Oak,
As of today, I am still Black, last time I checked. Born to People of color,
during WWII, in a public hospital, because there were no
hospitals built for families of Gi's until after the war.
After researching my roots since 1996, when I began the research, using
excerpts of conversations between my father and mother, both of mixed heritage,
I would soon find that I, myself, is whiter than i first thought.
I was born in the South, when segregation and Jim Crow was the 'norm.
I attended all Black Catholic schools because the French and Spanish
settled New orleans in 1600 as a trading post, where French trappers traded
beaver, fox and bear skins from the indigenous tribes of the area. My being
Roman Catholic is no accident.
My father, himself, was an alter boy, played CYO basketball and baseball, being
a left-handed pitcher. He also played in the Negro Leagues, always treated as
an afterthought, by Major league Baseball until 1947, with the signing of
Jackie Robinson, breaking the color line and still revered as one of the
greatest baseball players of all time.
In 1954, I was 10 years old. When William Frantz elementary school was
integrated later, after Central High in Arkansas, a little girl named Ruby
Bridges was escorted into Frantz school by four, armed, federal agents, every
day and is immortalized in portrait by Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms series
of paintings. schools are now named after her in the south. In 1960, the
white catholic schools attempted integration at Dominican high School and I was
offered to be one of the 5 to integrate and I abruptly told my mother to leave
me at Xavier!
Race mattered then and with the Republicans dominating the House and the
turning back section 4 of the Civil Rights act, with the Supreme Court,
legislating from the bench, watch how voting will change for blacks, hispanics,
asians and other minority residents, either native born or immigrants in this
country.
Look at the riot if 1970, right here in Asbury Park over alleged racism, by the
Asbury Park police and the beating taken by a Black youth while in custody,
which triggered the riot, according to sources who gave me a rundown on how
segregated this area was, which is why blacks and Italians were relegated to
the West side that those in power in the City repeatedly ignore, until it's
time for an election!
As a Senior Citizen, by law, I'm entitled to be a member of the Senior Center
on Springwood Ave, but I don't have a clue as how to get involved! I guess you
have to be 80 or something.
Until this country and places like this city, don't wise up and think of all
Americans born here and naturalized, race will continue to matter!
There are a lot of inconsistencies in the last election. Absentee ballots were
seized illegally by the Monmouth county prosecutors office, reminding me of
vigilante tactics down in the name of the law,
rigging the election so that certain candidates have to fight in court
for the ballots and this is a form of voter suppression.
I had no idea that a meeting of the 5 who won, until the courts relieve the
candidates who questioned the outcome due to votes not being counted and from
what I understand, thE Board of elections can't
negate these votes, because federal authorities should resove this matter.
Monmouth County has to let federal authority decide whether any inconsistencies
have taken place, so yes, the complaining party is
Black and most of that ticket consisted of people of color, except
Mr. Keady. You tell me, if race doesn't matter? Unless you are Black,
Hispanic, Jewish, Italian or Asian? in Louisiana ALL of the
aforementioned were discriminated against.
Ask President Obama if race doesn't matter? Profiling of Blacks in
NY is just one example; see NJ State Troopers, that profiled Black Students on
the NJ turnpike.
Say what you like about Jim Keady, but he is trusted in the Black Community
because he speaks truth to power and we hear Him!
Sharon G. Boone
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, oakdorf oakdorf@... wrote:
what race the person is who is leading the city.
That should be the least of the issues in AP.
There is NO correlation to race and success of a city or it's people.
Matter of fact, many towns in NJ should MERGE, use shared services and be run
by professionals.
Most everyone who ran in this past election is very qualified to service both
on the council and mayor.
It's about time, RACE is taken out of the issue - as well as sexual
orientation.
Many of you may not like it, but it's a fact -
CRIME doesn't decrease
GRADUATION rate doesn't increase
TAXES don't decrease
You just need good simple clean leadership. I like the approach to rotate
mayor role.
What fun would AP be without controversy.
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