The need for action (Part 1 of 2); Racism in America : past, present, future symposium

I understand you already heard a couple of talks and you got your ears burned a couple of times. I think this is good. Or that you might understand. I think some of the frustration and anger that has existed in black America today. And I spoke in. Minneapolis St. Paul. A. Number of months ago or afterwards I got together with a black power group. And one of the young men there mentioned Rap Brown was coming in a few weeks. He said you know Crowley says rap won't speak to right audience is any longer. Said. Or. In his feeling is this that it's impossible. You just cannot make white America understand what it means to be black and white America. Can be quite America understand what it means to live in the ghetto.

And I think that he is. Partially correct although I am somewhat of an optimist and I like to think in. The sense of Dick Gregory that coming to student groups such as this that there is hope here in young America. If there is any hope of saving this country of ours I think it is present in a room like this. Where young people are gathering together and looking for answers and are thinking and I hope are willing to act. Because I think America today has reached the danger point. I think that Stokeley is correct when he says that the white backlash is nothing more than exposed white racism something that has been there all the time. I think that we have reached a particular danger point today because we have a man who can articulate very well there are the feelings of white racist and that man is George Ross. I want

to say here at the outset that there is no difference between George Masson Adolf Hitler Mark. And that these. Were. Thanks. James. Silence that was present in the part of good thinking people in particular that same scandalous silence that was evident in the church is evident in America today. The silence of the Church the great support that this man is getting. The cry of Nixon by law and order which means nothing more than I'm going to keep those niggers in their place. The silence of the church on this whole issue. To those of us who live in the black community who are confronted daily with with poverty and hunger it makes a person want to

vomit. I mean that makes a person want to vomit. Indeed the church can force you no need to talk about the immorality of violence. The riots in the streets as white America called them in and says nothing about the burning of children in Vietnam. The kind of hypocrisy that is evident throughout our system. A system which justifies the Ku Klux Klan and condemn its militant black groups such as the Black Panthers or the commandos in Milwaukee or the Blackstone Rangers in Chicago or the rocky we've tried many things. Nixon came forth and talked about orderly procedures. I work in the home base of spend some time Mississippi has spent some time in Alabama but

my activity has been confined to my own backyard and it's a community which I was raised it was in the Rocky We tried many things you know in order to try to alleviate the sufferings of black people in Milwaukee and. Fight against racism. We tried persuasion. That didn't work I remember you know one of the first times we went to the Common Council trying to get a fair housing bill passed. We thought well let's bring the influence of the church. And we brought in Episcopal bishop and priest ministers black and white rabbis college people university professors black and white poor people. Black and white. And we talked about the immorality of discrimination and the necessity of a Fair Housing Law for the city of Milwaukee. I might add here that we were not only concerned about that black person who might have advanced himself economically and had the means to move wherever he chose but we were also concerned about black people living in poverty because of

urban development there's the uprooting constantly of power wasn't of black families from their homes just being pushed out. There is no place for those families to go all moving in with the reality is the population density is increasing. We're concerned about territorial expansion this is one of the reasons why we're fighting for a fair hours in law. So we went to the common council you know and brought all this moral persuasion and thought we'd appeal to the conscience of the common cause in the city of Morocco and it took a vote you know we lost one thousand to one. One person voted for it was the black aldermen the only black all and we had at that time she a woman who introduced the bill came up three other occasions we lost every time one thousand one hundred one and one thousand to one. And this was an example I think of racist white America. Reacting to the black man's legitimate demand for a right a God given right a right which Pope

John called freedom of movement within the confines of one's own country. It was then that the EU's council went to the streets. I thought we'd try an old constitutional right to protest picket at the homes of various aldermen got nowhere. Common Council was the journey we went to the Common Cause we said look you know things are good little tense. You had better do something to show the black community that you're interested in this alienation from white America. And do something about the harvesting situation in Milwaukee. They voted to adjourn one week later more rocky exploded. And when America looked at the violence in the streets in the black community and reacted. This is horrible. You know they're robbing all those stores. They are call them hoodlums said point two percent of the black community was involved.

The. White American church even came forward and said they're stealing you know I was stealing it was restitution. To. The world. You got to understand you know the the lawful way in which merchants operate in the black community. Robin black people for years and walk in those places you know no price tags on the merchandise that's determined by the individual who comes in how poor he is the poorer you are the higher the price. And you've got those little garnishment teams you know lawyers all involved you know. It's robbing poor people. Black man got tired of it. He went in took what was his anyway and see what America was shocked you know all that I said in my rectory steps you know and some of the brothers and sisters walked by some carrying furniture you know.

