(JAL: Below is full text of letter sent to editor of Mobile (AL)
Press-Register. It is signed w my given name. Edited, it was printed today
The letter indicates that we (as blacks) have seen this sort of prejudice
before and recognize it. This ain't a 'one-off'. Below that is another letter
to the same newspaper from a couple of days later):
Alazona
Got to say it, "This is the first time since I left Alabama that I am ashamed
to be from what used to be 'my state'".
In 1963, when I left, things at least were getting better. Finally.
Before.The arrests of Rosa Parks and Dr King. The murder by bombing of four
innocent children in-all blasphemy and sacrilege-a church. The horse whips.
The cattle prods. The dogs. The nightsticks and billy clubs. 'Bull' Connor
and the KKK. Racism run rampant. Hatred gone amuck. And still to come-the
crossing of the Selma bridge. There is no further need to mention the
blood-stain of slavery that smeared itself across a canvas of red dirt and
green trees. Or the segregation following that proved a model for the South
Africa. Nor the theft of the land from the Creek nation that preceded it. No
need to mention it as that was the bitter 'before'.
Then Vivian Malone was escorted past a Wallace standing in the doorway of the
University of Alabama. '65 came and LBJ passed the Voting Rights Act. The
schools were finally integrated. And there came to be some sense of
acceptance-begrudged though it might have been and still might be-of the
equality before the law of black Alabamians. And, finally, John Mitchell was
allowed to put on the jersey of the Crimson Tide. Progress was made though
there still remains much to be done. But now a step, a giant step, backwards.
The color is slightly different. The language not the same. But the needs,
the hopes, the prayers, the desires of those to be shut out are most definitely
familiar.
I will pull for Bama in this what-could-be 'national championship season.
However, I cannot wear my crimson sweatshirt with its flying 'A'. Nor my
national championship hat which I got at the Rose Bowl after watching Bama beat
Texas. Yes, I will pull for Bama but I will do so only in the privacy of my
own room. I am too ashamed to proudly wear my crimson outside. It strains at
my whole sense of being as a die-hard Tide fan that 'my state'-in legalizing
these injustices-has reverted back to its old habits and narrow suspicions.
Alabama? No, more like, Alazona.
http://blog.al.com/press-register-commentary/2011/06/post_382.html
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The legislative session that ended last week will certainly go down as one of
the worst in Alabama history. Of late, Republican legislators in Alabama, as
well as conservative voices across the state (such as the Press-Register
editorial board) have hailed the session as a triumph for Alabama. Seriously?
Let's start with the most recent controversial piece of legislation passed -
the immigration law. First, is this really a problem in Alabama? According to
2010 Census figures, Hispanics make up almost 4 percent of Alabama's
population, which is close to 5 million.
Second, given that we are a poor state, where will the money come from for
enforcement of such a Draconian immigration policy? Do local and state law
enforcement agencies and schools have the finances and personnel to carry
through on this legislation? No.
Third, if those who are in this country illegally are here to work, why are
Republicans in Alabama and across the country hell bent on running them out of
the country?
Alabama, like most states, has seen a significant drop in tax revenue. If there
are anywhere from 10 million to 12 million illegal immigrants here and the
majority of them are working and being productive, is it not more prudent to
ease the path to making them legitimate citizens in order to harness all of
that uncollected tax revenue, thereby helping our local, state and national
coffers?
Once again Alabama is in the unfortunate position of being rightly ridiculed
and excoriated nationally due to shallow, counterproductive, backward-thinking
politicians. This was just one bad piece of legislation that came out of this
legislative session. I could go on.
KEN ROBINSON
Mobile, AL
http://blog.al.com/press-register-commentary/2011/06/post_379.html
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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