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| Like they were always on guard thinking that we are going to do something to him - while they were doing it to us. |
I don't think the younger generation can truly understand how ugly those attitudes were back then. Don't get me wrong in saying bigotry is a thing of the past - its not.
Have we forgotten today how much non violence had moved a nation not even a generation ago? At times I wonder.
You watched blacks and whites - male and female - go directly into the line of fire. You watched how mobs of people allowed their hate and fear turn to violence.
They had the control, and they will tell you that their Negros liked it that way. Sound familiar? The world wasn't going to tell them how they should treat those under them. They were happy with the status quo, and they spoke for 'their' blacks as well telling the world they were content as well.
When you are raised with this belief, and it is encouraged and lived as much as possible? It amazes me how much people will just accept it. I have no doubt that even some 'Negros' as they were labeled believed in their inferior status, but that is NOT to say some or even MOST believed that lie.
If you were in the south you got killed for stepping out of line, or maimed at the very least. I'm not saying the North were not bigots as well, because we all know they are all over even today.
Jocelyn Andersen has a book, 'Woman this is War' in which she looks at past history to challenge the gender roles. If you see this documentary (Freedom Riders) you can clearly see Jocelyn's points in her book. Its like history trying the same old tired excuses, but focuses in a different direction of gender now.
Instead of calling people feminists? They were called, "Agitators". Why were they called that? They felt that people should be able to sit where they wished on the bus. The 'Negros' were to sit in the back of the bus. They were not allowed to use the same facilities, or water fountains.
They were to be 'separate but equal' as the saying went to keep the systems of segregation. The law stated the separation would exist as long as you had equal facilities for each. We all know that didn't happen.
You hear the whites claim that this system has been in place for hundreds of years, and its just the way the whites like it - and blacks like it as well. After all, they claim 'the whites are the best friend a negro has!" If you give him a chance (the white man) he will even show you, and tell you about his benevolence towards 'their' Negros. Makes you sick doesn't it?
Agitators
It's hard to wrap my mind around the fact I grew up in this period. There was so much toxic hate. My parents were part of the 'agitators' group, and they raised my brother and I to be agitators as well. White agitators were the worse kind according to the 'normal red blooded' whites. We were traitors and a disgrace to our race.
Here is a quote that truly hit home for me from the movie. There were many others, but it rang true for today in the world of 'equal in value, but differing roles'.
We dealt with violence everyday in the south.
They didn't treat us like we were human.
They treated us like we were vicious animals.
Like they were always on guard thinking that we are going to do something to them - while they were doing it to us.
The sentence I underlined? That is called projection. You project your sins to others.
Lets look at an example I thought of:
Women trying to assert her authority over a man. How often do we hear that?
I know I have seen churches in crisis, and some even sadly split into pieces. I sure others have seen this also.
You know what I have never seen? The crisis and the splits happening over and over and over again due to women taking authority over a man.
Do you know what we normally DO SEE when this happens?
The inability to get along or intolerance of each other. Right? People have a strong desire for control, pride and self centeredness. Humility just drips when that is present doesn't it?
Who are the leadership in charge? Males according to most, and they are the primary offenders in this case. When things get THIS bad sin and lack of humility take the place of loving and valuing each other as Christ loved the church.
Yet we hear projection all the time about how women are clamoring to take over the church, and her charge to assert her authority over men. The old feminism is ruining our churches.
The women's movement didn't start ruining things starting from the 1960's on. Those secular feminists didn't start invading the church as BADLY as people want to believe it.
How about we deal with truth for a moment! Why don't we tell the truth for once, and stop making excuses! The newest form of agitators knew:
- Churches where women were gifted or called for leadership were demeaned.
- It started when other gifts or callings of women were totally ignored, and they were mocked for their request to share instead.
- It arose in places were women were told to shut up, sit down, and allow your sometimes less gifted male husband to take the reigns.
How about we deal with reality instead. We need to address the issues of pride, arrogance, lack of humility, before we get to treating our females as 'separate but equal'.
You notice we don't address those first before we go around telling 'our' women what they can and can not do.
We are to busy pumping the fear that feminism will be the downfall, and yet we can't look at the speck in our own eyes.
Like they were always on guard thinking that we are going to do something to them - while they were doing it to us. - Frederick Leonard
Sadly it looks like history is replaying parts that we humans didn't grasp from the past.
I guess I'm still an Agitator.
The bible speaks very clearly about those that wish to lead, and it doesn't say they are to assert their authority. God is our authority, and the job of the Holy Spirit is to lead us personally. That goes for everyone!
Matthew 23:5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.
8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
They love their places of honor, and to be greeted by those showing them respect. Grace, justice, mercy, and humility were not traits Jesus spoke about when it came to those in the description above.
Today we can't get away with what the bigots of the past got away with (most of the time anyway). That doesn't mean they don't look for ways to do things anyway. I mean look at history we outlawed slavery, and yet we used Jim Crow laws to keep the 'Negros' where they wanted them anyway.
Today have used some terms very similar to the past. There will always be agitators like the freedom riders to stand up for what is good and decent. We are all to have humility and to love and value each other as Christ shows us as our example.
Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.
Here is the segment of video where Frederick Leonard Spoke.
Lets become agitators together for cause of true equality for all.
Here is the segment of video where Frederick Leonard Spoke.
Lets become agitators together for cause of true equality for all.
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