I doubt many of the things mentioned in this e-mail. I am offended at such
posts because they are urban legends which are just passed on to people who
know no better. I am that age myself. Both penicillin and television, and
cocaine did exist. In 1947 the first television station aired in our town.
I knew a man who purchased one in 1947. When I was a young child I saw an
electric typewriter, and tasted instant coffee. many parents weren't
married when their children were born. Proving illegitimacy existed in
1951. The dollar was worth more then. But what does that prove. When long
distance calls weren't often placed because their cost was prohibitive. In
fact they had to be encouraged by the telephone company. The reason stamps
cost so much more now days is because so much business is done on line.
Nullifying the need for stamps. When I was born in 1951, there was no SSI
or SSDi either. We blind had to depend on whatever the individual states
decided would be our stipend. Which meant most of us never did live lives
independently from our parents. The disabled in America were still forcibly
sterilized. In winter, if you didn't have money to pay your gas and your
electric bill you were allowed to freeze to death. There were those in this
country who lived without central heating or indoor plumbing. Just because
marijuana wasn't called "grass" didn't mean it wasn't used. There were
limited resources for drug rehabilitation if they existed at all. There
were no emission standards for automobiles. So one had to breathe all the
exhaust from all the cars. Not to mention all the second hand smoke. There
were advertising slogans such as "Why not have a Lucky instead of a sweet."
After one got cancer from all the junk one breathed, there was no chemo
therapy. Cancer was pretty far advanced before it was detected. There was
no sonography. There was no microsurgery to save lives of fetuses. Believe
me, you could tell when you entered a city verses leaving the suburbs just
by smelling the exhaust fumes. It was not uncommon for women and children
to be beaten without censure by anyone. Racial segregation still existed.
And in at least 15 states marriage between the races was forbidden by law.
If marriages between the races occurred both the couple as well as the
person performing the marriage was fined up to 500 dollars. Pole taxes were
levied, and if they couldn't be paid by poorer people, those poorer people
just didn't vote in southern states. There were also literacy tests
conducted to determine voter eligibility. A white voter was asked to sign
his name or to read a simple passage. While a black potential voter was
given a section of the constitution to interpret. The Church bombing
killing four young innocent black children occurred in 1964. This was 13
years past 1951. in either 63 or 62, I can't remember which The governor of
Alabama stood in the doorway of a state institution of higher learning and
said: "Segregation now, and Segregation forever." Blacks on vacation were
forced to eat in their cars because they weren't served in southern
establishments. Black children weren't allowed to go to the same holiday
events as were white children. Even in northern cities Black women weren't
allowed to try on hats in department stores, because it was believed they
might have lice. Ghettos existed. Even where they didn't many people
refused to rent to people with children. Ethnic jokes were common, and many
clubs prohibited Jews and Catholics entrance. Lynchings were still
conducted. With the body parts of the lynched victim handed out as
trophies. Can anyone say Emmett Till. Or is his story forgotten. I fear
it is. At least by the person forwarding this post. No matter how old
black adults were they were often called boy or girl by southerners. Rather
than sir, as the post suggests. The older blacks were called Uncle or Aunt.
Black blind college aged students were never sent to college by their
states. Rather, they were funneled into the sheltered workshops, or told a
viable employment plan was to sell pencils and or magazines on the streets.
My late Husband's black blind Aunt did such in that year. Native Americans
were forbidden by law to drink hard licker. This ban wasn't lifted till
1954. So next time you want to send such a post do your research before
saying because it looks nice the claims made by it are valid. Forwarding
such posts attempts to subtly nullify the enormous strides made these past
60 years. Regardless what you think of our president: A black president
would have never been elected in 1951. It wasn't till 1960 we saw our first
Catholic president. We have never seen another. We have yet to see our
first woman or Jewish, or atheist president. In fact, I doubt an avowed
atheist could even make the first presidential cut. No matter what his
credentials might be. We must never forget the distance we have come; and
ask ourselves when looking at such sentimental twaddle whether we truly want
to return to the "good old days". Because, for some Americans, the "good
old days" weren't all that good.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marilyn Walker" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 13, 2010 12:20 PM
Subject: [Blind-Computing] How old is Grandpa
Let me add that the President of the United States is "only "48 years old
How Old Is Grandpa?
[]
Stay with this -- the answer is at the end. It will blow you away.
One evening a grandson was talking to his grandfather about current
events.
The grandson asked his grandfather what he thought about the
shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general..
The Grandfather replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:
' television
' penicillin
' polio shots
' frozen foods
' Xerox
' contact lenses
' Frisbees and
' the pill
There were no:
' credit cards
' laser beams or
' ball-point pens
Man had not invented:
' pantyhose
' air conditioners
' dishwashers
' clothes dryers
' and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and
' man hadn't yet walked on the moon
[]
Your Grandmother and I got married first, .. .... ... and then lived
together..
Every family had a father and a mother.
Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir".
And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a
title, "Sir."
We were before, computer- dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and
group therapy.
Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and
common sense.
We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to
stand up and take responsibility for our actions.
Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a
bigger privilege..
We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.
Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.
Draft dodgers were those who closed front doors as the evening breeze
started.
Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and
weekends-not purchasing condominiums.
[]
We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters,
yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.
We listened to Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on
our radios.
And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to
Tommy Dorsey.
If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan ' on it, it was junk
The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam..
Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.
We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5
and 10 cents.
Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were
all a nickel.
And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on
enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.
You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, . .. . but who could afford one?
Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.
In my day:
' "grass" was mowed,
' "coke" was a cold drink,
' "pot" was something your mother cooked in and
' "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
' "Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office,
' " chip" meant a piece of wood,
' "hardware" was found in a hardware store and
' "software" wasn't even a word.
[]
And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady
needed a husband to have a baby.
No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a
generation gap. And how old do you think I am?
I bet you have this old man in mind...you are in for a shock!
Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad
at the same time.
Are you ready ?????
This person would be only 59 years old.
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