Sorry for what you and your sister experienced. I wonder how many times that or a similar story's been played out over the decades? That's one reason that even now, I'm not in favor of black kids growing up or going to school in all-white environments if it can be helped. It's gotten better, no doubt. And, if the only good education to be gotten is at such a school, then you have to do what you have to do. But I still think it's healthy to be around those who look like you, share your unique history and culture. Mixed neighborhoods (I live in one) and schools are fine, but I still don't get the need for people of color to be sent to--or seek out--an environment in which our children are the only children of color in a particular group. I knew some people who sent their kid to an all white school,and the kid came home one day and complained about being too dark. What followed was a lot of issues about trying to teach the child to love being black. Yeah, yeah: i know we're all "post -racial" now...
If I'd had the same experience, I'd probably feel much the same way as you. Indeed, I have some of the same conflicted feelings you have. I've always risen for the flag, put my hand on my heart during the Pledge, and National Anthem. But, given the racism my dad saw, and that I and my brothers experienced, I've felt conflicted as well. Thank God they changed the Georgia flag before I moved here, 'cause if I'd ever been in a situation where I'd been asked to stand when the flag had the Stars and Bars it wouldn't have been pretty. My experiences were different. My older brothers integrated the Fort Worth schools, so by the time I started, blacks had been mixing with whites for a few years. We were in the minority, for sure, and I definitely dealt with racist teachers and students. But the kind of overt hatred, fear, and separation you experienced came before me. (Over in Dallas, they were fighting those battles long after Fort Worth had at least arrived at a sort of acceptance). My older brother was called "four eyed n-----" when he was in elementary, but by the time I got there, he and my other brother had prepared the way for me. All my teachers from elementary to high school knew my brothers, and had great respect for them. Indeed, I was one of the guys who posted the colors before assembly when I was in elementary school. All my classes were integrated, black and white kids played and ate together, and i had a lot of black teachers, as well as white ones. My best friend in first grade was a white kid, and the first two or three little girls who "liked" me were white. Problems? Oh yeah: teachers who told me I was "a credit to my race", teachers who were mean to black kids, a whole lot of white kids with bigoted parents, lots of racists in the area (a white girl I used to walk home was told i'd be shot if I did it again). But I saw enough good people, had enough good white folk who helped me, for me to always look for the positives in America, even as the bad sickened me. When I said the Pledge, it was for the good the country had, and the good I knew was coming, and that flag? I could and can salute the *spirit* of what it represents, even as the *practice* often falls far short. -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: "ravenadal" <ravena...@yahoo.com> > I can only speak for myself but I was struck by the sea of American > flags waving in unison for a number of reasons. I stopped reciting > the Pledge of Allegiance in the third grade, the same year my sister > and I became the only children of African-American descent at the > public grade school my mother somehow had managed to enroll us in. > > The city of Milwaukee had something called "intact busing" where they > would take an entire class of black children from an overcrowded > inner city school and bus them "intact" to a white school where they > would have no contact with the white student body. They would arrive > after the white students were in class and be ushered to a classroom > in the basement - then they would be escorted out of their basement > classroom and back to their bus before the white children were > excused for the day. I would watch this daily spectacle from the > window of my second floor classroom. Henceforth, I would choke on > the words "with liberty and justice for all." Couldn't say it. > Refused to say it. > > When George Foreman waved a tiny American flag when he won the gold > medal, I thought, "sellout." I was glad when Muhammad Ali knocked > him out. > > In the movie "Rocky," when Apollo Creed came dancing into the ring > wearing his red, white and blue trunks and his Uncle Sam hat, I > thought, "you punk." > > When they play the national anthem at sporting events I attend, I > never stand and I never remove my hat. > > Last night, when I went to see the Milwaukee Bucks annihilate the > Dallas Mavericks (133-99), I didn't put my hand over my heart or > remove my hat but I did stand in silence. In respect. In > acknowledgement. > > ~rave! > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, keithbjohn...