50th Anniversary of the Freedom Riders

helgaleena

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Shocking photo created a hero, but not to his family - CNN.com

The above article is about one Freedom Rider who is still alive, J Zwerg. In Madison WI there is a Unitarian church named after a Freedom Rider who actually died, James Reeb. Let's hear it for pencil-neck geeks who have the cojones to stand on their ideals. Both these boys are from WI and it makes me proud.
 

D_Dollie Dumplings

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God Bless this man, for it is people like him who have made life easy for me today. I hope he finds the peace he so deserves at this stage of his life. I have family members who were part of the Civil Rights Movement back in the 1950s and 1960s and it was a horrifying yet gratifying experience for them.
 

B_Marius567

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the first time my dad saw a african american he was 17 when thay got off the train in minnesota. they told my dad thay got on wong train

my dad was siting in front of the bus with a african american man during ww2 a lady was so upset by it that she walked off the bus and reported the driver.
 
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ColoradoGuy

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what are we to fight for in today's era?

We still have a long ways to go (at least in the United States) to achieve true equality. We may have a President who is African American, but that doesn't eradicate racial prejudice. We may have states and municipalities that allow same-sex couples to be married, but that doesn't eradicate discrimination based on sexual preference. And we may have legislation that makes equal pay for equal work the law, but that doesn't mean inequities predicated on gender don't exist.

Besides those here in America, there are problems around the world that will not be solved until reasonable people stand up and denounce unreasonable bias and practices. I wish I could answer your question with "Good point, WhiteMonst3r"; maybe someday we can...
 

Thirdlegproduction

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I would have loved to participate in the rally to restore sanity (and/or fear) by jon stewart it was the first thing that made any sense to me.

sure gays should be treated equally they should be able to get married and not excluded from anything but its not my battle to fight.
 

ColoradoGuy

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I would have loved to participate in the rally to restore sanity (and/or fear) by jon stewart it was the first thing that made any sense to me.

sure gays should be treated equally they should be able to get married and not excluded from anything but its not my battle to fight.

I disagree, WhiteMonst3r... you can't pick and choose what 'battles' you support unless you're willing to support injustice with tacit silence. Injustices like those facing the gay and lesbian communities aren't just for gays and lesbians to fight and they aren't just about gays and lesbians. Think about it: how can I be guaranteed fair and equal treatment under the law and in my society if I know there are entire groups of people who identify as gay or lesbian who are explicitly denied fair and equal treatment? Take it out of the gay context, if it can't be fair for everyone, how can it possibly be guaranteed to be fair for anyone?

I think the whole point of this Thread is that there was a community of individuals -- black and white -- who participated in civil rights activities to protest segregation in the American south in the early 1960s. You should watch this documentary about the Freedom Riders and then tell me if you feel that promoting equality for all citizens is not your battle to fight.
 

Cuddler

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Actually I'm pretty much a cold bastard, because I'm indifferent towards the idea of marriage for gays I dont care either way if they can marry or not.

Did people who think this way used to care if the darkies couldn't marry white folk, back in the day?
 
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Thirdlegproduction

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I didn't live back in the day, but I think it was allowed to get married it just wasn't socially accepted and it still isn't for a lot of people.

I mean I will support any good cause but the front lines should be taken by people who identify themselves with the problems I think. Like MLK or even Malcom X took the lead in the fight while they got lots of support from white people (huge support from jfk) the battle was not fought by them but with them just as I think the frontline for the battle of gay marriage should be filled with gay people, and I will stand somewhere in the back.
 

Hoss

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Shocking photo created a hero, but not to his family - CNN.com

The above article is about one Freedom Rider who is still alive, J Zwerg. In Madison WI there is a Unitarian church named after a Freedom Rider who actually died, James Reeb. Let's hear it for pencil-neck geeks who have the cojones to stand on their ideals. Both these boys are from WI and it makes me proud.
The Freedom Riders were exceptionally brave men and women who were willing to give their life and sustain injury in the cause of bringing equality to us all. There's still a long way to go but their efforts paved the road it's up to the generations which follow to maintain that road and make it better.
 

ManlyBanisters

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I didn't live back in the day, but I think it was allowed to get married it just wasn't socially accepted and it still isn't for a lot of people.

It depends when you mean by 'back in the day' and also where. This thread's OP is dealing with the USA in 1961. As you can see from this map interracial marriage was legislated against in a large part of the USA before 1967.

I mean I will support any good cause but the front lines should be taken by people who identify themselves with the problems I think. Like MLK or even Malcom X took the lead in the fight while they got lots of support from white people (huge support from jfk) the battle was not fought by them but with them just as I think the frontline for the battle of gay marriage should be filled with gay people, and I will stand somewhere in the back.

From your above post you seem to be strongly suggesting you want to stay out of it all together, to such an extent that you don't care if it ever happens or not.

That's your opinion, to which you are certainly entitled. I disagree.

I think if a person really believes something is wrong, whether it harms them directly or not, they should stand against it, support the people it harms, put themselves on the line and act in true solidarity, just like James Zwerg did.
 

Thirdlegproduction

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I will name the class bully as an example.

I as an outsider can stand up for the people who get picked on but the message will be clearest when the people who are getting picked on fight the bully themselves.

At least this is my believe, I support the fight for justice but I as an outsider should not take the lead.

As for gay people, I'm conflicted as I try to treat them as any other people but it usually results in them trying to hit on me which I do not appreciate, and I don't like how being gay is more about a lifestyle rather then being attracted to the same sex.

I could care less who you make love to and how you do it that is a private thing but being gay has become about a lot more and it often seems like a competition who can be the gayest.

I also think todays marriage is a Christian concept Catholic to be exact, and they dismiss the idea of homosexuality. To me that is like going to the kkk because they make delicious pie.

Why would you want to commit to a service invented by people who despise you?
To each their own I guess.

But therefore I'm quite indifferent, to the gay cause.
 

Industrialsize

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I will name the class bully as an example.

I as an outsider can stand up for the people who get picked on but the message will be clearest when the people who are getting picked on fight the bully themselves.

At least this is my believe, I support the fight for justice but I as an outsider should not take the lead.

As for gay people, I'm conflicted as I try to treat them as any other people but it usually results in them trying to hit on me which I do not appreciate, and I don't like how being gay is more about a lifestyle rather then being attracted to the same sex.

I could care less who you make love to and how you do it that is a private thing but being gay has become about a lot more and it often seems like a competition who can be the gayest.

I also think todays marriage is a Christian concept Catholic to be exact, and they dismiss the idea of homosexuality. To me that is like going to the kkk because they make delicious pie.

Why would you want to commit to a service invented by people who despise you?
To each their own I guess.

But therefore I'm quite indifferent, to the gay cause.
Marriage was invented by the Catholics and is a Catholic concept????????? That's just way to funny.
 

Thirdlegproduction

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No as muslims, jews, and all religions get married, they have for centuries but todays marriage of a monagomous relationship bonded together by a priest in a church with the rings and all is a catholic concept.
 

ManlyBanisters

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Marriage was invented by the Catholics and is a Catholic concept????????? That's just way to funny.

Yay! We have all the best parties!!

No as muslims, jews, and all religions get married, they have for centuries but todays marriage of a monagomous relationship bonded together by a priest in a church with the rings and all is a catholic concept.

No, it isn't.

You have a very big head if you think that trying to treat a gay person like any other person will always result in you getting hit on. 1. Gay people are 'any other person', there's no 'like' about it. 2. No man is that good looking that every straight woman, gay man and bisexual wants to fuck him - I don't care what you see when you look in the mirror, every single gay man out there does NOT want you - don't be so damn vain.