Racial Tension Rising In Boys State
6/17/2007
The national association of NAACP has sent representatives to meet with city of Tyler officials. “We can not believe that this type of discrimination is taking place here in America today. The Boys State citizens should be ashamed that this type of racial discrimination is taking place right here”, said the NAACP lawyer. The civil rights group has charged that the city of Tyler is refusing to hire African-American workers.
The NAACP has also held two marches in two Boys State cities in the past week.
A Buchanan Police Officer shot a 14-year-old African-American boy last week. The Officer believed he had a weapon in his hand; it turned out to be an iron rod. The boy was fatally shot after he broke into a warehouse and fled. The Police Department spokesperson stated, “The Officer was affecting an arrest and the young man turned on him with a weapon in his hand. He had an iron rod and that is a weapon”. The march had over 18,000 people condemning the shooting and supporting the young boys’ family.
The city of Polk has on its city flag the confederate stars and bars. This dates back to the American civil war when Polk joined the confederacy against the rest of Boys State. The city fathers incorporated the confederate battle emblem into their city flag. The local minority groups have had several demonstrations against this symbol. “It is a symbol of hatred and should be removed from this cities emblem. We will work hard to fight against this city as long as it holds onto this symbol of hatred”, said a rainbow coalition spokesman.
The past Mayor of Polk refused to remove this symbol calling it, “A symbol of a great history. We contributed to the confederate cause and this is what it shows. We will not be told by anyone how to live our lives”. A new cycle of elections are coming and the new city officials will have this on their plate.