You know way to me and I probably grew up as a. Black Power Brother Black Power. And this is the way we felt. And the mayor came forward with the National Guard the next day come out of there being a bigot cops all over the place. The police department you know said the other day I gave him a compliment. So I was really calm and I said you have to get paid $10000 a year. I think you I get an education first. For him. To. See that I think a basic. Evaluation is necessary if we are to advance in racial relations in this country. I think this is true of every white person that is present in this room and I mean this very seriously.

You may look at yourself and say I am not prejudiced. And I question if you say it then I certainly will question it. You see all the whites in this room are products of a white cultural ghetto. You have been raised in a racist society. And I believe it is impossible for any white person raised in a white culture all ghetto to escape the disease of racism. In our church we have an integrated church. Blacks and whites there used Council which I have spent a great deal of time as integrated people stumble in their relationships blacks and whites. I think there's a certain amount of goodness because blacks are very and whites are learning. I think that this is basically true there is no white person in this room including myself who knows what it is to be black in white America. I think that is an impossibility. And I think a person has to make that

honest evaluation of oneself. If you are to grow into your knowledge and your understanding of your black brother and your black sister and this is true the police department police departments bad you know policeman you know he's so on educated. And he really is a cranky for the system. Perhaps crude terminology but it's true. It's true. That policeman the attitude that white America has of him is that you know he will not tell a lie. And he is a decent fellow. He's just trying to enforce the law. And whatever he says is good. He's impeccable and he's infallible. And you have to live under this to understand what I'm talking about. For example you know with our freedom all of them Iraq and live with the number of fellows in the U.S

Council in great number of young people gathering in the speeding houses from very poverty stricken areas in you you can't understand what this means you know they have a squad car parked down the block you know and the cop consistently looking out the window with spyglasses watching everyone who comes in. Everyone who goes. And then they have that squad car pull up to the Freedom House door to the church door and stick out a camera and take pictures of people coming in and out of that freedom house or coming in and out of church services. They have them parked across the street and stopping all the young men and the young women who come to that Freedom House for meetings or for social events or whatever it may be stopping them and ask them what is your name where are you going. This builds up tension in the build up anger. I remember one night dropping off to the youth council commanders upon the Freedom House I took my car around the block and parked in the St. Francis parking lot and came back around the corner you know.

But the members of the youth council rents what church you know. And there was a plainclothesman offer you see they were guarding us. Against the Ku Klux Klan and whomever it was because they had the NAACP adult office we told to get away we take care of ourselves we took an M-1 Carbin rifle and put it up stairs without anybody comes around he will take care of it just leave us alone go away. But they said no you're going to get protected whether you like it or not. So you know I came back around the corner that night and here was a young rookie policeman dressed in all work shirt you know he was disguised himself. He's the Ku Klux Klan came along as. Well about this time I was going to protect us but he stopped those two commandos and he asked them he was asked them what is your name. Where did you come from where are you going. I came around a corner I said Now why did you stop there. I said you start him get out of my car. You see those youth council sweatshirts just see them going to their freedom us

right to stop them. Network economically is what he says I stop everybody I see this we look at all the names I've got you know. But you see this is the kind of harassment and intimidation that so angers you that you want to go home with a gun and pull a man's head off. I'm serious about this because you know you read about Huey Newton over the years. Eldridge Cleaver and a few others and some of the reaction of the police department I'm white now I reacted in that way. Cops Followed me for four months everywhere I went. You know got me may take youth counsel girls home from a dance I dropped off the house. Cop comes up takes down or address 15 or 16 year old kid. House to house i gotta have these cops tagging me behind me. When you stop your car you go back to the man you say why you're following us is. I'm not just

opera ry. Or the things I get out of the street are you get arrested you know. Sort of thing you know that builds up in you and builds up in you. I NEARLY don't know how to react you know sometimes you feel the best way to handle him is to make a jackass out of him. Been pretty successful in that a few times. Went to see Chief Brier you know told me one of the cops leave my freedom Oh so you know if he said you're going to get protected whether you like it or not was it alright you protect us we'll protect you. We said the commandos on the second front of his house. For him. You know I you know you are stupid you know so stupid you don't know whether you should get mad or whether you should fill his

route to garner cheap briars house Wendy you know and 25 cops came up you know they got arrested four guys for guarding the chief of police without a license. That's. Really stupid you know. I mean they found me one night you know on the fellers are good kind of enjoying this for awhile you know they want to play games us play games like about three or four cars they all got behind me you know and. And blocks cops off behind me you know I got away. Parked at a side street. A squad car went by. I took off and got behind squad car. No. I had a group of the kids in the car that it was really funny they really enjoyed this you know there was screaming all over the place. We chase that's cried guy for six blocks. Or a. Place. That CD you know these are some of the tactics I say you really don't know how.

