Letter: We must not forget our past

Kudos to former state Sen. Diana Bajoie (who as a state senator originally pitched the idea of a civil rights museum to the Legislature) for recognizing the need for Louisiana’s stories to be told.

She knew what others in Alabama, Ohio, the Carolinas and Mississippi recognized and acted to change. She knew that people in other states and people in other countries knew that before there was a turbulent Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama, there was a successful, peaceful bus boycott in Baton Rouge.

She knew that the young lawyer who filed the related law suit, Johnnie Jones, was fresh out of Southern University’s law school. And, that Jones was still alive and active in the city of Baton Rouge.

She knew that the young black teenagers who first set foot in previously all-white high schools in Baton Rouge were even more impacted by their experiences than 6-year-olds Tessie Prevost, Gail Etienne, Leona Tate and Ruby Bridges, who integrated New Orleans-area elementary schools.

She also knew that Baton Rouge and New Orleans stories were not the only stories that needed to be told. She knew that the experiences of American Indians and others whose lives were marginalized throughout the state were absent and unaccounted for in state annals.

But, who, in Louisiana, cares about such information? Why should the citizens of Louisiana think that civil rights happenings in Louisiana in the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s — and yes, even now, matter? We live for football, Mardi Gras, feasibility studies and the moment! Let’s forget all of that other stuff. Let it die with the trailblazers.

For those who might be interested, go to Mississippi. Because Mississippi is well on its way to telling its story — good, bad and ugly — to the millions of world visitors who will pick their passion and learn about the history that missed the books of the past, but will live on so that the sordid past will not be repeated.

Brenda Williams

retired claims administrator

Harvey

Comments

1) Comment by unevahno - 03/01/2013

Those who feel swhame and guilt rant about "victims" rather than ever own up to their own casual raciswm. It is easier to try and dismaiss something or people that you don't care about. The current conservative atmosphere of hate and entitlement with the new Jim Crow voting laws only further separate the bigots, rasists, sexists and homophobes of the far right wing from the rest of America, which proven to be the majority. The confederacy, along with it's ignorance and hate is dying, even as the last of the segregationists die out.

2) Comment by Whatnow - 02/01/2013

And just who, DMJ, is telling them that they are victims constantly?

3) Comment by DMJ - 02/01/2013

Want to know why black people are still angry? Re-read your previous comment.

4) Comment by Whatnow - 02/01/2013

DMJ. 1. Anger and constant blame and racial division 2. the angry, blaming African Americans 3. Constantly bringing up injustices of the past. 4, People like the New Black Panthers, Al Sharton, Jesse Jackson, Jeremiah Wright and others 5. Read number 4. I'm surprised that I had to explain it to you. I thought you read the comments below.

5) Comment by DMJ - 02/01/2013

Couple of questions.... 1. Carrying "it" on forever... What's "it"? 2. Who's a victim? 3. What does "stirring up cow patties" mean? 4. Who's doing the stirring? 5. Who are living off the victims? Other than these vagueries, great comment. Very coherent.

6) Comment by Whatnow - 02/01/2013

Like I said, DMJ, knowing and carrying it on forever as a victim is just stirring up cow patties. And the people doing the stirring are living off the victims that they incite not to let it go.

7) Comment by DMJ - 01/01/2013

People choose which history they want to know about. It's sad and frustrating. This is why people fly the rebel flag and say the Civil War wasn't about slavery, all the while not realizing they're being total rubes. If you don't know History, you don't know the world in which you live or how it got that way. This accounts for so many people having twisted, warped world views.

8) Comment by mcarter - 01/01/2013

It is too profitable to let it go.

9) Comment by [e-mail] - 01/01/2013

I'm with Whatnow on this one; all of that is nothing but designed to keep the race industry alive and well and rolling in taxpayer guilt dollars. There's more than enough "civil rights" museums to go around and then some, not to mention innumerable "spokespersons" who bleat constantly about it. Electing a black president only proves how racist we really are; according to them.

10) Comment by Whatnow - 01/01/2013

Yeah, and I'm still regurgitating old resentment from the British who sent my ancestors here as indentured servants. Maybe if I look up all of those indentured ancestors families, I could really get some anger going and get some restitution and stay angry for the rest of my life. I could stay angry at the Japanese and Germans for the death of family members for the rest of my life. Or to the VietCong, or the Romans, or the Saxons, heck, I would be angry at the whole world. If you want to present history, it all depends on how you present it. If you keep the resentment stirred in your presentation, all you've done is stir of cow patties. And they just stink. Time to get rid of the stink and take responsibility for now.

11) Comment by 8point6 - 01/01/2013

"A group of men, claiming to be Muslims from outside Louisiana, parked cars in the middle of the street and blocked traffic. They said they were protesting the arrests of three Muslims a month earlier. The group drew a crowd of about 200 onlookers, Baptiste has said. Johnson and another reporter were two of only a handful of white people present, he said. As the reporters were leaving, deputies arrived and shortly afterward violence — with flying bricks and bottles and an exchange of gunfire — erupted. Two deputies and two Muslims died on the scene. Another 21 people were injured. Another of the Muslims later died from injuries and a sheriff’s deputy lost use of his left arm from a bullet to the shoulder. Johnson and the others tried to retreat to their cars for safety, but Johnson couldn’t escape. He took the brunt of the crowd’s anger, according to news reports, and suffered severe brain damage that left him in a coma for the next two years. http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/p/24231708/72-North-Blvd- and-Bob-Johnson.aspx