We interrupt the usual bitching, whining, and tasteless jokes to bring you this special report

Jim (official cartoonist of the Washing the Blog) attended the Brown vs the Board of Education festivities Monday in Topeka.  Unfortunantely, I couldn't go due to lack of vacation time.  Jim took notes and pictures on his day while I fought the daily oppression of a 40-hour a week job.  Please note, that while this is coming from us, it's not a spoof.  Jim did attend the events in Topeka (his current home town) and had a pretty darn good time there.

Brown vs the Board of Education Primer

In the early 1950's, racial segregation in public schools was the norm across America. Although all the schools in a given district were supposed to be equal, most black schools were far inferior to their white counterparts.

In Topeka, Kansas, a black third-grader named Linda Brown had to walk one mile through a railroad switchyard to get to her black elementary school, even though a white elementary school was only seven blocks away. Linda's father, Oliver Brown, tried to enroll her in the white elementary school, but the principal of the school refused. Brown went to McKinley Burnett, the head of Topeka's branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and asked for help. The NAACP was eager to assist the Browns, as it had long wanted to challenge segregation in public schools. With Brown's complaint, it had "the right plaintiff at the right time." [4] Other black parents joined Brown, and, in 1951, the NAACP requested an injunction that would forbid the segregation of Topeka's public schools. [5]

The U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas heard Brown's case from June 25-26, 1951. At the trial, the NAACP argued that segregated schools sent the message to black children that they were inferior to whites; therefore, the schools were inherently unequal. One of the expert witnesses, Dr. Hugh W. Speer, testified that:

"...if the colored children are denied the experience in school of associating with white children, who represent 90 percent of our national society in which these colored children must live, then the colored child's curriculum is being greatly curtailed. The Topeka curriculum or any school curriculum cannot be equal under segregation." [6]

The Board of Education's defense was that, because segregation in Topeka and elsewhere pervaded many other aspects of life, segregated schools simply prepared black children for the segregation they would face during adulthood. The board also argued that segregated schools were not necessarily harmful to black children; great African Americans such as Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and George Washington Carver had overcome more than just segregated schools to achieve what they achieved. [7]

Topeka Jim goes to Town

Armed with nothing more than a digital camera, a 44oz Coke, two Granola bars and copy of "Yes I can" by Sammy Davis Junior (to pass the time between speeches), I bravely attended the festivities.  Although I wanted to see all of the events surrounding the Brown Vs the Board of Education landmark decision, I was a little wary of seeing Bush's speech.  It's like getting a tooth filled, you know it's necessary, but you don't like it, and afterwards the dentist gives you candy (but in this case, without the candy).

Jims Journal

I woke up early feeling the need to get my spot picked out early for some good photo's.  I got out of the waterbed carefully as not to disturb the wife.  I walked over the leopard skin rug to the built in closet.  The wife had fallen asleep in a mixture of Jim Beam and Diet Coke and was sleeping soundly until 7:00 when she had to get up for a busy day at the Department of Motor Vehicles.  The Disco Stu alarm clock would ensure her prompt arrival.  I stopped off at the local Denny's for a quick 'Moons Over My Hammy' breakfast.  Not only did I need some fuel for the day, but I needed food for Bush's speech.  A full stomach helps me keep from retching, and I had the feeling I was going to need all the help I could get.

Arrival

Here is a view of the State of Kansas capital building.  This was taken at 7:00 a.m., about two and half hours before the ceremony began.  With the exception of the lone guard on the steps I am the only one here.  Topeka is a lonely place at 7:00 am.

Here is a blurry photo of my FIRST choice for President of the United States.  Elaine Jones of the NAACP Legal Defense fund.  Not only was she the most dynamic speaker of the day, but if she were elected, we wouldn't have to worry about her caving to the wingnuts.  Although this is a poor picture of Elaine Jones, it's a PERFECT picture of the police officers cap (darn autofocus!).

Since Elaine didn't announce her candidacy this is my second choice for President.  I have to admit the cottonwood trees on the statehouse lawn had more charisma. 