You get the opposite reaction to it. The. Book out to Dave you read it sometime black rage I understand you had Dr. Price you price in Cobbs and the book is excellent. This is what builds up you know us. I remember one day driving home you know in the squad car was following me and I get tired of looking in a mirror. Seen him back in my car pulled into the same bite of his parking lot. Cops pull right into the yard with me. And. I mean to say I reacted in I react in this Lee I got so mad I jammed my car into what I thought was a reverse and stepped on the gas. I wanted to blast them out into the road and didn't care what happened to me. They were going to get off that church property.

You missed a gear and take it apart. You know I got the car you know and I said Get the hell off this church property where you think you're trying to do the guys you know. I didn't say help that time I said it was these but anyway he spit on me and some of the brothers and sisters from across the street you know. Saw me standing there and they all came out of their houses and. Cars and I looked on church property you see this don't you know. They got a license plate number. And they pulled out. Really good shot there but they got away. But anyway. This is this is what happens you know somebody's reaction to the police department or the youth council one time you know we said we would only take care of arrest situations that were civil rights actions. We got to the point where the police department intimidates and harassed the so much of picking up cars on the street for nothing at all and accusing them of all sorts of things that we just couldn't differentiate

any longer what was civil rights and what was justified arrest was so much harassment there is so much unrest on the part of the police department. You know one of our arrest situations we. Marched against the mayor's proclamation. I was getting proclamations you know. Proclamations forbidding us to to demonstrate. After we nearly got killed in the south side. But this this proclamation came forth and we marched anyway and but 115 of us got arrested and I was arrested out there and I was being carried to the wagon. And a police officer had me by the foot you know was digging his finger nails into my foot he was doing this intentionally So this is a tactic on the part of the policemen where they will intimidate or harass or nudge you with a billy club in such a way that you will react and then when you go to court you see they've got an additional charge that isn't just disorderly conduct but it's also battery on a policeman or obstruction or resisting arrest or something of this really proper on me the man was digging his fingers in

my foot I said I said stop stop the Phillies diggers figures my foot you know. You see Marquis. The police officers don't wear their badges. See when they don't want to be identified. Chief of Police always comes forward and says Well if you've got an accusation against a police man for police brutality. Let us know who he is and we'll bring you the police and fire commissioner we'll have a hearing but you can't tell where it is because you don't wear the badges. So I told him the man who was carrying me from behind tell him to stop doing his fingernails on my foot. And. I didn't say they put me in a way you know. And. I. Got downtown I was charged with battery on a police no supposed to kick the man so hard in the chest. That. He lost his breath he had to go get an X-ray. And could return to work in this again is a tactic of the police department you know the man can catch his finger in the door. If there's been any sort of incident in the area he's going to go to the

hospital and he's going to be an injured policeman there 35 injured policeman that you read in the paper is usually someone scratch their toenails. But that's what it amounts to but this is something that is brought up in court. Brought up in court I would stand trial for that particular incident. And. You know I sat down with my attorney next to me a very fine man. I looked over there were two white district attorneys 11 white jurors one black man. Why judge who belongs to a racist club. And I sat there and I looked at all this took out Stokely is what black Carmichael and red for the entire trial. Because you see that's the hopeless situation that a black man is in when he appears before the judicial system as it is set up. Sometimes we talk about the the and the necessity of bringing black policemen into the black community and I think that this is good it's it's absolutely necessary. When you've got a

judicial system which is which has racist judges in it this this poses another problem. And those judges are racist we have that issue more Apia few years ago you know the oblongs the Eagles Club 15 above all belong to a club which says black people can't join. It's a political stronghold. Yet they say they can sit on the bench and be impartial in their treatment of black people. It's an impossibility. But you know you can win this cap set up there and said I use vulgarity you know and my attorney asked him did you dig your fingernails in a paragraph piece for what you know. Yes no no. Why why would I do a thing like that you know. You can't win. This is the problem I think of the black man in the ghetto and in a racist society it amounts to oppression. The monster. That's what it is. I think again that we need black policemen but I think again something has to be done with the judicial system. It's a terrifying state of affairs. I say we've

used other procedures we still use a picket line in the protest march not in the sense that others have used it we don't believe any longer in appealing to the white man's conscience we don't know how much of a conscience he has. Certainly the political structure has none I'm beginning to wonder whether or not the church has one. We use demonstrations we use the picket line we use other things. As a means of creating tension creating pressure in order to make a structure respond. There's one thing I think that will make the structure respond that is this pocketbook and that is also the threat of violence. We've had violence and Morkie. A lot of people look at demonstrations and say they were nonviolent they were to an extent but there were instances of violence also. Some of which were very good. For example the mayor's office was torn up had a sit in down there youth council members and parish members and some commandos and mayor would meet with them I guess to get tired of waiting so they tore up his office.

