In the catagory of, "....the more things change, the more they...." there is this passage from the book
Gender and Jim Crow, pgs 123-124, by Glenda Elizabeth Gilmore. The speaker is white Republican, William E. Clarke. (Of course, it refers to the time when Republicans were the progressive party. At least that much has changed.)
"The Democrats left nothing to chance. For weeks before the election they armed New Bern whites to the hilt. The Naval Reserves drilled every night and concluded each evening by firing a volley at 11:00 p.m. During the day and early evening, random shots frequently rang out across the city. "They had the negroes scared to death. I found it almost impossible to get anyone to distribute our tickets." On election day, in addition to armed intimidation, some registrars would allow only Democrats, no Republicans, to approach the polls. Boxes in some precincts were poorly labeled; in others, voters had to hand their ballots to a poll worker who put them into whichever box he chose. After the polls closed, a restless group of African Americans milled about the courthouse. Panicky Democratic election officials reported that the group 'threatened to kill them unless they counted their vote. 'Nonetheless, the registrars threw out three Republican precincts, making the crowds "cursing "mad. When the results were in, the amendment triumphed in New Bern by 1,600 votes. Clarke commented sardonically that 'since the election was rigged anyway, the margin might have "been 16,000; but they had consciences. '. . . It was a mockery from start to finish.'"
The only things missing from the 2004 election are the guns and the threats of murder. Knowledge of history integrated with awareness of emerging events can be powerful in the maintenance of democrasy.
While this is not a particularly important diary, I hope someone finds it enjoyable.
