Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1948-09-04
Through The
Periscope
BY The SEER

For some time, / have been asked
by my friends, to write something
on Civil Rights for our readers; but
this burning question of Civil Rights
has bene so much discussed and
talked about, used and mis-used, un-
till, it seems to be all but worn out.
First. / do think deal of pee
pie, both white and black, are un
duly evcited about Civil Rights, they
seem to think that it is panacea,
able to bring about miracles. Some
feel this way, because they Just
simply, don't know; and others are
swayed by what they hear and read
from our politicians, both local and
National, who find that it makes
good political dope, to get the peO-
pie all excited and bring about strife
and division; as pOlitica and cleo
tiOns always have, and seemingly,
always will, thrive on discOrd and
ascension. Worse of all, the pOliti-
clans are not sincere, all they want
is something that will rouse the rab-
BILE: they like to appeal to peoples
feelings and emotions, for they have
gumptiOn enough to know, that when
people start acting on their emotions,
they stop thinking, hence they are
easily led. Just remember what you
have been reading in your daily
papers. here in Arkansas for the
last two weeks. This was true in
the days of Brutus and Ceaser, so
is it true today.
One group seems to think that
Civil Rights is something that will
do away with all of the customs
of the South, at once, and bring
about ESQ caled) social equality and
racial intermixing, overnight. There
are others that seem TO think that
Civil Rights, will, solve all of their
problems and cure all of their ills
at once. Customs cannot be changed,
nor can ills be cured, overnight,
lust by passing a few laws. Both
sides are equally wrong, Civil Rights
wont do either of these things; no
laws can be Iegislated that will make
all humane beings equal, overnight.
Civil rights. is something that must,
more or less, he merited, through
patient training and constant labor.
1t is a process of education toward
better understanding for both
groups. Under this present system,
of racial discrimination some have
If, and don't deserve it, while there
are many that desrve cit and don't
have it.
The laws of nature as well as the
laws of man have always given the
right of rule to the majority; I'M
fortunately, in many eases, the ma
iOrity has often suppressed Or taken
the rights of the MAJORITY, to their
own advantage; in other words, tha
strong add to their own strength
ard comfort, by taking away from
the weak. But Democracy was in
stituted to eliminate these imper-
fectiOns of civilized living. Demo
c;'acy proposes to give evedy living
creature, regardless of station, an
even break, in life. That is what
Democracy was instituted for, and
that is what it is supposed to do,
and when it fails to do these things,
IT has failed in it's objective.
In our country, supposed to be the
worlds greatest and most perfect
Democracy, minOraties, and especial
~ one, the largest and most con-
SpiciOus one, because OF its color;
has often mistreated, along these
lines. Often the right to vote and
help make the laws, has been den
led; the right to work at any Joy
qualified, and make a decent living
for ones family, has been denied,
frequently the right to raise ones
children In decent homes and whole
some environments, has often been
denied; the right to decent and
wholesome recreation for ones
children, at public expense, has been
denied; the right to educate your
children TO whatever vocation in
life they might be inclined TO fol-
low, at public expense, has not been
granted, the protection OF the law,
for ones life and property, has Of
ten been denied. These things group
ed together, we call Civil Rights.
To deny one these things subjects
him to status of End class citizen
ship, the blight of which, might af-
feet one, throughout his whole life.