Did a good job. Good job. When I was asked you know do you know why the mayor came forward to the press came forward and said Aren't you going to apologize that it's in the mayor's office. Imagine that. Members of your parish talk the mayor's office I said yeah. You know one week ago the policeman burned down our freedom house tear gas did claiming there was somebody in there with a rifle there was no one in that house with a rifle it wasn't a gun and that I was a mother and there is a little kids. Tear gas the place burned it down. And I got no apology from the power structure or from the church. But the burning down of that freedom as well because it was a slum house the middle of the black community. Even though it was home to us no one responded. When the mayor's office was torn up that was horrible you know the national news.

We've used I think every tactic that a person can think of this fire is bringing about a levy ation of the sufferings of black people in poverty nothing really has worked that has as changed anything in a meaningful way. I have become increasingly frustrated increasingly hopeless with the system. I think that we're in a worse state today than we were one year ago and I think that the United States is getting dangerously close to the concentration camps and I think that rouses bringing his plight but I think the Nixon is any better but I think that we are getting dangerously close to the concentration camp. I think we're going through the same stage the Nazi Germany went through. And I think that. The same silence of the church is there also. I see. And since the. Fair Housing we got we got the fair housing bill in Waukee by the way. Some of those nights are rather interesting I remember one day we marched on the south side you know on.

Polish Catholics predominantly. Reacted to our marches. Call everyone black bastards go back to Africa to chant down there you know we want slaves we want slaves we once. Made fun of the black man's features. I don't chant to EIO father grow up he's gotta go. I always mention them because they call me father. See. Tribute to the sisters and teach in school. Got a list of how they felt about me they still call me father. Kate a cop and one day to you know father grew up in Reston his. Father grew up to rest and heal. Very good. But we got a fair housing that we participate in the poor people's campaign I think this was a. I think there was some good that came forth from it but I think that it was.

A real tragedy. I think there were some tactical errors there I think the establishment of Resurrection City was a tactical error. I think we should have been in the black community I think those cameras should have been focused on poverty. I think that the kind of tension that was necessary to make the Congress to make the government respond was not there I think we could have created it had we been established in the black community and had the caravans been permitted to go into Washington. I think we could have done something but. Instead we found ourselves a little reservation next to the Washington Monument and we we got nothing came back from the Poor People's March. And I think that the frustrations of the people that participated had increased because they had not seen any results. People from Mississippi for example is still going back and working at Eastlands plantation he says and by the way is on welfare you know he gets subsidized by the federal government not to plant crops. And the people on his plantation are starving.

But we came back and we got nothing. Since then the Youth Council Rock has been involved in various things and parish has been involved in various things we've been involved in a few. A few fights on the economic level we've got one plant I'm walking away from a very interesting correlation with the Mexican-Americans on the south side correlation which has worked and I think which is going to produce a result and perhaps may unite us for future actions. That a plant on the south side of Milwaukee ninety nine and one half percent of its employment forces right. Got between five and six thousand employees and gets federal contracts. And we confronted the company we asked for 10 percent black and 5 percent Mexican-American. They said that this was immoral you're asking for preferential hiring. Who said that employment was a 99 1 1/2 percent. Right. And we're not asking for preferential hiring in this regard but we are asking for. Preferential hiring in the sense of hiring blacks promoting jobs for black people.

The company has responded somewhat or waiting for the results of the federal investigation. But with the rocket strikes that were interesting you know. Unions are. Sometimes as racist as the plaintiffs. But our action the parish has been this we don't always determine our actions sometimes and most of the time the determined by black people live in a community a group of women came out of this plant and told us about the working conditions there in the lower wages and so forth we said fine the next day we pull the wildcat strike. Company came to its knees and we had it settled by night before we were back to work the next day they agreed to all of our terms for the same thing on the south side of Milwaukee with Bremmer industrial another laundry. Interesting you know this plant is on the south side of the rock in the middle a very right community. It has a workforce of about 100 in 10. There are about 100 black people working there and 10 white people all in supervisory positions. This is what

is called a modern day plantation. Black people given this kind of work because white people won't work there. We pulled out the entire workforce there in got the place cleaned up and again got our demands. These are some of the actions we have had in the past. I think that this you know the situation is it's almost hopeless. We've got the black community it's controlled by the white power structure by slumlords who live in suburbs like rubber toes charge exorbitant amounts for rent own the entire community own the businesses you got gypped merchants in the air you've even got to write plants in the area that refuse to hire black people. And even get jobs within the black community. Every day the black community sees an army of white people come into our community work in those plants and then go home at night.

And I think that this is where. You know we are going to. Struggle in our efforts. Years ago you know we tried to integrate white America we. Worked in the school situation didn't get very far we. Pulled many stunts. I'm still doing this in Waukee where. Hundreds of black children are being placed on buses and bussed to our white schools and segregated within those white schools segregated during classrooms segregated during recreation hours. One time black children were even placed on the buses sent back to the sending schools where they eat lunch and placed in the buses again sent back to the receiving schools. We block the bus. And went to jail. Most of the busing has stopped. But a great deal of it is still going on. Today we turned. Inwards quite a bit. We're not fighting so much for the integration of a school system we believe that white America will not respond we've tried that. And.

