So, we find we've really not come very far.

[NRaleighLiberal]

we have fancy cars, countless teevee shows to watch, can buy whatever we want whenever we want.

But it is still us and them. fear of other. "me" instead of us. It goes back to our very beginning, and persists still.

Truly tragic, crushing in the disappointment and sadness it brings. A tremendous tragedy, to use a favorite word always inappropriately used by the orange faced fraud.

[cayugafalls]

1. We failed to finish the job in the 60's and early 70's...imo.

The things you speak are just things and mean absolutely nothing. Fancy cars? TV shows? Buy whatever we want? Maybe some people, but there are lots of people living paycheck to paycheck and they are hurting badly right now and can't buy shit.

But that is a moot point anyways...meaningless without freedom from fear and hatred.

You mentioned "fear of other", you almost got it. It is fear of the endemic racism and hatred that is bleeding the very soul of the country dry. It is fear felt everyday by many people. Not fear of you, your not the problem, it is fear of those who want to oppress and hate and continue the 400 years of violence against people of color or people of different sexual orientation.

Be happy that some of the kids of today get it. They want a just and truly equal society. They grew up the sons and daughters in a diversified culture with the progress that was made in the civil rights movement and they want MORE.

Hell, they deserve more!

To be clear, it is not fear of other, it is fear of endemic hatred and violence.

[NRaleighLiberal]

2. very important addition to my first fragments of thoughts.

thanks.

[cayugafalls]

5. I spent most of the night and early morning with my son watching

all this unfold and talking about how he and his friends feel.

I have to thank him for helping me understand more.

We need each other right now more than ever...

I'm a hugger...

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. me too.

[jpak]

3. We failed to finish the job in the 1860s and '70s

Yup

[cayugafalls]

4. That too...agreed.

Lincoln did make compromises, he had to in my opinion. Heck, he died for the stuff he did enact.

But that is a whole history lesson right there...

[wcmagumba]

6. We blew it after the civil war imo...

I just watched the History Channel "Grant" mini series...looks like the North
dropped the ball on "reconstruction" and let the racists in the South (and North)
take over and reintroduce many facets of the pre-war south.This led to the
Jim Crow laws and resurgence of the KKK (after the Grant administration had
almost eliminated the group). We were much too lenient on the South and
its leaders (again imo). Here we are...