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From: padpowell@wateng.UUCP (PAD Powell[Admin])
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: What Mississippi makes people think of...
Message-ID: <359@wateng.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 27-Sep-83 08:25:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: wateng.359
Posted: Tue Sep 27 08:25:11 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Sep-83 09:32:34 EDT
References: <307@ut-sally.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 21

Well, I was down to Mississippi this summer, and I was very surprised at
the changes there.  In terms of social structure,  there was a tremendous
change...  I would say that the climate would resemble that of Detroit
currently.  However,  I found that there was a tremendous amount of bigotry
in various industrial/academic areas.  I use the word "bigotry" specifically.
This was not really restricted to black/white relations,  but also to
any other non-native ethnic group (Mexicans,  Jews, Arabs, Italians, etc.).
I was also a little shocked to find the incidence of KKK violence was on the
upswing.  According to an FBI type,  the local authorities in some areas
have been ignoring violent attacks on blacks.  His personal opinion is that
there is going to be a violent backlash from the black communities, and
Mississippi is going to be in the headlines in the near future.

My personal feeling is that reforms have been made,  and there are tremendous
efforts in trying to change the structure.   However,  it is difficult to
overcome the accumulation of generations of hate in a decade.

I was also surprised to see the Mississippi river has steam boats on it!
Mark Twain still lives.

Patrick Powell