everywhere. It just varies in scope is all. I will not digg or bury your comment and let the community decide what to do there. I think this is worthy of discussion but I will refrain from digging up or down on this.
- GamerSDG, on 06/11/2008, -1/+6I have to say the more I study Obama the more I like him. I will vote for him in November. I just wish that people look past his race in look at him as a person and not as a "Black man", I don't understand why people can hate some one because of there race, or sex.
- charm803, on 06/11/2008, -1/+5I grew up in California, really diverse here.
When I was in high school, we studied a lot of history, so I was really shocked when I heard about a high school in the south having their first prom without segregating the students!
Sad that some people don't know how to appreciate other cultures! - d686, on 06/11/2008, -1/+5Wow. The fact that article has been written in 2008 is ***** up. It's a big deal for white and black kids to play together? I always thought the only people still retarded enough to be racist in the deep south were a few oldies too senile to get a clue. Depressing to see it's alive and well and people have such low expectations that if a white person votes for Obama they need to keep it quiet.
- BDOUG, on 06/11/2008, -0/+4The longer I follow Obama in the news the more I respect him. He's weathered so many desparate attacks (from multiple directions) on his experience and capability and he's handled them all like a pro...showing us that he actually does have what it takes. It's very hard to know what a politician will do once they take office, and what will happen (if anything) with their campaign promises. But every time I see the man respond to some campaign crisis or another, I'm just amazed by his maturity and unflappable personality. My instincts strongly tell me that he has true integrity, and not the processed cheese sauce "integrity" that other politicians (of all stripes) claim to have. The fact that his mixed racial heritage makes this an historic campaign that's breaking down more race barriers is a huge bonus. Happily this does not seem to distract too many of us from the fact that hey: he's also a great candidate regardless of his race.
- deathsythe, on 06/11/2008, -2/+6This whole race thing has really gotten out of hand, he should really try to find something else to define him aside from the whole black president thing and "I'm going to do things differently then my predecessor"
Neither is original. - mal1964, on 06/11/2008, -1/+4They endorsed Obama.
- mentalfoto, on 06/11/2008, -1/+4I live in Meridian, MS, a couple dozen miles south of Philadelphia and where the trial for the killers of the civil rights workers was held back in the 1960s. One of the killers worked for years as a security guard at the old Village Fair Mall in Meridian and was much whispered about, a swaggering ***** who wore his pride at getting away with it. I was only a year old when the murders happened and have no recollection obviously of those baddest of bad old days.
On the other hand, when I lived in LA years later after college and people asked me where I was from I could honestly say I was born in New Orleans, and had moved to LA from there. It struck me most people didn't seem to know exactly where New Orleans was until Katina. If I said I was from the Big Easy I was 'alright', but if I mentioned I grew up in Mississippi, more of then than not in LA I would get this relieved look from whites who would confess how much they hated blacks, Latinos and foreigners in general as if they automatically expected me to be a racist. I was there for the LA Riots in 91 and could never remember seeing anything approaching that madness in Meridian growing up.
Racism is a relative thing. Look at a place like the UK were the English hate the Welsh, the Scots and Irish hate the English and they've been killing each other for centuries in fits and starts even though they are indistinguishably all the same lily white people.
Racism seems to be more pronounced when people are poor, frightened and need someone to blame of feel superior to. Until those things go away I fear we will never be rid of it.
But I am heartened to hear a lot of neighbors that I argued through two elections over their support of Bush seem to be ready, willing and eager to vote for Barak this November. If things can change in Mississippi we aren't completely screwed as a country. - mal1964, on 06/11/2008, -1/+4"slain civil right workers"
I believe suggesting such a thing is way wrong. - Frostman3D, on 06/11/2008, -1/+4Throughout the primaries.
- inactive, on 06/11/2008, -1/+3He is stirring up all sorts of ghosts, and probably quite a few demons as well.
Contrary to popular belief, many of those perturbed are likely VERY rich indeed....... - dave11980, on 06/11/2008, -0/+2Does it matter if the Majority of white voters did or didn't vote for him? I thought we were supposed to vote for who we felt will do the best job. Have we came so far that we now are labeled racist for not voting for the black candidate? If so we are getting very close to the turner diaries and that is a scary thought.
- smotpoker, on 06/11/2008, -0/+2You guys are all right to some degree I believe. I have never lived in very big cities for too long but I have witnessed prejudice plenty of times. I think that often people do not even know they are prejudice or have problems knowing what racism even is (I am not so sure myself sometimes...)
It definitely still exists but it is also definitely well-hidden. It may be less prevalent over the last few decades but people have learned to hide it more/better as well, so it hasn't reduced anywhere near as much as a lot of people seem to think I believe. Most of it is more based on cultural conflict rather than perception of racial superiority or entitlement these days though I think.
Personally I believe racist cops are more to blame than anyone else. They unjustly terrorized black people [and facilitated such hatred] for a century after the civil war. By the time of the civil rights movement, black people were fed up enough to fight back and face death rather than oppression. Despite political/legal victory, racism did not immediately dissipate though - it was simply veiled and much of the conflict persisted and continues to persist. Even officers who didn't start racist were essentially trained to be by their predecessors and by the defiant attitudes so many black people had eventually adopted.
Both sides need to take it down a notch IMO, otherwise it will continue to spiral downard, but I blame law enforcement more and feel the onus is on them because they have more power/resources and they were/are the aggressors. Also, it is much harder to blame someone motivated by their (or their family members') unjust hurt and poverty, which they had to deal with much/most of their life, IMO.