@... wrote: > > > > Well said. One slight correction though: it wasn't for the first > time we were proud to be Americans; it was the first time we were > *really* proud to be Americans. There's a difference. I think blacks > have always loved this country, always been proud to be American, but > been saddened and upset by how it's fallen short of its promises. > It's like having a child that you love, that has so much potential, > but hasn't yet found his or her course in life. I've even heard > parents say, "I've always loved my son, always been proud of him, but > i'm really really proud of him for the first time." > > > > Frankly, by dint of volunteering for the military, by playing by > the rules, by raising our kids to worship a God and support a country > into which we were frankly dragged in chains, I think black Americans > can be said to have shown more genuine patriotism, more faith in this > country, than any other group. (Except perhaps Natives). I hope more > people get that message, but there are always the doubters: witness > Rush Limbaugh's "I hope Obama fails" rant. Sigh... > > > > Again, well said. > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > > From: "ravenadal" <ravena...@...> > > > I, Too, Sing America > > > > > > In the tapestry that was the throng blanketing the public > concourse > > > stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the portico where > President > > > Barack Hussein Obama took the oath of office, I was struck by a > > > strange and incongruous sight: a sea of black people waving tiny > > > American flags. What bizarro world was this? Black people waving > > > American flags? Get the flux out of here! And yet, there they > were, > > > waving their red, white and blue flags proudly, enthusiastically > and > > > full of the vigor of having obtained their full statehood rights. > > > First Lady Michelle Obama was vilified for voicing an opinion > similar > > > to what these people were so obviously demonstrating: for the > first > > > time in their adult lives, they were proud to be Americans. > > > > > > ~rave! > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
--- Begin Message ---
I can only speak for myself but I was struck by the sea of American
flags waving in unison for a number of reasons. I stopped reciting
the Pledge of Allegiance in the third grade, the same year my sister
and I became the only children of African-American descent at the
public grade school my mother somehow had managed to enroll us in.
The city of Milwaukee had something called "intact busing" where they
would take an entire class of black children from an overcrowded
inner city school and bus them "intact" to a white school where they
would have no contact with the white student body. They would arrive
after the white students were in class and be ushered to a classroom
in the basement - then they would be escorted out of their basement
classroom and back to their bus before the white children were
excused for the day. I would watch this daily spectacle from the
window of my second floor classroom. Henceforth, I would choke on
the words "with liberty and justice for all." Couldn't say it.
Refused to say it.
When George Foreman waved a tiny American flag when he won the gold
medal, I thought, "sellout." I was glad when Muhammad Ali knocked
him out.
In the movie "Rocky," when Apollo Creed came dancing into the ring
wearing his red, white and blue trunks and his Uncle Sam hat, I
thought, "you punk."
When they play the national anthem at sporting events I attend, I
never stand and I never remove my hat.
Last night, when I went to see the Milwaukee Bucks annihilate the
Dallas Mavericks (133-99), I didn't put my hand over my heart or
remove my hat but I did stand in silence. In respect. In
acknowledgement.
~rave!
--- In scifino...@yahoogroups.com , KeithBJohnson@... wrote:
>
> Well said. One slight correction though: it wasn't for the first
time we were proud to be Americans; it was the first time we were
*really* proud to be Americans. There's a difference. I think blacks
have always loved this country, always been proud to be American, but
been saddened and upset by how it's fallen short of its promises.
It's like having a child that you love, that has so much potential,
but hasn't yet found his or her course in life. I've even heard
parents say, "I've always loved my son, always been proud of him, but
i'm really really proud of him for the first time."
>
> Frankly, by dint of volunteering for the military, by playing by
the rules, by raising our kids to worship a God and support a country
into which we were frankly dragged in chains, I think black Americans
can be said to have shown more genuine patriotism, more faith in this
country, than any other group. (Except perhaps Natives). I hope more
people get that message, but there are always the doubters: witness
Rush Limbaugh's "I hope Obama fails" rant. Sigh...
>
> Again, well said.
> -------------- Original message ------------ --------- -
> From: "ravenadal" <ravena...@...>
> > I, Too, Sing America
> >
> > In the tapestry that was the throng blanketing the public
concourse
> > stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the portico where
President
> > Barack Hussein Obama took the oath of office, I was struck by a
> > strange and incongruous sight: a sea of black people waving tiny
> > American flags. What bizarro world was this? Black people waving
> > American flags? Get the flux out of here! And yet, there they
were,
> > waving their red, white and blue flags proudly, enthusiastically
and
> > full of the vigor of having obtained their full statehood rights.
> > First Lady Michelle Obama was vilified for voicing an opinion
similar
> > to what these people were so obviously demonstrating: for the
first
> > time in their adult lives, they were proud to be Americans.
> >
> > ~rave!
> >
> >
> >
>
--- End Message ---
