I never knew about this incident with JFK

[Hawaii Hiker]

Grant it, it was before my time, but I never knew this...


"Many older Democrats still revere JFK as the greatest President since FDR. For a lot of them, a high point of his administration occurred in Sept. 1962 when he sent his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, the Attorney-General of the United States, to the University of Mississippi to allow a black man, James Meredith, to enroll as a student at Ole Miss against the unrelenting and virulent opposition of archsegregationist governor Ross Barnett. Bobby, as he was usually called, was accompanied by 500 armed federal marshalls who eventually forced Barnett to stop blocking the schoolhouse door, but not before two people were killed and hundreds injured in the ensuing riot. The event was a turning point of the civil rights movement and the subject of at least one book. Kennedy did what he thought was right, even though he knew it would cost his party votes (in fact, the entire South, which was then solidly Democratic). Contrast this attitude with the mentality of most current politicians (of both parties) who will say anything to get 50% plus one vote. That in 2008 a young black man has a serious shot at becoming President of the United States has shown how far we have come in 45 years. Only in America".

www.electoral-vote.com

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Remember it well.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Oh, yes. That was the month I started college.

[roguevalley]

14. it was something, those times. I will never forget it. even if you were

the pres himself, it still could get you civil war in some parts.

[Atman]

3. Probably the last time we'll see them fight FOR people's rights.

Sadly, today if 500 troops descended upon a university, it would be to protect the rights of the University, not the citizens.

.

[TahitiNut]

4. Oh, yeah. George Wallace was elected Governor of Alabama as a result.

The bigot backlash in the South was huge. What's fascinating was Wallace's anti-KKK stance ... part of why he lost to Patterson in 1958 - Patterson was openly supportive of the KKK and Wallace was endorsed by the NAACP. (How's that for a piece of bizarre trivia?)

In 1963, less than 6 months after being elected and two months after I arrived in Mobile, Wallace took his "Stand in The Schoolhouse Door" in a kabuki of opposition to desegregation of the University of Alabama.

I remember those times very well.

[Coexist]

5. yeah, but that was an issue from the 60's.

:eyes:

sorry for the snide remark - but I have a special irritation reserved for people who stand on the shoulders of giants and sniff at the view.

[JBoy]

7. I have no idea what point you're trying to make. n/t

[Coexist]

9. sorry - I read this thread a few minutes ago -

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4245463

[jwirr]

11. Yes, anyone who is ignoring the gains and ignoring the fact that

there are still many bigots left who will vote in the general election is taking a big chance of losing it all.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. Another JFK moment was when he heard that the Big Three automakers

were colluding to raise prices on cars sold to government agencies. He told them that he'd order the agencies to boycott their vehicles unless they stopped their price-fixing.

Hearing that story made me wonder whether a future president could promote American-made products by requiring government agencies to give priority first to U.S.-manufactured goods and then, if none were available, to goods that had the highest percentage of U.S.-made parts, and barring that, goods from companies whose overseas factories had the best working conditions.

[mzmolly]

8. Great idea Lydia.

:hi:

[zalinda]

10. Yup, Edwards

He's open to any good ideas, and wants jobs first right here in America. Write him on his contact page. http://www.johnedwards.com/about/contact/form/

zalinda

[InkAddict]

12. Do you mean sort of like how they claim they cannot find

any qualified nurses, programmers, and even dance instructors in America. Come on, they just invent lies to accommodate what resources (human or not) they want to appease their favoritie lobbyists and stock their war chests. Please!

[JBoy]

13. Or the Border fence, being built with Chinese-fabricated steel n/t