Leonard Pitts Jr.: The new face of hatred

[marmar]

On June of 1963, after a tumultuous spring of demonstrations in Birmingham, Ala., John F. Kennedy said an odd thing.

In a meeting at the White House, the president told civil rights leaders they ought not be too hard on Bull Connor. Connor, he said with a grin, "has done as much for civil rights as Abraham Lincoln."

Theophilus Eugene Connor, of course, was commissioner of public safety in Birmingham. When you see archival footage of children being menaced by police dogs or bowled over by water from fire hoses, you are seeing his handiwork.

It had previously been possible for segregationists to wrap their cause in dry euphemism. They framed themselves as defenders of constitutional principle -- "states' rights." They argued that requiring businesses to serve African Americans violated private property rights. But that footage outraged the world, awakened the nation and hastened civil rights legislation.

Every once in a while, the battle for human rights needs a Bull Connor. The battle against the bullying of gay kids may have just found one.

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20101102/OPINION01/11020317/1322/The-new-face-of-hatred#ixzz149j9PDyR

[gula]

1. Unbelievable

"Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE."



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