Tag Archives: Jim Crow

School Days with Ron DeSantis – An Editorial Sarcasm

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Photo Courtesy of AP

With the new school year starting up across the country, what are some typical classroom and school discussions we’d see under the leadership of current Florida Governor Ron DeSantis?

Let’s start with 6th GRADE US HISTORY

Teacher: When the American Colonies got started, Black people came to America from Africa came to find a better life. They believed they could gain some valuable skills by working as slaves for the Southern Plantation owners. Despite that, some Americans believed that these Black slaves should be freed.
Student: So who is Dr. Martin Luther King and what is the Civil Rights movement all about?
Teacher: That one is quite puzzling. Black people really had it good, especially in the South with the Jim Crow laws of the first half of the 20th century. Black children got to attend their own schools so they could learn better with their own kind. And you know those long lines women often face a events like concerts? Black women and men did not have to wait in those lines; they had their own special bathrooms, and they had their own water fountains, and they had their own special entrance in the back of restaurants where they often ate in the kitchen area and could watch the food being cooked.
Student: Cool!
Teacher: And Black people got the best seats in the movie theater; they got to sit in the second balcony. I guess Dr. King felt that Black people should not be treated special, but should be treated equally as everyone else.
Student: Gosh, if I were a Black person, I wouldn’t want Dr. King to take away all these special rights.
Teacher: You got it. And tomorrow we will talk about the excellent facilities we housed Japanese-Americans in to keep them safe during World War II, and next week we will learn about how settlers came over from Europe to bring the savage natives that were living here a better life.

Then we move to a DISCUSSION IN A FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM

Student: Jimmy just shared with me that he has two mommies instead of a mommy and daddy. How can that happen?
Teacher: We are not allowed to talk about this.
Student: But can two women fall in love and get married like my mommy and daddy?
Teacher: Please be quiet, we are not allowed to discuss this.
Student: But why not?
Teacher: Because our government said so.
Student: But why?
Teacher: I guess it is because people like Jimmy’s mommies are bad, abnormal people and we should not be talking about them.
Student: I am glad I have a good mommy and daddy instead of two bad mommies.

In many states, parents will be unable to provide their trans children with necessary healthcare.

And finally to a JUNIOR HIGH LUNCH ROOM DISCUSSION:

Teen 1: Guess what? I used to have a sister, but now he’s my brother. Angela shared with my parents that he always felt like he was a boy inside and wants to be treated like a boy, so now his name is Andrew.
Teen 2: That’s cool that he gets to be who he feels he is.
Teen 1: Yea, my parents have been working with a physician and a psychologist, and he is taking hormones which make him feel even more like a boy. But we may need to move to another state since the state government is making this illegal.
Teen 2: What? How? I thought they passed a parent’s bill of rights stating that parents have the right to guide their children’s lives; to know what books they are reading in school and stuff. Why doesn’t this apply here? Shouldn’t parents have the right to help their kids with their gender?
Teen 1: I don’t think it works that way. I think this parents bill of rights crap only applies to parents who agree with these politicians.
Teen 2: Damn! I can’t wait until I am old enough to vote.

Divided We Stand – Racism in America from Jamestown to Trump – A book review

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David R. Morse, author and President / CEO of New American Dimensions

As a diversity consultant with a deep expertise in LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) diversity, about half my clients do engage me for all areas of diversity and inclusion, which includes race. Even though the diversity discipline has evolved from the initial areas of gender and race to now include LGBT, generational, cognitive, the differently-abled, and more; racial issues certainly need to continue to be front and center. (see my blog “The Various Growing Types of Diversity.”)

Though a good number of white people believe that the racial discrimination of the past is eradicated, the black community for the most part, as well as statistical realities, would indicate otherwise. And racial tensions continue to rage as we have seen in the disproportionate number of black men and boys killed by police, the black lives matter movement, and the increased number of race related hate groups becoming active in the United States. (see my blog “Facing the Truth – Racism Still Persists in the USA.”)

I have recently read a most fascinating book which places racism in the United States in a much broader historical perspective since the very beginnings of our nation’s founding. In “Divided We Stand,” David R. Morse provides a full historical account of the many forms of racism that has been a part of our country’s history. It is important to own this part of our history, and by understanding history, we can all work together to build a more just society.

The sections of this fascinating book full of interesting accounts and data include:

“Divided We Stand” is a fascinating book detailing various types of racism throughout the USA’s history.

• The early struggles within white mostly Anglo-Saxon America in terms of integrating waves of immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Italy and Jews.

• The long African-American history from the days of slavery until today, including the doctrine of the “superior” Caucasian Race and the Jim Crow laws of the early 20th century.

• The history of Hispanic Americans starting with the treatment of the population already in the areas of the Southwest “conquered” by the USA up through the debate that continues to rage about illegal immigration.

• The history of Asian-Americans, their treatment and oppression during the gold rush days of California and the building of the western railroads, our government’s agreements with Japan, up to many who view Asians as the “model minority.”

• Scholarly discussion on the science around genetics and race, and then closing with the landscape of race relations in the USA today.

This book certainly made me aware of so much more of the history and dynamics behind the multiplicity of racial issues in our diverse country from its very beginning. And hopefully by understanding this history, we can all unite more rigorously to build a stronger country from our profound and unique blend of diversity.

I highly recommend this book!

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Direct LINK to order: https://www.amazon.com/Divided-We-Stand-America-Jamestown/dp/1941688489/

Author David R. Morse is President and CEO of New American Dimensions (link), a market research company focused on Hispanic, African American, Asian American and LGBTQ Americans.