Memorable Rotary Convention in Atlanta

[Christiern]

While perusing the June 19, 1912 issue of the Atlanta Constitution, I came across a big story on the Rotary Convention. It's long, so I am only giving you excerpts here, but I think you will sense the atmosphere that prevailed--there has been considerable progress, but many of our current citizens seem somewhat stuck in time, don't they?

[Christiern]

Continued...

[Ron S]

While perusing the June 19, 1912 issue of the Atlanta Constitution

A bit behind on our reading?

[bertrand]

Chris sure must have a pile of newspapers in his house!

Bertrand.

[Dan Gould]

And what exactly is your point, Chris? That in 1912, southern newspapers wrote offensively about black people?

And how exactly do you get from that 1912 article to "many of our current citizens seem somewhat stuck in time, don't they?"

What, did you hear someone say "pickaninnie" today?

And why would you put this here instead of in Politics, if you want to make claims about the backwardness of "many of our current citizens"?

[Christiern]

Dan, I am sorry that you don't get it.

This has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with history and changes on society. Recently, however, some of the changes seem less evident. I hope I did not touch a sore spot with my posts--that was not my intent. So, let's not get all paranoid here, I posted what I saw as an interesting glimpse of history and made an observation based upon it. I also suggested that recent events/attitudes are discomfiting in that they show a return to the kind of ignorance reflected in the article. I'm sorry that you misconstrue that as an attempt to make a nefarious "point."

What's happening with the Weinstock piece?

[Dan Gould]

Chris, nefarious or not, your point was as I described it - that things may be better, but some people still have caveman views on race.

Number one, you might have taken a shorter section of the article (its not news that newspapers in 1912 wrote such things, it happened outside of the south, too), and then made your point with something specific from the current day. The fact is, outside of neo-nazi and white supremacist websites and newsletters, this sort of casual racism in print doesn't exist anymore. You can't force racists to change. That's an unfortunate fact. At least this kind of casual racism (racism-in-print) is a thing of the past.

Now do you see why this belongs in Politics?

As for Weinstock, losing my job and embarking on a completely different, more challenging and time-consuming field has put Weinstock way on the back burner, much to my embarrassment. And now, I am more inclined when time permits to work on a piece about the Four Sounds demo instead.

[Chuck Nessa]

Now do you see why this belongs in Politics?

No.

[7/4]

Ease up on the caffeine Dan.