[Vision2020] Edgar Killian and Mississippi Justice

[keely emerinemix]

I agree with Rose and would like to add this:

Yesterday, I went to Moscow's first Juneteenth celebration at the High 
School commons.  Most of you know that Juneteenth is the holiday, usually in 
mid-June, that commemorates the emancipation of the slaves from their 
Confederate slave holders.  It began in Texas and is more commonly 
celebrated in the south and midwest, although as a girl in Tucson I remember 
attending many Juneteenths with my parents, who were active in the NAACP.

I had the good fortune of meeting John Crout, who organized the festivities 
and who yesterday was cooking up a storm for a small crowd of folks who came 
to eat, visit, play games and learn about the celebration.  It seems, 
though, that sponsorship for the event was difficult to obtain, and I 
understand that many businesses in Moscow and Pullman were reluctant to 
participate, if not downright dismissive.

The voices of those who proclaim that the slave-slave master relationship 
was "mutually affectionate" and an example of an unprecedented degree of 
harmony between the races continue to ring out in Moscow, with a 
corresponding condemnation of the work of abolitionists to end the slave 
trade.  It's not hard to think that when a prominent segment of our 
community calls slavery justifiable and abolition sinful, and when the 
church remains silent amidst the clamor, it might result in some difficulty 
garnering support for a Juneteenth festival.  I'm ashamed.

I promised Mr. Crout that I would help support Juneteenth next year, and I 
hope and pray that Moscow makes a statement against racism and white 
privilege in all its forms and does so as loudly and clearly as possible -- 
and that next mid-June has the Palouse abuzz in anticipation of celebrating 
emancipation at Juneteenth and proclaiming righteousness all the year long.

And as for the Killen case -- may justice prevail, and may any unrepentant 
murderer who calls himself a minister of the gospel be held to the contempt 
he earns and be given the sentence he deserves.

keely emerine mix

From: DonaldH675 at aol.com
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Edgar Killian and Mississippi Justice
Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 20:57:49 EDT

Visionaries:

The Edgar Killian trial in Philadelphia  Mississippi has brought back a lot
of bad memories. Killian, a  KKK member and preacher was the man who planned
the killing of three  civil rights workers in Philadelphia 41 years ago
tomorrow.  As I listened  to the prosecutor's closing argument, I had great 
hope that
things had  changed in that little Mississippi town over the past 41 years.
That was, apparently, a false hope.  After just three hours of  
deliberation,
the jury has declared that they are hung 6-6.  Fortunately,  the judge 
refused
to accept that non-verdict and has directed the jury to return  tomorrow for
more deliberations.

Of course bigotry is not limited to Mississippi as we  have come to know in
Moscow.  And, speaking of Doug Wilson,  his favorite neo-confederate group, 
the
League of the South, is  discussed on the MSNBC link below.
_http://www.nhpeas.ang.af.mil/hro/eeo/_
(http://www.nhpeas.ang.af.mil/hro/eeo/)

Moscow has its own unique connection with the LOS.   Doug Wilson has invited
his close friend, Steve Wilkins, an LOS founding  member (who still sits on
the Board of Directors), to once again  visit Moscow as a principal speaker 
at
the Trinity Festival.  I  guess Doug can't get enough of that hog fat,
corn-pone  twaddle....

On a more positive note, please do something to honor  Andrew Goodman,
Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney tomorrow on the anniversary  of their 
murders.
Speak out loudly and publicly against bigotry and  racism. Challenge the
people and institutions who continue to justify it,  right here in our own 
town.
You can be a Freedom Rider without making the  journey to Mississippi -  all
you need is some backbone and a healthy  dollop of moral outrage.

As we PBR fans like to say,  It's time to "Cowboy  (or Cowgirl) Up Moscow!

Rose  Huskey
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