Re: A History of Mistrust

regarding Wright Thompson's piece on ESPN.com, August 2007

note: this is very "train-of-thought"... I just wanted to make sure I wrote a response while the piece was still fresh in my head, and I might not have organized the thoughts as well as I could have.

Good Afternoon-

I would just like to say that I feel honored to have read your story on ESPN.com this morning. I've read so many pieces in the media pertaining to this story, and it's been almost sickening to see the wrath of the public's hatred without anyone even beginning to take into account the entire racial circumstances of the situation. Being an African-American youth (relative youth; I'm 25, and my parents were teenagers during the 60s) growing up in the Northeast, I feel like I've been blessed and cursed with regards to the significant racial undertones that do still permeate many American communities. At times, I almost feel like I've grown up with too much of a sense of naivete towards these feelings that are so common in the South because of the acceptance (real or facade? probably a little of both) of integration in my neighborhoods. But with the innocence and lack of experience of overt malevolent racist thoughts and actions, my naive view of the world is hiding me not only from what my ancestors had to deal with on a daily basis, but what some of our black brother and sisters still deal with today in given areas south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Your piece has forced me to experience a rainbow of emotions. I feel angered that someone as talented as Michael Vick, someone who was placed on a pedestal because of his amazing ability, can be vilified so quickly without being given the chance to defend himself. I feel saddened that the monumental steps that Martin, Malcolm, and so many other strong activists and leaders from decades past are almost insignificant when one realizes that there is still so much deep-rooted, irrational hatred for man towards his fellow man. I feel disappointed when I realize how many people don't understand this strong racist undertone still exists, even though there aren't the obvious displays of racism as there were in generations past. But I also feel a sense of hope. I feel proud that there are still men and women who will take up the challenge to educate the public to the state of affairs that still exists; that even though integration is law, that de facto segregation still has a strong place in the old Jim Crow South, and that it's not going to go away or get better with effort. I feel stronger knowing that a family such as the Abernathys, with such strong ties to the Movement of the 60s and 70s, has not slowed away from being active in their community, nor have they shied away from the controversy that they might encounter by speaking their mind.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson, for providing not only the African-American community but the entire country (via espn, at least) with an educated look at the dark past of our nation, and for reminding all of your readers that although the "Civil Rights Movement" has technically passed, the idea of Jim Crow is still prevalent in some areas and that everyone still has to continue to help eliminate that idea of overt and latent racial biases in their everyday lives.

JJ