Arkansas State Press

OUR
OPINION

Gone Are The Days of Old Black Joe

A member of the Little Rock city board of directors, was quoted as having a solution to the school crisis that Little Rock finds herself in this week. According to the quotation the director who was highly endorsed during his campaign by the segregationists, said in effect that the Negro leaders had the key to the solution. He urged the real leaders to use their influence with the parents of the Negro children and have them to withdraw them and send them to the Negro school.

The director is also quoted as saying that there are only a few Negro leaders who are causing all the trouble. He said if the leaders would influence the parents to send their children back to the Negro school, the trouble would be solved and the race relations that existed before the crisis would be enjoyed again.

It is the opinion of this paper, that if demanding one's constitutional rights is the source of trouble, Little Rock is going to be in trouble for a long time. And if withdrawal of the Negro children from Central high school, teaching them to disrespect the United States Supreme Court is the only solution to a problem that they had naught to do with its origin, is the only solution to the crisis, we just as well resign ourselves to live with the conflict. And as for the restoration to the slave-master relations that the white man prides himself so highly, the white man can have it for the Negro is in no mood for its return.

The days of Old Black Joe are gone.

If the white man is not willing to share the rights and privileges guaranteed to every citizen for the sake of orderly living, why does he think the Negro will sacrifice his rights and privileges for harmony. It is better to sacrifice a friend than to compromise a principle. However, it might not be as pleasant.

The city director's position in the school crisis is reminiscent of the boy who was hailed into court for killing his mother and father. He put himself on the mercy of the court on the grounds that he was an orphan.

The Negro had no part in precipitating the school crisis that has shamed decent people and disgraced America. Just why should innocent Negro children be sought to ease a dilemma that the white man brought on himself especially when it was precipitated through persecution and abuse of the children?

The white man wouldn't do it to his children, so why would he demand something of his brother that he is not willing to do himself? It is not Christ-wise, American-wise or sense-wise from where we stand.

If the director were sincere in his effort to restore peace and harmony and bring about race relations that would insure living the American way of life together, he would use his influence in getting his city to obey the law of the land and urge the school board to open the doors of the school to all the students who are eligible under the school board's own court approved plan, instead of trying to right things with two wrongs.