In 1966, in Helena, Ark., my grandfathers helper, Sterling Samuels, a black man, sat down in the dining room with my father, grandfather, and me to eat. A woman started screaming the 'n' word and caused so much stink that the sheriff was called. My grandfather argued with both the woman and the sheriff for quite some time with Sterling continuously saying he would eat in the kitchen. Finally, Sterling just went to the kitchen, with me following. He was my friend, I wanted to eat with my friend. We get to the kitchen and what! The cooks are all 50yr old black women. I can guarantee that we ate better than anyone in that restaurant that day, and I wouldn't have wanted to eat what that screaming woman ate!
... It's been a long time since I've said this, I am so proud of this country today. Granted, the black vote was strong, but there are many white people who have overcome their prejudice and voted for Senator/President Obama. I am however disturbed that there weren't more from the southern states. Prejudice still thrives here, including, I'm sorry to say, some in my family. I despise anyone that thinks they are better than someone else.
Tomorrow, I will try to see my friend Sterling. He's out of the construction business and is a Church of Christ preacher. I feel a need to shake his hand.
Stephanie
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The prejudices of our fathers generation still exist and may always but thankfully racism is becoming a thing of the past.
I was shocked and still a bit ashamed when I saw a poll that said the majority of white people voted for McCain.
My folks were prejudice and my mom sadly still is. She is a democrat in a conservative area and was worried that giving a black man the presidency would give blacks too much power. Sad huh?
Well today I am proud to be a US citizen again. I pray for Obama's safety though, because there is still a lot of ignorant hate out there.
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