When George Wallace Got Shot Shirley Chisolm Visited Him In The Hospital

[DemocratSinceBirth]

That must have been a transformational experience for both of them. What Ms. Chisolm certainly did not do is speak reverentially about him.

Did Shirley Chisolm visit George Wallace in the hospital after he was shot


Yes, Shirley Chisholm visited George Wallace in the hospital after he was shot in May 1972. They were rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination at the time. The visit, which was about 15 minutes long, was controversial, but Chisholm stated that she wouldn't want what happened to Wallace to happen to anyone. Wallace, who was left paralyzed from the attack, reportedly cried in response.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. That's how it's done. Make the opposition cry by talking to them and showing them empathy.

If Chisholm can do it, so can we. America more than 50 years ago was more overtly racist. tRump's two Consent agreements re NYC housing were still more than a decade in the future.

Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to Congress, was no stranger to racism but her empathy overcame Wallace's resistance.

[Ponietz]

10. AFTER they hit rock bottom, unfortunately

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, however uncommon the occurence may be. . . . nt

[marble falls]

21. Sometimes that is what it takes. Some of us need to be broken down, attone, and need to ask to be put back together ...

... Christ said that even those late to the the harvest share in the bounty.

[ReRe]

13. K&R

They just don't make 'em like Shirley Chisholm anymore (tears in my eyes!) American History is so important.
I do hope our young democrats read her up on wikipedia & YouTube.
She is one example of many REAL Democrats in our Congressional history that we need to gain inspiration from.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

14. Actually, they do. As an individual she was a unique pioneer, but there are many brave strong-willed smart women around.

[ReRe]

16. I agree with you wholeheartedly!

But what I meant was inspiration as a party. Our PARTY needs inspiration to rise up and save our Democracy.

[brakester]

19. Way to go, Shirley!

It was obvious to me that woman had power, backbone and practiced true Christianity.

She was a dynamo!

[marble falls]

2. Shirley Chisolm was a transforming person.

[marble falls]

18. She transformed me: she was the prson who made me realize that our leaders didn't all have to be white old men ...

... that she had everything needed to have been a President.

[usonian]

3. Wallace later repented and was kind to all.

He learned the hard way.


George Wallace and the Campaign for Forgiveness
https://gratefulamericanfoundation.org/george-wallace-and-the-campaign-for-forgiveness/

In the years after the shooting, Wallace claimed to have a change of heart, and asked forgiveness for his racist past. He told one black audience, “I did stand, with a majority of white people, for the separation of the schools. But that was wrong, and that will never come back again.”

snip

Wallace found absolution from a hero of the civil rights movement, Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, who wrote: “…he was a changed man; he was engaged in a campaign to seek forgiveness from the same African Americans he had oppressed. He acknowledged his bigotry and assumed responsibility for the harm he had caused. When I met George Wallace, I had to forgive him, because to do otherwise—to hate him—would only perpetuate the evil system we sought to destroy.”

[brakester]

17. George Wallace changed.

He had a come to Jesus experience, I believe. He change his views, he softened. He made amends.

Some years after this happened, I came across him at a public gathering. He wasn't there for any official reason and was off by himself. I had had a lot of mostly negative feelings for him up to that point, but something made me want to shake his hand, to make a connection, an offer of truce. I wanted in some way to acknowledge that he had been through an horrific event and had grown. I saw him as a normal, fallible human being instead of a monster.

I'm not trying to make myself out to be a saint, because I still harbor a fair amount of hate and fear of evil people in the present era.

[usonian]

20. We're all normal, fallible humans. And then, someone puts a bug in our minds.

Hate is taught.
Racism is taught.
Nationalism, supremacy, misogyny, homophobia and so on, are all taught.

They are taught very well, and reinforced by the minute.
For someone else's advantage.

[ancianita]

4. Because Shirley was a Jesus Christian.

"But I say unto you which hear, love your enemies. do good unto them which hate you,
Bless them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you."
Jesus quoted in Luke 6:27-28, Matthew 5:43-44

[niyad]

5. Both Rep. Chisholm and Rep. Lewis were far better people than I could ever be.

There is nothing in my belief system about forgiveness.

[multigraincracker]

8. Ignore works for me.

[niyad]

9. Depends on the action. Ignore works fine in some cases. . .

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Forgiveness is for the person forgiving, releasing themselves, ejecting someone from free rent in their brain

When you hate someone, you suffer from the toxic emotions: debilitating health effects and soul crushing. The hated person feels and knows none of that.

Ditch the emotion and put the energy into cold steel determination to do what you are able to and you will be more effective and healthier and stronger and longer lived to make more positive change. The person will feel that much more than the hatred you inflict on yourself.

[niyad]

25. "May they receive everything they deserve" takes care of most issues."

It is not about forgiveness, nor is it about hatred.

[dsc]

6. Wallace served two terms as governor in the post civil rights era

he was governor of Alabama part of the time while Clinton was governor of Arkansas. He served from 71 to 79 and from 83 to 87

[Torchlight]

7. I think in the here and now, she would be detained

An immediate arrest with eleven to fourteen squad card converging suddenly. A wrongful arrest of course, but given the detainment of leadership simply trying to see detained immigrants, I think we can safely say that sort of thing really doesn't stop the GOP these days from ensuring their own picture stays completely White.

[BaronChocula]

12. I remember meeting her and seeing her speak

During her talk she spoke on maneuvering to cooperation in Congress with some really despicable people. She mentioned Mississippi Democrat Jamie Whitten by name in demonstrating the level of collegiality that was possible.

I thought of that during the disastrous vote marathon for House speaker that Kevin McCarthy kept losing. At one point we saw AOC speaking to Matt Gaetz and Paul Gosar. This was after Gosar had shared a cartoon of him killing AOC on social media. They were listening to her intently as she explained there was no way Democrats were going to make things easy for republicans that day. But she did so respectfully.

[brakester]

22. AOC is another seminal woman

like Chisholm. I see a lot of similarities in those two who dedicated their lives to service, had so much to give and aspire to. When I think of either, I can feel my heart opening up to the world.

They are powerful antidotes to the self-absorbed, sadistic, greedy people hanging out in the White House these days.

[BaronChocula]

23. I think of the learning curve for them

going from every day people to the Halls of Congress. Particularly being women of color who are cut no slack from the "privileged" members who enter Congress acting like they own the place and thinking they can break all the rules of procedure and decorum.

[progressoid]

24. That was over 50 years ago.

While I understand the sentiment, today is a vastly different political landscape. The right wing knows it and feeds off of it.

51 years ago, Nixon had to resign for what he did. If he had done those things today, nobody in the GOP or the media would bat an eye. And then when he died, they'd name some airports and buildings after him. They no longer have shame. Good luck trying to sit down with them and expect them to be reasonable.

[Jack Valentino]

26. Indeed, the modern GOP nominated and elected a convicted felon to the office of

President of the United States....

They are shameless liars who no longer care about the rule of law, only about power---


and a great many of them now honor the traitors who fought against their first elected President....

There IS no 'Republican Party' any longer.... THEY are the "TERRORIST POLITICAL ORGANIZATION"
which former Republicans have been yapping about....