[farmfriend]

who can stay perpetually focused on the worst aspects of an era when there was also much more to be honored

Many among us do not see the "so much to be honored". How much freedom was there really when a whole segment of society had none?

[SierraWasp]

Well, my focus was entirely somewhere else. I admire the way people in this nation, and especially in the southern states, were able to change their attitudes. I well remember the Democrats, and in particular, Algore's father fighting and even filabustering the Civil Rights laws so desired by Republicans that the votes were totally lopsided!!!

Now, what I can't understand is why the "Black Community" cannot seem to ever bring themselves to be intellectually honest about WHO stood up for them when it REALLY counted with meaningful law making!!! So we did all that and things have certainly improved and I don't think only of the negative of that time anymore as those issues were resolved!!! I've "moved on!"

[editor-surveyor]

"How much freedom was there really when a whole segment of society had none?"

I think that you're making much of a false stereotype. Yes there was a large segment of society that was shut out, but it was not cut on racial lines. Lower class whites and blacks were not much different in terms of opportunity. The common factors among them were poor education, and crime. Both of those factors have gotten worse for blacks in particular. Education has been denied to our lower class citizens by dumbing down the schools.

The 50s were better for the lower class.