When. White people criticize black people for forming separatist groups remember that those are. Right creations. That white America has not responded to the black means demand to be integrated into the American way of life. And so we have turned in. We're asking for a decentralization of the school system or at least the school system can be controlled by black people living within the community. We're going to many things we're turning inward. You know on school it's a bought office by the way and I think that some of the sisters are doing a fine job. I think that some of the sisters and also teachers that come into the black community have to be educated and have to be trained screened. In many white teachers that come into the black community ought to get out. This is true of us with many sisters. If you don't understand the problems of a black child in an all black school. And many of you bring in racist attitudes from out there like the white school teacher at St. Boniface whom we got rid of

you know teaching the children Old Black Joe. Then this this is what goes on over the attitude of what this is how the hour they are doing as well as can be expected we don't accept that in our school. Try to teach our children a black Nysa says. Again. Dr. Price and Dr. Cobbs call it. Black Beauty black identity. When this is done from the earliest years. And I think that this is one perhaps that one of the most horrible attacks you know of right racist America we talk about violence and violence to the. To. The human system to the physical violence as usual we talk about. I think psychological value of violence is a thousand times worse. Rocking to a classroom. First to second graders. When you use the terms black people.

And little children already in the first and second grade. Get taken aback. Rundle kid begins to point at you know. Another little kid who is black complected hangs his head. And a little girl begins to laugh. You see. This is what right America has done to black people. Mind add not only to black children too but but also but to black adults its brainwashed. Brainwashed you sours. That everything right is good in everything black is bad. Its infected our language. You know. White sheep and black sheep you know. Black bottle and black. Everything bad is black and everything good is white even when you know white Catholics come to confession you know. I told a white lie father.

White lie and you know a liturgy of our church you know also we got this thing you know right is a symbol of purity and joy and black we wear that for funerals. See. Rush me and I shall be white is snow. This means something to a black person like Christmas the same bonnet as I wore black vestments and. We had a beautiful black Christmas at St. Boniface it was very interesting. Because we put a break out a Christmas boycott. Don't buy. Any Christmas trees. And some of the militants really enforced it you know there is. No way that anyone had a Christmas tree in a black community they shouldn't put it in the window. And you know we got criticized for this our song. We said we wouldn't you know force anyone not to put up a Christmas tree. But

then again you know when I hear this criticism from white America you know I scratch my head and I begin to wonder because. I was reading about the American Revolution in the. You know the collaborators weren't treated very kindly. Back ahead of Frenchmen over when they use actually have Jews and Jewish ancestry but he was Frenchmen editor. And he was asking me about this you know some people say the reason why they're going around the Black Christmas is because they're afraid you know that there's going to be violence done to them as yeah this is where you were in France during the underground he says yeah is that what you do with collaborators we shot him. You know. But there was some of this you know in Milwaukee but we had a very you know beautiful black Christmas we. Used a few fear tactics we took advantage of the. White woman's fear of black men. And we sent the commandos every day in downtown Milwaukee walking up and down the streets you know just walking by women in shop down the

road. Waiting to get raped in the open daylight you know. But it was very effective you know we really brought the businessmen out screaming. You know our interpretation of Christmas is this you know Christmas is a it's something else you see that the merchants really make a fortune at Christmas time they jack up everything. And it's this thing has its affects in the black community to lose the black community there's no money. But there's the easy credit man. I see black people of course in these easy credit places and I think a garnishee for the next two years we don't don't buy anything you want to celebrate Christmas going to church with your family have a meal at home so you present home forget about all the nonsense you know we are going to make the white man rich this year. You don't give us a housing bill we don't get in there dollar bills you know. And we believe isn't in the spirit of Christ. Christ was poor he was a Jew from Nazareth he was

ostracized and he came down die so that all men might be free quality sacrifice. White America cry remember the first night you used Gaza distributed the fliers. Beautiful Black Christmas no Christmas trees don't buy anything. And a policeman got hold this this is the last straw you know. I like clergymen but it worked you know it was it was very good in them. Came Christmas Eve that same might say you know this is something for the white church again I'm speaking in particular the Catholic Church of cars and churches I think have been equally guilty of this and I think the Black Muslims criticism of Christianity in this respect is correct and that you know our churches our white cultural centers. Even are places named St. Boniface I don't even know who he was. Somebody from Germany I guess. Our name is seen Malcolm X to be more relevant to the people in our community. Say Martin.

