Jim Crow, III

Jim Crow laws were an attempt to keep a 'sliver of slavery' in manifest action in America. Jim Crow laws were enacted for the purpose of 'serperate but equal' status for Blacks/Negros, we weren't called African-Americans until the 80's. These were state and local laws enacted and enforced from 1876 to 1965. In reality, this led to treatment and accomdations significantly inferior to those provided for White Americans.
(see.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Crow_laws )

When Jim Crow laws were legally abolished in 1965 with the Voting Rights act, 'Jim Crow, Jr' was born. Outright, law abided racism was dead but legalized racism was in the gym running the treadmill of preconcieved prejudices and pumping the iron of cultural fear. 'Jim Crow, Jr' is the redlining by banks to give depressed and usually urban metropolitan areas high risk and high interest loans to blacks, while denying them access to suburban areas and low interest rates. It is the refusal of many developers and landlords to rent to people of color, in particular African Americans. It is the banks steering us to APR's for housing and transportation rather than low fixed rated interest loans. It is, as Operation Push founder and president Rev. Jesse Jackson says, 'we are the last hired and the first fired.' It is being overlooked and denied, even as the best qualified candidates for employment and for promotion. It is not the blatant racism experienced during the Civil Rights era, yet it is the institutionalized, instrinsic, systematic racism by pen and paper. It is not the 'blue color' racism of the 60's but it is the 'white color' racism of the 70's and 80's. It is not the loud and screaming racism of White only and Black Only signs, waterhoses, Police dogs and batons, but it is the silent racism of the Mont Blanc signing policies and procedures in company manuals.

Today, we are experiencing what I like to refer to, to keep the analogy alive, 'Jim Crow, III.' This is a mixture, the lineage of Jim Crow 'Sr' and Jim Crow, Jr. This is what has sparked outrageous acts of racism in Arlington, Texas in 2007 and rally on the steps of the Arlington City Hall in 2008!

As Malcom X once commented, thereby requitting censorship from the Nation Of Islam and the late Honorable Elijah Muhammad, on the death of President John F. Kennedy, as a case of "...chickens coming home to roost." We live in a nation that is built upon the very bedrock of violence and racism. To ignore this fact of American history is to ignore cancer in the body, sooner or later it will completely destroy, and malign in the meantime.

My Pastor, Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, III, spearheaded a community, no, a multi-city-wide rallying cry for justice on behalf of a law abiding couple who experienced 'Jim Crow, Sr,' in your face type racism in Arlington, Texas in the year 2007. The E.R.A. Movement (End Racism in Arlington) was a coming together of warriors for justice on behalf of of those done unjustly. In 2007, an Arlington home owning couple, Broderick Gamble and Silk LittleJohn were brutally attacked and their property was ... Viciously attacked by a neighbors dog and beaten. A neighbor directed racial remarks at Mr. Gamble's fiancée and attacked her, police said. The couple's car was also damaged and a racial slur was spray-painted on their garage.The garage doors of their house were spray painted in red with the words "Kill and Die Nigger!"

I am encouraged at the commuties response, the galvanizing of leaders and concerned citizens, that justice be heard, seen and done. A rally of local officials, leaders and Pastors was held on the steps of Arlington's City Hall to demand this justice and to seek a change in the climate of the city of Arlington. Pastor Haynes rallied the crowd as only he can ringing the clarion call for justice. He spoke from a list of 10 Community Demands To The City Of Arlington and from The Family's Demand List. It was empowering and hopeful to see others stand up and fight for someone else.

Currently, police have arrested Grace Head on suspicion of assault with intent to do bodily injury, criminal trespass and failure to identify herself to a police officer. She is also accused of damaging the hood of the couple's car, police said. Arlington Police Chief Theron Bowman has asked that the charges against Ms. Head be upgraded to include Hate Crime elements.

I am simply reminded of the famous quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whom is a Morehouse College schoolmate of mine, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Do not think that what has happened to Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn cannot happen to you. We are all intimately tied to this atrocious act together. Justice for one is justice for all

See http://www.endracisminarlington.com/ for more information

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES!

AGAPE,
Pastor P
Making It Great In '08!
Loving Life And Living To Love!