Being a white 21 year old sailor in 1967 I was sent to N.A.S. Memphis for electronic school. My first day in town I walked into a place with an “L” shaped lunch counter and evidently sat at the shorter end of the lunch reserved for coloreds. This was when the ‘signs’ had been removed. On the longer side were three other older white guys. The black waitress asks, “Can I help you, sir” I reply, “Yes, mam, I’ll have a coffee and some pie.” in my usual Northern Yankee dialect. The one asks, “Why you mam’n her fo..” “Where you from, boy?” I said “Washington” He then says, “DEE CEE ?” (Thinking I’m a left over Freedom Rider probably)“No, Washington State. Then says, "You know where all you Northern Boys hang out around here ? I said no. His reply was “I guess you didn’t see that big tree when you came into town.” His buddies laughed and smiled.
So that was my first time of social distancing and “Racist” distancing with Southern whites. I paid the tab, thanked the waitress and left her a couple dollars tip that was more than the bill and said, “Have a nice day, mam” as I left with my knees knocking together. Never went into town alone after that. Hated the South. MLK was murdered two week after I left in the Spring of 1968. He was in Memphis to support the Black garbage workers on Strike.
In 1972, I was heading down from New York to my first permanent assignment with my new bride. Interstate 95 was “spotty” and once you got south of DC, did not exist in many places. So you got off and wound up on U.S. 301.
It was on this road that my wife and I encountered a large billboard at the North Carolina / Virginia border. It featured a white knight, on a white horse with a white lance. Written was, “Welcome to North Carolina – Home of the United Klans.”
My wife tried to talk me into doing a U-Turn. I explained that we had two strikes against us: we were Catholic and we were Yankees but this was cancelled by that sact that we were white and we were military.
Getting into South Carolina , there was a debate on the radio as to which chapter of the Klan was more “pure.”
My wife worked at the local hospital in town. There were doctors who would not work with her because she was educated in the north. She quit the job when she found out that they had a segregated nursery.
I have a good understanding of Trump people when it comes to racism. I used to be one of them. I went to an all-white Catholic Grade School, all-white, all-male Catholic High School and an all-white (a few tokens), all-male Catholic College.
Then I joined an mostly-white, and technically-speaking, all male officer corps in the Air Force. Female officers at the time were WAF: an auxiliary force.
It was in the Air Force that I first encountered diversity. Not everyone spoke like they came from Brooklyn.
My roommate was a Spanish-Speaking Native American. People asked me what it was like living with him. “He’s a wild and crazy guy who likes to party,” was my responses. I did not get the memo that one was supposed to be prejudiced against Native Americans.
On a very nice spring day, I donned my parachute, grabbed my helmet and instead of taking the crew bus, walked the half mile to my aircraft. On my way I saw people changing tires, working on engines, refueling aircraft, and doing things I couldn’t comprehend. Then it hit me, “If they don’t do their jobs, I could die!” Then I did not care that one was black, one was white, one was a woman and the guy next to her spoke with a southern drawl.
In my first permanent assignment we had to attend a class on “Race Relations.” The Air Force came to the realization that racism, sexism and other isms were not in the best interest of the service. I would like to say the course worked immediately. It took a decade or two for racism to die out to the point where is wasn’t obvious anymore.
Since then I have been all over the world and now the world comes to me. I’ve been to a goat roast, Islamic call to prayer, Bhutanese Christian wedding. been blessed by a Buddhist monk and attended a celebration in honor of the god Krishna.
Don’t worry so much about the south, try some nice rural Michigan for an eye opener, we have klan, military wanna bees, masked riders, don’t tread on me all on the same street. Might even have a sofa and fridge on front porch. And lets not forget the give me liberty gang. Just saying…
With all this concern about racial injustice.. are aliens a race? As in, all those kids in cages that made (and soon forgotten) the news some time ago. Those “undocumented” that ICE rounds up in the dark of night. Easy to forget that we “all” have red blood.. and cry the same.