The poison thing Dr. Martin Luther King I don't know what that same Take means anyway that the Reich lives as far as I'm concerned anyway you know Christmas Eve it had a very interesting time a little girl Youth Council. You know we went over to the crib you know. And I said may you know look at that. Story she get that dollar too you know white baby Jesus. I get tired of looking at Jesus in a white skin and he's from Africa. You know what his color was imagine his dark. Jewish ancestry. Can you. You think in your own minds you know what this means to a black person. To see even your god every time you look at him in a white skin. When I looked at baby next to me as a base is you. Know a breakdown at home which you know. I. Don't have any clothes for days as well.

Get yourself a pamper or something you know. Commandos took her home when she came back in the black. And we store the Caucasian. Kid. With. A black. Baby Jesus and it created. A huge doll and you know. It. Is rather interesting because I looked at the scene you know and I said something wrong here. You know. Right marrying a white Joseph by the. Way. I said Betty how do you explain this and she said integration. It was really. That I was rather good as a child I was about this big of sticking out of the crib you know. Big and its mother and father and I you account for the fact the baby is bigger as parent she said black power.

This is. You know. Part of our program and use K I just see. You can imagine the joy I experience when they come into our you use council and I. Look at our girls in particular as you know well. Tough fellows in the street you know I. Remember sitting one commando meeting in the Freedom House and one of the commandos was lecturing the kids in the neighborhood. And then began talking you know with some of the commandos you know and one time me one a process. Took his process off. Again to be proud of being a black mean. Boys here natural and long. History. But I'm a chapter from Malcolm Mundy and. Kind of hit home. Just as my how good you look at a girls or use counter you know wearing their hair beautiful and natural. Rejecting white

America's standard of beauty and that is a blond blue eyed girl with straight here. That's something that white America has to learn even more so than black Americans that. Black is beautiful. And that a black person Speech years are beautiful. And I think that this is an absolute necessity in the teaching of our children. And it's impossible. To educate our children in a meaningful way without teaching black culture and black history and black beauty. In our classroom and talk about black people. And when I get that hesitation I talk about Sonia I say. I say. What's the Spanish word for white. No one knows. I just learned it myself and I put on a board brand white people Blanco.

I said we call right people brown clothes. I say you know what we call them white people. White beautiful. White people beautiful some. Red People term for that is wrong. You know we call red people ragheads know who are red people or Indian people beautiful Yeah like Indian people. Yellow people I'm a real OS. Why do yellow people Orientals Chinese Japanese beautiful yeah. But down black people it's a Spanish word for black. Derivation. But I'm by the white man negro. I see black people beautiful. Yeah. Don't you ever let me see you duck or laugh or GAGO or point when I say black people

because black is beautiful. And they can say yes to me. Black. People. Black. People. This is how racism is infected our language. You know you go through this you know. You say white people you say that you know without even thinking. Right people really are right. You know we're kind of a pinkish color different shades of white I guess. And you know our black people aren't black Some are find good and beautiful. But. This is absolutely necessary in the education of our children being able to look in the mirror and say I'm thankful for the way I have been created a nice a Black people have to learn this but white people have to learn this even more so than black people because it has been the identity problem in white society that has created the identity problem in black society because of white

people to not have a problem with their identity they would feel no need to step on black people to find their status and their identity. I just want to say one more thing you know about the church because I quite concerned about this and been critical of the church in the past I still am I think it has done some good and has done some good the black community some of this is a done some good work you know pretty good at reading writing arithmetic. And this is important and some by students and fifth graders interesting you know one fellow that works there. Works at a brewery nice and comes and helps us just to teach mathematics you know in. Fifth grade and always goes on the white society and gets the test out there and sees what the sister is teaching out there and brings into the black community. See how our children compare with what's going on over there our children have surpassed those white children in the suburbs in mathematics sisters do a good job and some of us you do a horrible job and other things and sometimes I think you

ought to have the courage to tell Mother Superior go to hell because she lives in a different world than you do. If you are working in the black community you know. I get concerned when Mother Superior calls up and tells our sisters they cannot go to Dr. Martin Luther King's funeral. She just sits there an 8 million dollar conned into whatever it costs a. Good 8 million dollars you know. But and there I think I've seen some horrible things in the south a number of years ago in March behind King you know after the students got beaten up in Montgomery by the police department one of the most horrible things I've ever seen because all the students poured out of the schools the march behind Dr. King. I looked over the Catholic school and all the students were in school. Those children belong in that street. Fighting for their God given rights which not only teach enough black

history but it was a participation in black history. And that is something else again the white America must learn and that is this that a man cannot find his dignity unless somehow or other he stands up and struggles against the injustices imposed upon him by a society. This is a teaching of again Pope John. The church has been reluctant to very passive passive in white America today it isn't going to talk about racism. And we read the parable of the Good Samaritan or the teachings of Jesus Christ the Gospel story it is not going to say the black man is your brother. It's immoral it's sinful you for you to discriminate it's sinful for you to hate. It's sinful for you not to treat your black brother or to relate to him as an equal human being the priest or the minister or the pastor isn't going to say that. He's too busy talking about sex I don't know what I think was the term in the message of

