Squeak, sadly, racism is still a major world-wide problem. I've been taking a musician friend of mine to two or three medical/theraphy appointments a week for almost three years. His condition continues to get worse, to the point where he can't stand or walk. He has a defibrilator, lupus, diabetes, crippling arthritis and more problems. He is over 400 lbs and requires a lift to get him out of bed and into a wheel chair.

The other day, a friend/client was riding with me when I needed to transport him from the ambulance to his bed. The guy was shocked that I hadn't mentioned my friend was black, and wondered why I bothered.

I was raised an Army brat. Because people made the same money, went to the same schools, etc., things were relatively calm in the 50's and 60's on base. In town, it was a different matter. In Mississippi, we lived off base. I saw white kids jump out of a window at school and beat the hell out of an older lady and two little kids. Black people really were forced to sit in the back of the bus, behind the back door. If only black people were at the bus stop, the bus driver didn't stop. While in Mississippi, a young black man was killed and his genitals nailed to a court house door because he was accused of flirting with a white girl.

Early on in the music business, I was denied work when I worked with black players.

It's less out in the open, but racism is still there.


How sad!


Russ