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How Do White People From Alabama Feel About "Selma" Here?
Posted on 1/10/15 at 2:51 pm
Posted on 1/10/15 at 2:51 pm
Every Southern state has its painful, horrid past on race, slavery, segregation, violence, etc. With Selma coming out, what is the opinion of those from Alabama about the past history of your state?
Why did white people in the past act that way?
Why was it so difficult for them to listen to and grant what King and others were asking for?
And, expand it past Selma to Birmingham, Anniston, Cullman, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, etc. It was all over the state, obviously.
How does this history on race and knowing that it affected everything, affect how you see the past? Or, does it?
By the way - I am not accusing anyone here of being a racist or anything now. that would be stupid. I am asking how you see your own history or how your view of the past in Alabama is affected by how white people treated black people.
Why did white people in the past act that way?
Why was it so difficult for them to listen to and grant what King and others were asking for?
And, expand it past Selma to Birmingham, Anniston, Cullman, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, etc. It was all over the state, obviously.
How does this history on race and knowing that it affected everything, affect how you see the past? Or, does it?
By the way - I am not accusing anyone here of being a racist or anything now. that would be stupid. I am asking how you see your own history or how your view of the past in Alabama is affected by how white people treated black people.
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Posted on 1/10/15 at 2:57 pm to AlaTiger
DGAF. I haven't done shite to black people.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 2:59 pm to AlaTiger
Don't care
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:00 pm to diddydirtyAubie
I didn't ask if YOU had done anything. I asked how you felt about the history.
People from Alabama talk about history all of the time - whether it is the Civil War or the 1925 national championship. How does that part of your history affect how you see the rest of it?
Just curious as to the reaction.
I am from Louisiana and I do look back at my own state's history with this in mind. It was part of things and was part of what made New Orleans what it became.
People from Alabama talk about history all of the time - whether it is the Civil War or the 1925 national championship. How does that part of your history affect how you see the rest of it?
Just curious as to the reaction.
I am from Louisiana and I do look back at my own state's history with this in mind. It was part of things and was part of what made New Orleans what it became.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:02 pm to AlaTiger
I lived in Selma for the majority of my first 28 years of life.
I don't find Selma (as it relates to race) any different than any other place I have lived. There are racist everywhere from every race.
Selma, I'm afraid, is a shithole of shitholes. I'm glad I moved away 17 years ago. I still have family there so I go back every now and then to visit and it's worse everytime.
I don't find Selma (as it relates to race) any different than any other place I have lived. There are racist everywhere from every race.
Selma, I'm afraid, is a shithole of shitholes. I'm glad I moved away 17 years ago. I still have family there so I go back every now and then to visit and it's worse everytime.
This post was edited on 1/10/15 at 3:04 pm
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:09 pm to AlaTiger
Arnold cooks some damn good ribs. Not exactly in Selma but about 15 min out at a little gas station. Best ribs I've ever had.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:10 pm to AlaTiger
Don't really care TBH
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:13 pm to AlaTiger
Those fricking bigots thought that if we desegregated all the public schools would go to shite and every inner city would turn into a crime-riddled shithole.
What a bunch of idiots
What a bunch of idiots
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:15 pm to AlaTiger
I grew up in Selma, and the decent people of the city moved past all this shite a long time ago. There are race baiters like sanders and chestnut that want to keep the perception of racism in the city at the forefront of the news, and people like that are a big reason why selma has gone to shite
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:17 pm to AlaTiger
As a lifelong resident and proud son of the Heart of Dixie, I can't answer for why whites acted the way they did. I suppose one could attribute it to an ingrained mindset passed down from generation to generation.
Our past, as with much of the South, is a horrible thing. I think "Selma" is a great glimpse into that era for many young people who have no idea of those events.
However, I don't feel that Alabama or the South in general should be judged today upon the worst time period in its history. There are still racist here, there will always be racist here. But, in many ways Alabama has come so far in a very short time...and that's a thing of beauty. Sure, there is plenty of work to do, but at least most reasonable people here are cognizant of the events that transpired and are working to improve them for all races.
Our past, as with much of the South, is a horrible thing. I think "Selma" is a great glimpse into that era for many young people who have no idea of those events.
However, I don't feel that Alabama or the South in general should be judged today upon the worst time period in its history. There are still racist here, there will always be racist here. But, in many ways Alabama has come so far in a very short time...and that's a thing of beauty. Sure, there is plenty of work to do, but at least most reasonable people here are cognizant of the events that transpired and are working to improve them for all races.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:20 pm to KyleOrtonsMustache
Well said.
The South does not have race riots anymore. That is significant, IMO.