that gas bill. Is the collection box and fear cowardice or cowardice. He doesn't want that white bigot parishioner calling him up and telling him that he is a nigger lover and this is what will happen. I think it's time for us to lay the law on the line of those Christians that are going to go along with the essential message of Christ find those that are going to walk out of church good the end no business being there in the first place. You know Mississippi few years ago and. Some sisters down there at a hospital in the hospital was segregated. By the Patterson black priest Benedictine mention to the sisters What are you going to great this hospital you know and this is this is where Father we can integrate this hospital we get a letter from the Ku Klux Klan. So they're going to kill us if we integrate the hospital. And Father Patterson

said wonderful. Meyer they're really really wonderful martyrs for the sake of Christian unity for the sake of Christian. This is what we. Say you know the problem with the church today is it's all wrapped up in liabilities and assets. There was sort of tired openness. Really you know we were so tied up and in. Property assets that you know the political structure has become a haven for us. That we're afraid to confront it even when it's wrong. And this to me is the ultimate in hypocrisy even the fact of the rather as you know I was taught the best way to handle laws were to just keep quiet you know let the man alone because he's just going to track more attention but the man has got attention and he's a racist. And the

church is not saying you know what you're. Not saying you know what you're. You know Gandhi once said you know about racism in religion he compared this whole thing to a group of people sitting around a table with a pitcher of milk there and some arsenic in the milk you know and you were sitting around that table you know and you knew there was ice in the can and milk you know that you want something done is it's a one man decided to do something. So he takes his fingers he puts it in the milk and very patiently and cautiously you know plucks out the Greens or vice Nick and begins to throw them away. If you were sitting around a table he said you'd get angry and you tell the man throw out the damn thing. Oh pitcher Oh and Gandhi says this is what we must do with racism in religion we've got to stop pussyfooting around with it. Got to throw out the whole thing. You

all. For those of you who would like to stay a father droppy has agreed to answer questions for a few minutes maybe up to half an hour if the questions keep coming. Rather than felt a survey I'm going to asked Father gruffly to handle the questions himself. And. Here is the.

Gist. Yeah. Are you. Doing this. As a fun. Way. Someone got a question. Right here. All right the question was the. Statement that was made this morning was it. Who spoke to you this morning. Dr. Arturo Cabrera. I don't know him. But his. Statement was that it's fashionable to talk about. Discrimination against blacks today and not fashionable to talk about discrimination against Mexican-Americans today. I certainly think that there has been a great deal of discrimination towards Mexican-Americans. All right feel that the discrimination against black Americans has been worse than it has been against Mexican-Americans in our own history

and I think above all else because of the color factor. That black man is especially identifiable by his skin color and therefore has become a special object of hate on the part of racist groups in America in general. He's been placed in our group. More so even the next American but I'm not about to sit here to compare as to to talk about who's suffering most. Because I think Mexican Americans are suffering terrifically. I think the situation the Mexican-American in the migratory camps south side of Milwaukee horrible conditions and some of his problems are different than black Americans he's got that language barrier and other things but the Mexican American suffers greatly. And I don't want to mitigate that in any way whatsoever. I think that both groups have suffered a great deal. His question is how do you crack the ice in a diocese like Sacramento.

Where priests are being silenced and play electors who have something to say are being. Put aside. I think that there's going it is a revolution in the United States is something more I think than the black man revolting against injustice I think it's present present the Mexican-American community I think it's present in young white student groups such as you have here that are revolting against him particularly the war in Vietnam the middle class standards and also was present in the church I think we have a good example of this in Washington D.C. today. Why did you do it in Markey. A week ago or so you know number of people in the parish. They got tired of going to church every Sunday and you know this the silence of the just thunderous in their years the repose of the royal party in Vietnam into the draft which they look at it is merely as a system of Shanghainese people offer the service to fight a war which they believe to be unjust and immoral. They get up on Sunday morning when I took over the Pope is.

Going to come out. Right they had something to say they wanted to speak. One of the churches speak out on racism and on the war. And. They got tired of saying they went over to go and they got arrested. Monsignor the wreck of the cathedral there had called the police had him wait in the sacristy and. He got a knock on his fanny. It's a good shaking up but. But I think this is what's necessary I think it's going to have to be groups of rebel priests such as we have watched and rebel lay people that organize and then confront the Church of the church is ever going to do anything it's got to be shaken from below. What has been the reaction of black people in my community towards the pope's decision on birth control. Right. It's a good question it's just something we just you know never talk about I never worry about us white middle class problem. We don't have any money or buying.