Seriously, when you have to take enthusiasim lessons from Al Gore, you're in  trouble.  Someone needs to have a little talk with John about public speaking.  This isn't the senate floor, show a little EMOTION.  And in case you didn't notice, this is another good photo of a police officers hat.  Kerry's speech was pretty good on content, bad on delivery.

All of America is a better place because of Brown.  Back then, only four percent of African Americans had college degrees. Today, nearly twenty percent are college graduates.  But we have more to do.

In the 1950s, there were less than 200 black elected officials in all of America, and even fewer Hispanic Americans.  Now there are more than 14,000 -- including the 59 members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Hispanic Caucus.   But we have more to do.

There were no African Americans on the big corporate boards back then.  Today, more than forty percent of the Fortune 1000 companies have black directors, and nearly fifteen percent have Latino directors.  But we have more to do.

I was impressed when Wade Henderson, the Executive Director of Leadership on Civil Rights, gave Kerry an A+ on his civil rights voting records.  I wonder what he would have said about Dubya?

I'll bring the Chips, you bring the Nuts

Didn't anyone tell this asshole that this was the Brown vs Topeka Board of Education, Governor's proclamation ceremony? How about showing a dead woman who couldn't get an abortion in order to save her life?  My thought is that if you haven't adopted a child you should shut the fuck up about abortion.

I'm sure there is a nice fundamentalist country in the Middle East that shares his point of view.

I was upset that I didn't see Fred Phelps because I was wearing my Camel Joe T-Shirt and I know what he thinks about Fags.

Sorry . .  back to the rest of the day.

Air Force One flies overhead on its arrival in Topeka.  In a half hour Dubya will arrive on site.  Possible thought going thru Dubya's head at this time..."where is Topeka anyway? Wisconsin?".  While I was eager to see him, I was also a little disappointed, Sammy had just lost his eye and I was eager to see how it changed his life.

Cheryl Brown Henderson President of the Brown Foundation, holds her nose and introduces the President of the United States.  The President is giddy in anticipation of getting more pictures of himself with African Americans so he can add them to his collection.

The President began his speech

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thanks a lot. Please be seated. Thank you all for coming out today. Cheryl, thank you very much for your kind introduction. I appreciate all the Brown family who are here. Justice Breyer. Governor Sebelius is with us today -- Governor, thank you for being here. Leader Frist; Senator Brownback and Senator Roberts from the great state of Kansas. (Applause.) Congressman Jim Ryun -- (applause) -- Congressmen Tiahrt, Moran, and Moore, as well, from Kansas. (Applause.) Congressman Elijah Cummings -- thank you for being here, Congressman. Proud you're here. (Applause.) Secretary Norton, and Secretary Paige, Jim from the Washing the Blog, or The Jimster...Slim Jim as I like to call him (Laughter) distinguished guests; and ladies and gentlemen:

(ok, Bold by me, he didn't really say it.  The intro was almost a 1/3 of his 13 min speech).

I'm honored to join you at this historic place, to mark a day and a decision that changed America for the better, and forever. (Applause.) Fifty years ago today, nine judges announced that they had looked at the Constitution and saw no justification for the segregation and humiliation of an entire race. Here at the corner of 15th and Monroe, and at schools like it across America, that was a day of justice -- and it was a long time coming.

As Kos points out, if the brown decision happened today Bush and other conservatives would be railing on the activist judges who try and write law.

For thirteen agonizing minutes the crowd endures mispronounced words and empty rhetoric.  I heard some complaints among several people who walked out during the President's speech because they couldn't stand the hypocrisy. 

From this vantage point, I could BARELY make out his smirk.  The only positive thing about his speech was that he didn't say the word 'terror'.  Thank Allah for small favors.

Here's the complete transcript which has been sanitized of all of the mispronunciations.  When he was leaving I ran to the front and snapped the picture (above two pictures) of him waving before being pummeled to the ground by secret service men (ok, maybe I grabbed that pic from the White House site.  The lack of a police officers hat in the foreground should have clued you off.  Darn professional photographers!).

Snipers on the roof of the Monroe school remind us that the President enjoys complete safety and protection while our soldiers in Iraq make wonderful flypaper.

And 13 minutes later the President bravely flew out of Topeka to fight terrorism and to raise obscene amounts of money in his bid for re-selection.  Fly on brave soul, fly on.