Presidential Actions on Civil Rights Issues

[MineralMan]

I remember another time when the American people took to the streets. It was way back in the early 1960s. They were demanding their rights. Again and again, they were attacked by police, using dogs and fire hoses, and sometimes more deadly measures. For several years, US Presidents did not act to end this abuse. Finally, after a very long time, a President did act. Presidents are slow to act in individual states, and there's a reason for that. Eventually, it sometimes becomes necessary, but our Constitution makes it a very difficult and precarious decision.

During the civil rights movement, our President was roundly criticized when he finally did act to bring the weight of the federal government to bear. The protests and the violence did not end because of that action. They continued. A President cannot change the course of civil rights with a single speech or action. That change comes slowly, through legislation, enforcement of federal law, and more. US Presidents cannot dictate what will and will not be done. A situation must come to a certain point before a President can act at all. That finally happened in the civil rights movement. Will it happen with the OWS movement? I don't know, but comparing the two, it hasn't happened yet.

[msongs]

1. first you have a president who believes in something and will stand for it nt