The South does not have race riots anymore. That is significant, IMO.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:21 pm to genro
Niiiiice
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:36 pm to Riseupfromtherubble
quote:
I grew up in Selma, and the decent people of the city moved past all this shite a long time ago. There are race baiters like sanders and chestnut that want to keep the perception of racism in the city at the forefront of the news, and people like that are a big reason why selma has gone to shite
Moved past it? That is great. I should hope so. It was a long time ago. I am talking about how we see history.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:38 pm to AlaTiger
White people were just evil and racist for no reason back then but now we're more enlightened. Each generation is necessarily better and more enlightened than the last. We must all remember this because it's evolution.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:39 pm to AlaTiger
Whether its good or bad, Alabama has a rich Civil Rights history. IMO, its an asset that we should be marketing to the rest of the country.
My granddad and his brother-in-law were both on the Bham police force during the 60's. I still have his police ID card signed by Bull Connor. Was he on the wrong side of history? Absolutely. Am I proud of what they did in that time period? No. However, I'm no more guilty of his sins than he is guilty of mine.
I refuse to feel any guilt or responsibility for anything my long dead grandfather or other relatives may have done to someone else.
PS: I tear up every time I listen to MLK deliver his "I Have a Dream" speech.
My granddad and his brother-in-law were both on the Bham police force during the 60's. I still have his police ID card signed by Bull Connor. Was he on the wrong side of history? Absolutely. Am I proud of what they did in that time period? No. However, I'm no more guilty of his sins than he is guilty of mine.
I refuse to feel any guilt or responsibility for anything my long dead grandfather or other relatives may have done to someone else.
PS: I tear up every time I listen to MLK deliver his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:43 pm to genro
quote:
White people were just evil and racist for no reason back then but now we're more enlightened. Each generation is necessarily better and more enlightened than the last. We must all remember this because it's evolution.
You seem to be really rustled here. You said you don't get upset. You seem upset.
I am not saying that anyone should feel guilty. I am asking how we see the past knowing what happened.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:46 pm to AlaTiger
quote:
How Do White People From Alabama Feel About "Selma" Here?
Every morning, when I shower, I scrub harder to wash myself of the white guilt I carry with me. It's an invisible burden that I bear for my multi-colored brethren. I hope they can appreciate it.
ETA: I said "colored." I didn't mean it like that. Please forgive me. :(
This post was edited on 1/10/15 at 3:55 pm
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:49 pm to AlaTiger
quote:How so?
You seem to be really rustled here.
quote:I never said that.
You said you don't get upset.
quote:Do I?
You seem upset.
quote:Neither was I
I am not saying that anyone should feel guilty
quote:That's exactly what I answered.
I am asking how we see the past knowing what happened.
I really don't understand. This must be a troll. That was weird of you to say.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 3:58 pm to AlaTiger
I'm 44 and it all happened before my birth. That's a pretty decent time ago. I don't "feel" a certain way about it, other than it was a terrible time in AMERICAN history.
Not only do Southern States have a painful, horrid past on race, segregation, violence.. etc.. most of the country does and much of it more recent than Selma. I.E. Rodney King riots, Watts riots..
People like to point to the South and in particular Alabama at times, because it gives themselves an overinflated sense of self righteousness, where none should exist. Every corner of every state has it's prejudiced people. Some just make the news more often.
Not only do Southern States have a painful, horrid past on race, segregation, violence.. etc.. most of the country does and much of it more recent than Selma. I.E. Rodney King riots, Watts riots..
People like to point to the South and in particular Alabama at times, because it gives themselves an overinflated sense of self righteousness, where none should exist. Every corner of every state has it's prejudiced people. Some just make the news more often.
Posted on 1/10/15 at 4:01 pm to AlaTiger
I'm not sure any of us that weren't alive for that should really care about it. I certainly don't dwell on it and I'm a native of selma. The past happened and there is no changing it. Things are different today, which is what we have control over. So to answer your question, I acknowledge how backwards alabama and the rest of the southeast (and country) was back then, but I don't dwell on it and really never even think about it because it isn't relevant to today. Alabama, and selma in particular gets a lot of attention on the subject of civil rights because of the march to montgomery that Dr. King lead.
It was highly publicized, but aggregious acts of racism took place all over the southeast that didn't garner national news and haven't turned into movies, so I think Alabama is a little different in that regard. Our transgressions were broadcast on NBC and yours didn't make the local paper. But I honestly don't care much about how the past is viewed. Outsiders are going to draw their on conclusions and that will have no effect on me. I've seen how Alabamians react in a tough times today. In April of 2011 I saw blacks and whites giving each other the shirts off their backs, and that's all that matters to me. So I don't particularly care how the past is perceived. The past was awful, but few Alabamians give it much thought
It was highly publicized, but aggregious acts of racism took place all over the southeast that didn't garner national news and haven't turned into movies, so I think Alabama is a little different in that regard. Our transgressions were broadcast on NBC and yours didn't make the local paper. But I honestly don't care much about how the past is viewed. Outsiders are going to draw their on conclusions and that will have no effect on me. I've seen how Alabamians react in a tough times today. In April of 2011 I saw blacks and whites giving each other the shirts off their backs, and that's all that matters to me. So I don't particularly care how the past is perceived. The past was awful, but few Alabamians give it much thought
This post was edited on 1/10/15 at 4:03 pm
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