George Will in this column about Gone with the Wind notes that she wrote it in Atlanta, and it got published in 1936, when the future Martin Luther King, Jr was 7 years old, living then in Atlanta. Comparing that racist, wildly populur book in 1936 Atlanta with 2006 Atlant represents one of many "stunning" examples of the amazing speed with which America has changed for the better.
Indeed, the USA was not distinct on this earth in 1936 for practicing brutal and stifling racism, for denying represetative citizenship and individual liberties to a large fraction of its residents, for subjugating large fractions of its residents and denying them access to a civilized legal system. In 1936 slavery still existed on this earth, for example in Liberia, where the descendants of black US slaves played the role of "owner" of "indiginous" blacks. This blog isn't big enough to document all the places on this earth in 1936 which were at least as bad as the USA. But most of those places where just as bad in 1836; surely the subjugated population in Liberia was no better off in 1936 than it had been in 1936. But in the US much had changed for the better since 1836. In fact, many non-subjugated Americans during that 100 years had fought feircely to end this subjugation, and they had succeeded in moving civilization forward. Meanwhile, most of the rest of the world had stood still, practicing a mean, cruel existance.
In the years after 1936 America, unlike Liberia and most other nations, would lurch forward even more, transforming civillization ever on into never before achieved levels of advanced conduct.
2006-08-25
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Yes, America has progressed more in the 70 years since the publishing of Gone With the Wind than it did during the 70 years between the end of the Civil War and it's publication.
Mitchell's novel of yearning for the wonderful times when white people were kings of the world and the darkies knew their place was as much a reflection of the times as Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath. One dealt in the reality of the present existence, and the other with dreams of a better time.
In the 70 years since, the US has increased its wealth and while many US Blacks are no better off financially than they were then, others are.
In other ways, we have digressed because of what a friend and elder of mine calls "the trick bag" of integration. Black America relinquished much of its economic power when it abandoned the homegrown businesses that had sustained it through segregation for the "privilege" of giving our money to white folks, eating in their restaurants and going to the same toilet.
The new struggle for Black Americans is the struggle for economic control of our communities. This is the real jihad for us.
Black people have more economic power today than ever. Those who work hard and make smart choices have just as much as whites, Asians, and other Americans who make the same choices and work just as hard.
I conclude that the new struggle for Black Americans is simply a jahad against poor personal choices, a struggle to take advantage of America's freedoms and opportunities.
"...a struggle to take advantage of America's freedoms and opportunities."
That's what I said.
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