It will take a lot of retraining and probably be a long time before racial tensions are completely gone, but we are making progress and the pace of it will probably accelerate exponentially with each generation - sorbix, on 06/11/2008, -0/+2It was only the Democratic primary. I wonder what November will look like.
- charm803, on 06/11/2008, -2/+4And people forget, he's just as white as he is black. He was raised by his white grandparents and white mother! So really, I don't know why people are scared!
- norman619, on 06/11/2008, -0/+2That means you haven't a clue about human nature. Look at children. They need to be taught to share. The play nice. Look at the thousands of years of human history. Sure it's human nature to feel for those in bad situations but greed and violence are also human nature. As humans we have many things that drive us and many of them conflict which is why it is said that the human race is insane.
- Barackalypse, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1The prejudice in urban areas can be based on negative experiences interacting with other races (familiarity breeds contempt). Once you've been mugged, stopped your car from being stolen once only to have it be successfully stolen two months later, and all three incidents were committed by the same race that plays its car stereo's too loud and leers at you when you dare drive down their street yet comprises a mere 35% of your city, you start to get jaded about said people. Then you see crime stats that completely back up you anecdotal evidence and think that they only way you could possibly not be prejudiced is to either be totally blind, or have zero actual experience with said group of people. Then you look at friends of yours that are said race and wonder how its possible for you to think what you think.
- h0stile17, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Oooh Yeah. He is handling all that abuse so well. McCain better look out since hes all soft and never had to deal with any adversity.
- Vash3001, on 06/11/2008, -1/+2I've been there a few times. Nice casinos.
- danfive555, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Exactly those daddy's-sons from the old Dem Party switched to the GOP.
- mjamesa, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1You're a liar, LIAR I say! Mr. Hussein Obama is gentle and loving toward all, how dare you insinuate that he is nothing more than a black guy that gives good speeches on change and love and peace and all that other good nice stuff.
- mal1964, on 06/11/2008, -1/+2I'm a little slow at times can you elaborate a little more on your comment? Thank you in advance.
- danfive555, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1I dugg both comments above. I differ in opinion but respect your POV. I vote with my feet and with my money, and consequently that is and will be how I see things.
- masterm1nd, on 06/11/2008, -2/+3If you have food in you kitchen and there are people starving, you are greedy. You may be more or less greedy but you're greedy. Greed is is what helps you survive and you have evolved to be this way. You'd be dead if you weren't.
- danfive555, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1I point out to Americans all the time that they are really Irish-, Scots-, German-Americans etc and they used to hate each other, now they act like they're this bloc of a single white race...such stupid mythmaking.
- rutle015, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1it's not a big deal to those of us who live here...only to LA Times writers and the few wackos still left in Philly, MS
- BDOUG, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Ah yes, and you probably think "trickle down economics" = capitalism. Because the wealthy and powerful need government assistance.
- delirious0me, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Haha! At least we're known for something else now.
- danfive555, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Obama is a wunderkind not a policy-making politician, his policies will be the typical Dem platform--his job is to get elected with style and class, not much else.
- Vash3001, on 06/13/2008, -0/+1There is also a pretty neat water park there.
- Icanndiggit, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1I went to a school like that. I am from a small town in Georgia. Believe it or not our last segregated prom was 1996!
- okcomputer1982, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1the thing is, it is not a negative to embrace your culture. Obama is part of him, a part of what makes him great and if he did not grow up black in america he would not be the man we all seem admire. Why not celebrate that, just as all the cultural groups that make up American celebrate we're they come from. Obama is (in addition to many things) a black man. To accept him is to accept this fact. There is no reason for his heritage to be invisible.
- mjamesa, on 06/11/2008, -1/+2No you're wrong. Mr Hussein Obama needs his blackness to win. The media, gays, minorities, and a lot of attention starved women need him to save them from the evil white men that inhabit America.
- h0stile17, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1Yeah.....Just shut up and Agree with Obama since he knows what's best for you. Don't come back until you agree with us.
The party of tolerance and diversity has spoken!
Pay no attention to that white/black man with the questionable religious beliefs behind the curtain!!!! - okcomputer1982, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1digg up. Symbols are all well and good, but really racism toleranace is show in how we treat eachother day to day. Why this is getting dugg down I don't know.
- okcomputer1982, on 06/11/2008, -0/+1I know...just like the Holacost and the armeania genocite. Why won't those people just get over themselves and stop making me feel uncomfortable already. Who gives a ***** what happen to there imediate family, what right do they have to talk about things that make me feel uncomfortable. THAT'S PATHETIC!!!!
- Barackalypse, on 06/11/2008, -1/+1Is it progress, or is it that there are now more black people living there now? 40.1% of the population there is black and I believe I remember Obama got 90% of the black vote in Mississippi, so it isn't really surprising to me that he won there.
http://www.city-data.com/city/Philadelphia-Mississ ... - mjbk24, on 06/11/2008, -1/+1I really wish the media would spend less time on the race topic. Yes, I love history as much as the next guy, but this needs to be about how he will fix the mistakes the monkey in office made over the last 8 years. All I ask is that we at least wait until he is in office to examine all of the historical and social implications of him being there. I get that it is a great story and everything, but I'm sick of less important stuff being put before substantial issues.
- inactive, on 06/11/2008, -4/+4And, not a word in this article that this is your daddy's Democrat party. It was Democrats who wore the KKK robes, Democrats who passed the black codes that limited the civil rights of blacks, Democrats who were on the corrupt police forces. No mention that the "uneducated whites" mentioned in the article are uneducated white Democrats. Your past is coming back to bite you.
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