(This is a repost from yesterday; this diary sank quickly into the murk amidst all the primary talk, here's to hoping it gets read a little more this time)
I attended my first rally yesterday, and was so inspired by what I saw and heard that I ended up giving an impromptu speech on the steps of the Mississippi state capitol.
The rally was on behalf of Jamie and Gladys Scott, two women serving dual life sentences for allegedly stealing $11 dollars. I say "allegedly" because the Scott sisters didn't actually steal any money- nonetheless, they've both been in jail for 16 years this month, and Jamie's kidneys are starting to fail. If she ever does leave prison, it will likely be in a casket instead of as a freed woman. If Haley Barbour can pardon 5 wife/girlfriend killers, he can certainly pardon the Scott sisters, right?
Rally participants gathered downtown, marched the streets, stormed the Governor's mansion, and ended up at the capitol steps. Pictures and reflection below the fold.
An Intro to Southern Racism
The South used to be known for blatant, abrasive racism. We all remember the chilling video footage (some of you were undoubtedly witness to it firsthand) of the hoses, the dogs, police beating down peaceful protesters with billy clubs as people simply demanded racial equality.
Now, just because segregation was outlawed by LBJ four decades ago, and just because we elected a Black president two years ago doesn't at all mean that racism is no longer a part of society. Instead, we saw White flight absolutely kill downtown culture and life in the South, when White folks got scared of the Black folks who marched in the streets and decided to move out to the suburbs. This transformed blocks and blocks of Jackson, my city, from a prosperous, exciting, vibrant city into slums. Those slums are now finally starting to come back and developers and investors are starting to put their faith in Jackson again, but it's taken awhile.
That being said, I got processed yesterday to be a substitute teacher in Rankin County, which is considered part of the Jackson metro area. It's a suburb, so it's mostly White. While waiting for my turn, the lady at the school district office's front desk and I were exchanging pleasant small talk. She asked me how long I'd lived here.
"I moved to Jackson about a year ago, from Kentucky," I told her. "I love this city. So much culture, music, arts, good people. It's my new adopted home."
"Oh, Jackson's scary," she said. "It's heartbreaking to see it all turn into ghettos and slums."
I started to cut in, arguing that an influx of young progressive people are coming into Jackson in droves; architects, lawyers, doctors, teachers, journalists. And they're all supporting the local economy, small businesses, music venues, and bolstering Jackson's arts scene in the process. The city is coming back, I insisted.
"Well, when you drive around where I used to live in the sixties, now it's all Black," the woman said. She didn't even say the word "Black," but instead mouthed it silently.
"They're all on drugs, and you can't even walk around at night or they'll rob you blind. They'll even raid your car if you leave it anywhere around."
I countered that violent crime in Jackson usually only happens if you mix with the bad crowd; it's just like any city. Stay away from the shady parts, and you'll be okay. I told her about the Farish Street district, which is the largest African-American district in the National Register of Historic Places, and how it's coming back in a big way. Blues clubs and restaurants are all under construction, and Jackson developers plan to make it into another Beale Street, with its own character and flair.
Still, the woman behind the desk flinched when I said "Farish Street."
"That's one of the scariest places," she said with a cringe. "I wouldn't walk around there, day or night. The Black people down there don't much care for White folks to hang around." She mouthed the word "Black" again.
It was no use. This woman clearly has her prejudices and won't be swayed. Racism is still strong in the South, but it's very subtle and masked in niceties and politeness. We sweep it under the rug. We don't talk about race in public, and in a way, that's almost as racist as shouting the N word at a group of Black students walking into a newly-integrated school.
And Haley Barbour won the 2003 governor's race from Democrat Ronnie Musgrove by using our controversial state flag as a wedge issue. Musgrove had previously supported a ballot initiative to remove the Confederate stars and bars from the Mississippi flag. Barbour's campaign slogan?
"Keep the flag. Change the governor."
He won by overwhelming margins. Even Black folks voted for him. And we still fly that flag today right in front of the capitol; it's real close by the giant statue erected in front of the capitol steps dedicated to "wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of the Confederacy."
Slavery isn't mentioned once on the statue.
Marching for Justice
Jamie and Gladys Scott, as mentioned in the lead paragraph, were convicted to dual life sentences for what basically amounted to petty larceny, if you could even hit them with that charge. In a nutshell, the Scott sisters played a role in an armed robbery by leading two men into the woods, where other men robbed them of their cash at gunpoint. All that was stolen was $11. The men who actually held the victims at gunpoint are not in jail. But the Scott sisters have been in prison for 16 years this month. I don't know of a more classic case of gross injustice in the entire country than this one.
But yesterday, around 300-500 protesters, Black and White, young and old, carried signs and marched from Farish Street to the Governor's mansion, all the way to the Capitol. We had police escorts. We chanted. We made noise. We got loud. People came out of their office buildings with cellphones and cameras pointed at us. We made the city of Jackson pay attention to the Scott sisters today.
"The people, united, will never be defeated!"
"No justice, No peace! No justice, no peace!"
We're here! And we're without fear! And we want our sisters free!"
"Haley Barbour, can't you see? The Scott sisters must be free!"
And at the capitol steps was a glorious sight. There was drumming. There was music. Singing. There were excited, chanting crowds. All of the Jackson media was there to film us. Everyone from state legislators, city and county attorneys to Black nationalists were there to speak. And I even got so moved that I gave an impromptu speech myself. I'll try to remember what I said from memory.
James Brown said,
'People People,
We got to get over,
Before we go under.'
We're here today because we believe in justice. Because we believe in a fair trial. Because we believe in Democracy.
Brothers and sisters, we live in an unjust world.
We live in a world where an oil company can pollute our Gulf and get off scot-free.
We live in a world where Wall Street bankers can hold our economy at gunpoint and demand hundreds of billions of dollars or they'll pull the trigger. And they got off scot-free.
We live in a state where our governor will pardon the man who shot his girlfriend, Adrienne Clasky, at point-blank range in broad daylight in front of a public library. And that murderer is free today.
And moreover, we live in a state where we'll throw two women in jail for life for allegedly stealing eleven dollars. And I don't think that's right, do you?
So when I say, 'What do we want,' you say, 'Free the Scott sisters.'
What do we want? (Free the Scott sisters!)
What do we want? (Free the Scott sisters!)
What do we want? (Free the Scott sisters!)
Peace and blessings. Thank you. God bless.
Haley Barbour and state attorneys apparently met with the Scott sisters attorneys Wednesday morning. We have yet to hear on whether or not a pardon will be issued. But if nothing else, we made our voices heard yesterday. It will be hard for Gov. Barbour to ignore the indignant voices of hundreds of Mississippians, or to defend the Scott sisters' imprisonment.
We made a difference. We made history. And I was blessed to be a part of it. I hope the 10/2/10 march on Washington draws millions and inspires countless others.
History and the tide of progression will always be on our side.