Jasper,TX, Must See TV

by wednesday 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  wednesday

  I watched the oprah show today. On it were 2 men, one black, one white. They went to jasper TX and did a documentary on the dragging death of of a black man in 98. These 2 men have been friends for over 20 years. Wednesday night, 9p eastren, 8 central, they are showing the film on PBS. In the TX area that is KERA, ch 13. It stirred a lot of emotions, and i am defintely going to see it. Tonight, on oxygen, they are discussing the oprah show that aired today.

  It was disheartnig to see the wide chism that still exists between black and white. Some of the blacks in the audience were militant looking. Oprah had a locked jaw and well u could see she found it hard to contain herself.Only one black reporter, who had covered the trials, was fair enough to admit, that she as a black, was also prejediced. And the audience did not like her for saying that.

  I found the whole thing very upsetting. I, of course, remember when it happened, but to hear the gory details of this man's death, well it was hard to hear.It was hard to see the Black Panthers, and KKK in the streets of this town.

  I felt sorry for the white man who did the film.U could see he was bearing a lot of shame for whites in general. But he didn't need too. For those men , no more represented him, than the Panthers represented Oprah. MLK would have worked to bring justice to the situation, and and sought peace between the blacks and whites.
• 

  Perry

  1979 was the first year I went to Jasper Texas. I was just a kid. I loved everything about it. Absolutely beautiful.

  Now, those bastards that killed that man got the death penalty. Guaranteed... we will hang em' high here in Texas.

  Now, have you ever wondered how many blacks kill out of racial hatred? Personally, I wouldn't know. And, neither would most other people. Why? We wouldn't want to appear politically incorrect in the news would we?

  Bill Clinton can bite his lip and Oprah can feign hysteria. But the bottom line is that evil is alive and well in the world. It always has been. When it strikes close to our own camp... it pisses us off more than usual.
• 

  wednesday

  I just watched Oprah on oxygen, the after show. at least someone in the audience was brave enough to point out that it was not just a black and white issue, prejudice abounds with many different cultures, religions, and so on. it was pretty bias to the black race, though. someone said "racism started with slavery". this is just not so. racism is about hatred toward those who are not like us. The white race doesn't own that.

  yes u can count on texas for the death penalty. Only the driver did not get death, but he got life. he is isolated, for his own safety, b/c it was said, either a white or black man would kill him.

  Edited by - wednesday on 22 January 2003 0:45:53
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  Funchback

  Rumor has it that the victim (or his family) was/were JWs. Has anyone else ever heard this?
• 

  Big Tex

  Guaranteed... we will hang em' high here in Texas.

  Damn straight.

  I had not heard that any of the family was/were JWs.

  Thanks Wednesday for the heads up. I'll definitely be rolling tape. This was a very tough story for me to follow. I kept thinking of what that poor man had to endure before dying. Our (humans) ability to hate never ceases to amaze me.
• 

  wednesday

  I just wanted to post once more, that this will be on tonight.. According to oprah, it is on PBS, at 9 eastren, 8 central. It is certainly a must see for anyone interested in race relations her in USA. It was filmed by a black, and white man, who were good friends. the filming of it has affected their friendship.
• 

  cruzanheart

  In honor of MLK Day, which doesn't get enough recognition in my opinion, my son's 1st grade class watched videos about Dr. King and the beginning of integrated schools at Little Rock. It made a profound impression on him and he has talked about it daily ever since. We have talked about how there are good people and bad people of all races and religions, so we can't blame any one race or religion for the evils done by some. And I gave him a personal example.

  The day Dr. King was shot, I was a child living in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which is predominately African-American. Growing up there, especially as a Jehovah's Witness, was very educational, because we were more into the local culture with our field service activities than most of the white residents and we could feel the prejudice firsthand. After Dr. King died, there was talk of a massacre of all the whites on the island that night. A man stood up in a local ice cream parlour and vowed to kill the first white man he saw. It happened to be a friend of my family, who walked in with his two young daughters to buy ice cream. Roger McKibben's throat was slashed in front of his daughters. The man was sent to jail for it, but what purpose did either act serve? The man vented his feelings, Roger lost his life, the girls lost their father. On a side note, the McKibbens had moved to St. Croix because they thought Armageddon wouldn't be as bad there . . . .

  Years later, I took my new husband to visit my home and we went into a local bakery to buy fresh bread. Though we were not the last ones to stand in line, we were the last ones served.

  I feel empathy for all who experience racism and discrimination for any reason. It's wrong, it's ugly, and it never accomplishes anything good. Now, if I can raise my child to treat all people as equals, and if my neighbor does the same, and her neighbor, and so on, perhaps it will one day make a difference.

  Nina