My Dad was stationed at Redstone Arsenal at Huntsville Alabama in 1957. I remember looking at two water fountains with signs marked whites only and colored only. Being 4 years old and an active little boy, I was blue eyed, blonde hair with a deep tan that to me wasn’t “white”. Tan is a color other than white so I drank from the “colored” fountain. Talk about a shitstorm. That’s where I first heard the term “stupid little yankee brat”. When I was asking why the fuss, pointing at the locals, Dad told me “some people are stupid about skin color.” By the way, Dad flew B17 missions out of Italy. His flights were guarded by the all black “Red Tails” squadron. They didn’t lose a bomber to enemy fighters when escorting. After 96 missions, Dad was very grateful.
The main source of improvement is the fact that a lot of those “good old boys” got old enough to die. Their children are still bigots, but they have gotten the message that it is unfashionable to mention it unless you are sure you are in a group that will agree with you— or if no one is watching.
I’ve enjoyed reading the comments from everyone. Makes me realize how naive I was to racism as a kid going up in a Shangri-La of sorts. It was a coal mining area of three different towns in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. I went to a four room grade school with kids that were Black Irish, Navajo, and others whose parents were second generation immigrants. My ancestors came to America in 1865 and later to Washington Sate in 1892. My first and second grade teacher had taught my father in the second grade. It was truly a melting pot of various nationalities. I can still remember as a toddler meeting the first Black man I can recall when mom took to me town to see dad at the store. He held out his hand to hold mine. I wouldn’t let go as I was fascinated that the palm was pink. Some things in life you never forget. Wish I had a picture, but memories will do.
The Love of Money is . . . almost 4 years ago
Being a white 21 year old sailor in 1967 I was sent to N.A.S. Memphis for electronic school. My first day in town I walked into a place with an “L” shaped lunch counter and evidently sat at the shorter end of the lunch reserved for coloreds. This was when the ‘signs’ had been removed. On the longer side were three other older white guys. The black waitress asks, “Can I help you, sir” I reply, “Yes, mam, I’ll have a coffee and some pie.” in my usual Northern Yankee dialect. The one asks, “Why you mam’n her fo..” “Where you from, boy?” I said “Washington” He then says, “DEE CEE ?” (Thinking I’m a left over Freedom Rider probably)“No, Washington State. Then says, "You know where all you Northern Boys hang out around here ? I said no. His reply was “I guess you didn’t see that big tree when you came into town.” His buddies laughed and smiled.
So that was my first time of social distancing and “Racist” distancing with Southern whites. I paid the tab, thanked the waitress and left her a couple dollars tip that was more than the bill and said, “Have a nice day, mam” as I left with my knees knocking together. Never went into town alone after that. Hated the South. MLK was murdered two week after I left in the Spring of 1968. He was in Memphis to support the Black garbage workers on Strike.
dflak almost 4 years ago
In 1972, I was heading down from New York to my first permanent assignment with my new bride. Interstate 95 was “spotty” and once you got south of DC, did not exist in many places. So you got off and wound up on U.S. 301.
It was on this road that my wife and I encountered a large billboard at the North Carolina / Virginia border. It featured a white knight, on a white horse with a white lance. Written was, “Welcome to North Carolina – Home of the United Klans.”
My wife tried to talk me into doing a U-Turn. I explained that we had two strikes against us: we were Catholic and we were Yankees but this was cancelled by that sact that we were white and we were military.
Getting into South Carolina , there was a debate on the radio as to which chapter of the Klan was more “pure.”
My wife worked at the local hospital in town. There were doctors who would not work with her because she was educated in the north. She quit the job when she found out that they had a segregated nursery.
dflak almost 4 years ago
I have a good understanding of Trump people when it comes to racism. I used to be one of them. I went to an all-white Catholic Grade School, all-white, all-male Catholic High School and an all-white (a few tokens), all-male Catholic College.