Opportunity. Right away I think that from the beginning that Dr. Martin Luther King at the outset Dr. Martin the King sought to discourage the black power movement I was not aware of the fact that he was I think I think that is soon as Stokely started to talk about black power and the Mississippi Freedom March Dr. King qualified the statement in the sense that if we were talking about black power in this sense the equality of rights for black people of economic political and educational power for black people of self-determination by black people. Dr. King was Freud completely said this movie giving. This interview talking about black supremacy he said Of course I'm opposed to it. Yes. You know there is questions about the police department which Eldridge Cleaver Smackdown yesterday.

I can imagine what he said. How do you go about reforming it. Get out of our community first of all I think just to show an example as far the other night my kids off again you know you can't stand how much you know the kids of my parish for heaven's sake you know these are my kids and I detest. Having a look in my mirror and see for our private right cops in a car behind me with shotguns and helmets and everything else follow me around the community watching where my kids live I detest this just to show you know you live in an all right community supposing you ran a dance or a seaway or there are some social event. Your husband or the director of that organization took five white girls put them in your car and was driving them home and around you you turned around you look behind you was a squad car filled with five black men

watching you drive those white girls to your home. I know what the reaction of white America be you'd kill them yet hang up on the nearest tree. If your whole community was a black policeman it would stand Corey. You'd snipe and you'd keep it off. Well this is the way we feel because most hockey cops I make it out are black women we don't like it. It means you know you see this is the attitude of white America towards a whole racial problem right now in our cops there in the black community. This is the way it's supposed to be and this is the attitude that white America has towards a situation like this which is what those white caps out of

our neighborhood. Just take them away. The races they talk about niggers. They call women niggers. They are one of our kids we don't like it. BLOCK You've got a chief of police that calls police community relations hogwash refuses to have but to allow the Civil Rights Commission the right to come into monarchy to question the police department about their attitudes towards towards minority groups. This sort of thing. I would tell you you know I. Talk about violence. You know there's a lot of the reaction what's a priest doing talk about violence you know I don't like violence. You know I don't I see violence as many things. Violence is a high infant mortality rate of violence as is a father of a family going home you know and

he's got 10 children in the living in a private room shack. Rat infested shack. Violence is looking at you little chyron watching they're watching their little child's mind being deformed as she or he grows up. An inferiority complex beginning to grow this is violence. I see. You know what America look at us and say well now this is not the attitude you should have father or this is not not the way to do it and then he turned right around and pointed a palm on yellow children in Vietnam or to look at the arrow in American history and listen to the speech of Patrick Henry you know give me liberty or give me death and Paul Revere go get your gun the British are coming in a Boston Tea Party you know another sort of stop. They say that was all right for white America but it's wrong for black America to pick up a Molotov cocktail bomb out subject merchants you're a packer see we tried a picket line and some was just merchants

you know one day we were out for 14 days didn't do any good. And I got arrested for the Freedom House with a couple of commandos and because we reacted to the cops over there. So the guys over break the windows that are put in new windows next to the brick tonight again put in new windows the next day break and then out again day after we moved out. Very good very good. He stopped rubbing people see that that's violent constructive violence tactical violence no one got caught. That was the good part of it. See this this is the way we feel you know I can only look at neighborhood makeup with Urban Development urban renewal. Push black people out of their homes and then they let all the slum horses stand there and they create a disaster area and they come through with three and four assessments of the property.

And because you've got this disaster area all these abandoned houses the value of the property consistently goes down and the amount of money offered to people in that community is dropped and dropped in Travis houses are sitting there you know the kids get tired of it you know little kids. Set 27 houses on fire in one week and fire engines all over the place you know policemen all over the place. No one got caught. I caught a touch of humor that you know I was one so not a freedom of steps you know. The feet on the porch and the little kids at the house and fire on the corner right from the Freedom House there. I don't know who is doing it. I never ask questions like that. You know what advice don't get caught. When I started fires the fire engines came and all the policemen came. You know a policeman

get out you know and they had the rifles you know. With their rifles to protect the firemen. They stood with their rifles like this facing the Freedom House and all the 11 and 12 year old kid staff there looking at him you know just like this you know watching the fire you know something to do. See no playgrounds in the neighborhood. And. But the playout fireman went home. Three hours later they all came back. House is on fire again. Policeman get out the rifles you know. Little children sat there watching it you know run. The player out went home three hours later come back again same house three guys one day. But. How would you feel if you had a band and how it was a sit in your neighbor in your community for five six seven eight nine ten years. I know what you do. You get a vigilante group together and you go tear down yourself.

We don't tear it down we burn it down. Pick up the garbage in a neighborhood you know. People gotta look somewhere to put the garbage or go put in the abandoned houses. The rats live in abandoned houses. So we're burning garbage in the House and the rats together. So you just. You say an epic cost. Effective. Neighborhood clean up week.