It is written that Patrick Henry said: "The only means by which man has to judge the future is with the yardstick of the past." His words come to mind as I write this column. It is the season we look back over the past year and assess the things we have done. I wanted to review 1995 from the perspective my columns. A few pieces of the "yardstick" follow:
"Gingrich May Be Perfect For Task," the headline screamed in January. This piece argued, some what tongue-in-cheek, that Speaker Gingrich was the best man to lead the congress. Depending on how one looks at it, Gingrich’s leadership has made a difference in the way the government works. During his tenure as speaker, he simply closed government down and Time magazine named him their Man-of-the-Year.
Notwithstanding previous calls for abolishing Black History Month by this column, "Leaders Agree On Preserving History," appeared in February. This piece reported on an unusual event in Montgomery. It described the remarkable consensus built by U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson among Montgomery’s political, business, religious and civic leaders in support of building a civil rights museum in the former Greyhound bus station. Today, the project remains on track.
In March, "Race, Gender Gains Anger Some Males" began a discussion of the politics of affirmative action, which was continued in a September piece, "Affirmative Action Distorted Again." These essays exposed the weakness of the argument for ending affirmative action. The loud voices that called for the end of affirmative action at the beginning of the year are silent at year’s end.
"Dose Of Truth Nation’s Best Antidote" speculated how Timothy McVeigh succumbed to a toxic mixture of political scapegoating and talk radio rhetoric. McVeigh is believed to have bombed an Oklahoma City Federal building killing and wounding several hundred people.
Cinderella visited Smuteye in "Race No Barrier to those who Love." This uplifting piece told the story of Iris and Tony Lessa. Their June wedding marked the first time a white man legally married a black woman in Bullock County. Iris and Tony continue to bond their relationship.
"Chain Gangs Newest Wedge Issue" and "Can Work Release Really Benefit All?" discussed Alabama’s new directions in correction. The ‘Chain Gang’ piece revealed ‘the belated’ meeting between Governor James and Reverend Joseph Lowery. Earlier in March, "Events In Selma Changed Our World" chronicled conflicting reasons the two men were unable to meet during the reenactment of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights march. The jury is still out on both issues; "Work Release’ and ‘Chain Gangs" may need to be revisited.
During the year of the O.J. Simpson trial, a Montgomery County jury found Richard Lee Steele not guilty of the 1994 murder of Charles Minch. "U.S. Jury System Consistently Works" reflected on that trial. Twelve courageous jurors heard the prosecution’s case and did not believe police arrested the right man. Today, like Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman’s murders, Charles Minch’s murder remains unsolved.
The year began with ‘angry white males’ crying about reverse discrimination and seeking political revenge for affirmative action. By fall, Americans had an affirmative action poster child; Gen. Colin Luther Powell. My column, "Nicknames Boost Political Careers," predicted that "Skip" might serve in advancing Gen. Powell’s presidential aspiration as well as "Ike" served the last general to sit in the Oval Office. The column got it wrong. Two months later, Gen. Powell skipped out on millions of Americans who wanted him to be our first president of African heritage.
In October, a minority of Montgomery voters gave Mayor Emory Folmar and his Montgomery Team a mandate for change. "Obsession: Focus on Race Drives Montgomery Politics" pondered how and why the mayor, running unopposed for his office, picked and campaigned for an all white team of candidates for city council. There were many voices of opposition to the "Montgomery Team," but they came too late. In 1996, ‘Joe’ and ‘Emory’ continue to hold the city hostage to their race-based political agenda.
The year ended on a bitter-sweet note with "At Dexter: Church’s Leaders Faced Different Challenges." On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, there were many ‘sweet’ reflections at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. The ‘bitter’ note is the departure of Pastor Richard Wills. In 1996, Montgomery waits to see who will become spiritual leader of this historic church.
It is not possible to know how any particular readers view these pieces of the ‘yardstick.’ However, from the perspective of the column, these splinters of Patrick Henry’s yardstick appear to foretell an exciting 1996 for Montgomery, Alabama and the Nation.
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Originally Published: January 1996, Montgomery Advertiser
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