Then I joined an mostly-white, and technically-speaking, all male officer corps in the Air Force. Female officers at the time were WAF: an auxiliary force.
It was in the Air Force that I first encountered diversity. Not everyone spoke like they came from Brooklyn.
My roommate was a Spanish-Speaking Native American. People asked me what it was like living with him. “He’s a wild and crazy guy who likes to party,” was my responses. I did not get the memo that one was supposed to be prejudiced against Native Americans.
On a very nice spring day, I donned my parachute, grabbed my helmet and instead of taking the crew bus, walked the half mile to my aircraft. On my way I saw people changing tires, working on engines, refueling aircraft, and doing things I couldn’t comprehend. Then it hit me, “If they don’t do their jobs, I could die!” Then I did not care that one was black, one was white, one was a woman and the guy next to her spoke with a southern drawl.
In my first permanent assignment we had to attend a class on “Race Relations.” The Air Force came to the realization that racism, sexism and other isms were not in the best interest of the service. I would like to say the course worked immediately. It took a decade or two for racism to die out to the point where is wasn’t obvious anymore.
Since then I have been all over the world and now the world comes to me. I’ve been to a goat roast, Islamic call to prayer, Bhutanese Christian wedding. been blessed by a Buddhist monk and attended a celebration in honor of the god Krishna.
I grew up. That’s why I am not a Trumpie anymore.
2peabody1 almost 4 years ago
Don’t worry so much about the south, try some nice rural Michigan for an eye opener, we have klan, military wanna bees, masked riders, don’t tread on me all on the same street. Might even have a sofa and fridge on front porch. And lets not forget the give me liberty gang. Just saying…
Alberta Oil Premium Member almost 4 years ago
With all this concern about racial injustice.. are aliens a race? As in, all those kids in cages that made (and soon forgotten) the news some time ago. Those “undocumented” that ICE rounds up in the dark of night. Easy to forget that we “all” have red blood.. and cry the same.
Michael G. almost 4 years ago
I hold that the Reich and its supporters are not part of the human race. Just like they feel about me. At last, harmonious ideation!
captastro almost 4 years ago
My Dad was stationed at Redstone Arsenal at Huntsville Alabama in 1957. I remember looking at two water fountains with signs marked whites only and colored only. Being 4 years old and an active little boy, I was blue eyed, blonde hair with a deep tan that to me wasn’t “white”. Tan is a color other than white so I drank from the “colored” fountain. Talk about a shitstorm. That’s where I first heard the term “stupid little yankee brat”. When I was asking why the fuss, pointing at the locals, Dad told me “some people are stupid about skin color.” By the way, Dad flew B17 missions out of Italy. His flights were guarded by the all black “Red Tails” squadron. They didn’t lose a bomber to enemy fighters when escorting. After 96 missions, Dad was very grateful.
Diane Lee Premium Member almost 4 years ago
The main source of improvement is the fact that a lot of those “good old boys” got old enough to die. Their children are still bigots, but they have gotten the message that it is unfashionable to mention it unless you are sure you are in a group that will agree with you— or if no one is watching.
bakana almost 4 years ago
I had to go to the post office this morning.
Luckily, there were a couple other people between me and the Redneck who didn’t bother to wear a Mask.
The Love of Money is . . . almost 4 years ago
I’ve enjoyed reading the comments from everyone. Makes me realize how naive I was to racism as a kid going up in a Shangri-La of sorts. It was a coal mining area of three different towns in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. I went to a four room grade school with kids that were Black Irish, Navajo, and others whose parents were second generation immigrants. My ancestors came to America in 1865 and later to Washington Sate in 1892. My first and second grade teacher had taught my father in the second grade. It was truly a melting pot of various nationalities. I can still remember as a toddler meeting the first Black man I can recall when mom took to me town to see dad at the store. He held out his hand to hold mine. I wouldn’t let go as I was fascinated that the palm was pink. Some things in life you never forget. Wish I had a picture, but memories will do.