While many would see the above image as horrifying proof of racism in America, we must remember the flip side. Yes, there were racists, but as the cartoon says, the Republican congress gave blacks the right to vote and pushed for racial equality. The fact that violence and hatred still remained after the Civil War does not negate the valiant works of many white and black Republicans who fought and sometimes died to see that real freedom for all would not remain just a dream. I admire the men and women of the past and present who put race on the back burner and fight for freedom for all.
All too often we only see the massacres, the riots and the acrimony between the races (I suggest this would be true studying any society), but there is so much more to people than that. People were often horrified at the troubles between the races in the late 19th century, but put yourself back there after asking yourself how many hours you’ve spent watching the news and despairing at the idea that there’s nothing you can do to stop people in faraway places from victimizing each other. How many of us would have stood up to paramilitary groups inflamed by not only race hatred but by defeat, sudden poverty and loss? How many of us would have cowered or turned away in disgust after years of endless suffering and loss of human life?
Bravery is a rare and beautiful thing. We like to imagine ourselves brave. How many of us actually are?
THE 1873 BATTLE OF COLFAX: COUNTER REVOLUTION IN LOUISIANA
19th CENTURY DEMOCRATS AND RACE
Author Adrienne Morris 
8 responses to “Are You Brave?”
Did you watch Selma? I thought it spoke powerfully on racism, bravery and our history. I don’t know what I’d have done if I’d lived in Selma. Certainly there are plenty of wrongs in today’s world. But fear is also still strong.
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Hi Brenda,
No I haven’t seen Selma yet though I’d like to. The movie Woodlawn about a real-life football team transformed by forgiveness in the South during desegregation didn’t get enough credit this past year for being a good movie. I think some people wanted to dislike it for its Christian themes, but I think it would play well with any audience.
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I haven’t seen Woodlawn. I do like movies about forgiveness, though.
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A very complex and multi-dimensional issue. Hundreds of years in the making and I suspect it will take hundreds of years, a strong will, and decent policies to rectify. You gave me much to think about.
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I think more than decent policies we need to focus and celebrate the people who transcend race in their love for others while at the same time accepting that we are all flawed no matter the color.
I agree that the complexities of life can get too overwhelming at times, but it’s better than telling history as a black and white story when there’s so much grey in real life.
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I vote Independent because I hate partisan politics and don’t want to be part of either party, but I agree Democrats focus on race, gender, or sexual orientation; rather than run on policy.
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I love policy. I love watching politics though most politicians are boring, corrupt jerks, sometimes things get interesting. Maybe when people still had some integrity things were even more interesting–now it sort of feels like watching a sinking ship.
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Thanks for bringing this up. Really important to remember this…I often wonder how people used to feel when they watched racial injustice play out in front of them. It helps knowing I’m not alone in these thoughts. 🙂
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