Tonight as I was watching the news they were talking about the civil rights movement and the things that were being loaned to the traveling show. They had the key to the cell that contained the most Reverend Martin Luther King, the bench that was in the cell and the chair he sat in during his trial. I just started thinking about a lot of things.
Do any of you ever wonder how many K-9 units that was working in Birmingham in 1963? Do you ever think about the fire trucks that were spraying water on the marchers?
I will tell you how many K-9 units were working during that time, there were four. That is right, just four and they were not called into action until the crowd became very unruly. It was not as peaceful as the news has reported. The fire trucks were stationery, they did not move. The people came to them. As Gomer Pyle would say Surprise, Surprise.
What is not reported is at that time Birmingham was a blue collar town. Steel workers, coal miners and people that worked with their hands. These people were as set in there ways as the civil rights marchers were in theirs. What the Police and Fire Department were trying to do is keep these groups from meeting. I can guarantee you if that had happened the peaceful meetings would have turned violent quickly.
It had not been but a year when the civil rights workers came to Birmingham and was met at the Grey Hound Bus Station with disastrous results. The Police received a lot of deserved criticism for lack of action during that incident. Now when they do take action, again the Fire Department and Police are vilified. One thing that I know for sure, is most of the Police just wanted to get through the day and be able to go home. They did not like the long hours that they had to work and by the way there was no over time pay.
Just a few thoughts that ran through my mind as I watched the news tonight.
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3 comments:
I've always thought it interesting that the News Broadcasters were so singular in their views of the unfortunate events that took place during that era. They were as singular then, as they are now though. If you were to go(to the Museum) you would notice quite quickly that they are not now, (nor were they ever) interested in "Unity". It's disturbing.
I hope you are feeling better tonight.
Isn't it strange how some people just won't listen to the truth? ... Won't even give it a chance...and you know the truth because you were there with your K-9 Dog. Won't listen to the truth...hmmmmmmmmm.
I do remember you sicking your dawgs on me!
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