John Lewis Recalls Apology From Klansman Who Beat Him

[bigtree]

from WaPo:


“Back in 1961, the same year that President Obama was born, black and white people could not board a Greyhound bus … and be seated together,” John Lewis recalled, speaking of the segregation that led to the Freedom Rides. “In South Carolina, in a little town called Rock Hill … my seatmate — a young white gentleman — and two of us tried to enter the so-called white waiting room. We were attacked by the Klan, beaten and left in a pool of blood.”

Years later, soon after Obama’s election as the nation’s first black president, Lewis’s congressional office got a phone call.

“Several years later, in 2009, one of the guys that beat us came to my office on Capitol Hill, with his son, he was in his 70s, his son was in his 40s, and said ‘Mr. Lewis, I’m one of the people that beat you. I want to apologize, will you forgive me?’

“His son started crying. He started crying. And I said, ‘I forgive you,’” Lewis said.

Lewis has told the story of the reconciliation before and traveled back to Rock Hill to again meet with the man, Elwin Wilson, who died in 2013...

[Sarcastica]

1. As it should be.

[bigtree]

2. »

[KeepItReal]

3. Very moving. Thank you for this.

I'm glad he finally realized that people of color were not his enemy.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

4. Awesome video.

And the one reason why I don't wish an early death for people with hatred and bigotry in their hearts. There's always time for redemption.

[calimary]

7. Nicely put, Tommy.

I too believe in redemption and deathbed conversions. But not nearly as often as I should.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. They rarely happen.

But when they do, it's a beautiful thing.

[msanthrope]

5. John Lewis is a moral example of love and forgiveness. nt

[jtuck004]

6. I wonder how many lives that guy destroyed before trying to make himself feel better with

an apology?

[Pantagruelsmember]

9. I wonder how many lives that guy destroyed

My guess his most obvious victim was his son to whom he probably introduced racism.
It's passed along to the children, often with horrible consequences.

[jtuck004]

16. Your assumption is backed up by research...

...
America’s newest generation is more racially progressive than its predecessors’. For example, the Pew study shows that millennials are more likely to support interracial marriage and dating and are generally more accepting of immigrants. They see themselves as racially progressive as well. According to a 2014 survey (PDF) of millennials conducted by MTV and David Binder Research, nearly all respondents said they believe “everyone should be treated equally, regardless of race,” 72 percent said “their generation believes in equality more than older people,” and 58 percent believed “racism will become less and less of an issue” as they take on leadership roles. More than half believe that racial bias is “small but real” and “subtler” than it was in the past.

However, such pervasive sentiments do not reflect reality. In fact, beneath the facade of a colorblind generation remains a deep underclass. And millennials are not as racially progressive as the narrative suggests. Studies show that white millennials have opinions similar to older generations’ on issues such as race. A closer look at the Pew Center’s data and other relevant research shows a less-reported but revealing fact: Much of the purported tolerance of the millennial generation is due to the inclusion of more people of color in the pool.
...

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/1/are-millennials-tolerant-racists.html

I remember in the 70's the parents showed up at the school and pushed their kids into attacking the black kids as they got on their buses to leave. From what I have seen, many of them taught their kids the same things while they were building and running this country for the last 30 or so years.

[sharp_stick]

11. It takes a big man

to give and a bigger man to accept an apology sometimes.

To others, there's nothing he could do to make up for what he did. Fortunately John Lewis isn't that petty.

[jtuck004]

13. Tell hundreds of thousands of black people unfairly jailed about petty. Or the tens of thousands

murdered in the pursuit of a lifestyle by the people who run this eternal plantation. Or how they should just stand up and forget the effects of ongoing oppression.

This lady...

...
"Tennessee's House majority floor leader kicked off a scandal back home by calling for the creation of "a Council of Christian Relations and a NAAWP in this Country." But after the Facebook post came to light, Rep. Sheila Butt (R) said that her critics had it all wrong: "W" doesn't stand for White, it stands for Western!
...

found here: http://field-negro.blogspot.com/

I think ideas like hers find fertile soil to grow in discomfort and are fertilized by comments such as yours. Excuses, perhaps made largely for one's own comfort. At the expense of others.

[7962]

15. Good way to put it.

[nomorenomore08]

18. I can't help but think the same thing. On the other hand, I won't say Lewis is wrong to forgive.

[jtuck004]

20. How Lewis responds is up to him, though I think taking the guy's hand is a good and the

right thing to do. It doesn't make the wrong less, and has real potential for covering up wrong that is happening right now.

But it does become a great anecdote. People could tell it while we are burying the next black person who "scares" some sensitive white person, pretend how far we've come.

[iandhr]

10. He's a much better man than I am.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. He was at the Department of Labor Friday morning.

I'll post the video when I can.

[madokie]

14. Thank you bigtree

This is awesome.

[bigtree]

17. »

[johnnyreb]

19. Great, great story.