Jackson advocate., 1962-05-12
What
FREEDOM
RIDE?'
Joseph F. Albright


hoop-la has been engendered be-
case of new freedom ride" gim-
mick whereby us "cullud folks"
might procure a one way ticket
up North to the promised land"
where the brethren can live in
an abundance of milk and honey
and what not.
AS one who has lived virtually
all his life in this paradise"
and who has come - with
out any duress vile - to live the
rest of his days in Mississippi,
| am certainly possessed of
some objective thinking in con-
sideration of this exodus pro-
gram.
To begin with, this being
America - Thank God! there
being no restrictions in inter-
state travel on anyone except
the price of the fare, he or she
can go anywhere they wish. And
as | have said on numerous oc-
casions before, if anyone feels
the urge to leave these here
parts, then |, for one, am all
for their departure and goodbye
and good luck for, person.
ally, would not stop to proper
ly pack a few possessions if |
found life so intolerable to bear
around here. Il don't see any
body walking around with balls
and chains on their legs, do
you?)
But what particularly in
terests me about this goodbye
y'all" crusade is that the folks
up yonder obviously haven't
exhausted themselves hanging
out welcome signs for the pro-
posed participants in this new
hegira from Dixie. No, indeed;
quite the contrary. From the
walls of protest emanating from
officials, civic leaders, perio-
ideals, etc. in the Northern
terminals of the proposed ex-
odus you would think that
the travellers have just busted
out from some netherworld, af-
flicted with kind of pox be-
yond medical or social redemp-
tion. These professors are yell
ling, Don't come here. We are
underhoused, afflicted with un-
employment, and already we are
burdenend with enough pro-
blems without YOU" Some
paradise!
Now to the essential point /
in all of this hoop-la. Booker
T. Washington once said, "Let
your buckets down where you
are" He used this metaphor to .
dramatize the fact that oppor-
tunities are available to be /
grasped anywhere if we will but
seek them. Pastures may look
greener over yonder, but when
you get there you will usually
find the grass is just about the I
same. The problems racial
and otherwise can not be ]
escaped simply by running toS /
change in geography or cli-E
mate. If anyone doubts this,
just read your newspapers, or
listen to the TV and radio news
casters.
The substantial, hardwork1
ing, self respected citizen is q
welcome boon to any communal
ty and his voice carries
some weight therein, race not
withstanding. There are many
of these Negroes in MISSISSIPPI
pi and the South
whose diligence, thift and pro-
gress are welcomed and respect
ed by White people. l doubt il
you will find a single one OF
these taking advantage" o.
this new opportunity to flee.
Everything is NOT "all right
in Mississippi. But you had bet
ter believe me when / say
racial relations wise they
certainly are in no utopia1
shape elsewhere, either, An&
you had betted believe me furthl
er when l say that there ar
honest and sincere people o
both races working every da
for the general progress an
welfare of this State. woul
a thousand times rather trus
my destiny into the hands d
these sincere Mississippian
than to take off pell-mell int
some promised land" where
am told before I get there thE