Forty-two years ago today, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in the case of Richard and Mildred Loving, a mixed couple who were barred under Virginia law from marrying.
I thought about this case a couple of weeks ago as I met, for the first time, with a man originally from the Philippines who had come to the US after enlisting in the Navy in the mid-1960s. While I tend to think in terms of black and white on this issue, the prohibition applied to him, too. He spoke of how his friends went to NC to marry, although because he married in 1970, he and his wife were able to do so in a Norfolk church.With more than a touch of bitterness in his voice, he told me how difficult it was for him to be in no-man’s land in the US: neither black nor white, he wasn’t accepted anywhere.
Sometimes, I think we forget just how recent these actions are and how their legacy continues to shape our lives today. Virginia Native American tribes are fighting for federal recognition because of racism on the part of one bigot in Virginia government.
While we cannot change the past, we can influence the future. I hope we all consider that when we take certain actions.
How can someone in the Virginia Government stop federal recognition?
Posted by Anon E. Mouse | Friday, June 12, 2009, 1:12 pmYou must not have been following this story.
Posted by vjp | Friday, June 12, 2009, 1:20 pmAnd here is another.
Posted by vjp | Friday, June 12, 2009, 1:22 pmNo, it was not on my radar screen. I knew that there were Virginia tribes that were having difficulties getting recognition, but I did not know WHY they were having the difficulties.
From your post, I thought it was someone we could browbeat or get kicked out of office. Very sad.
Posted by Anon E. Mouse | Friday, June 12, 2009, 6:46 pmSorry – since it has been in the news so much, I thought you knew the reasons behind it.
Yes, very sad.
Posted by vjp | Friday, June 12, 2009, 7:31 pmI really don’t watch the news much — I’m either working or driving kids somewhere at news time. All I get is what’s on the radio when I’m driving.
Posted by Anon E. Mouse | Friday, June 12, 2009, 9:12 pmIt only takes one bigot the rot the whole barrel.
May she rest in peace. Without their landmark case I would not be in a loving relationship with the man of my dreams. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Posted by Pissed Progressive | Saturday, June 13, 2009, 2:37 pmFreedom can not be imprisoned by the chains of bigotry and statism.
Posted by Ghost of Ted Dalton | Sunday, June 14, 2009, 12:45 pm