4/28/2004 6:00:00 PM EDITORIAL/It’s time to be calm and cool-headed (1964)
Editorial, June 25, 1964
Like so many other cities and towns in the state, Philadelphia has had its first experience with the so-called “civil rights’ groups, when the three persons who came here last Sunday supposedly to investigate the burning of a Negro church in this county. It is, indeed, unfortunate that they are missing and haven’t been heard from by officials at this writing. It is the hope of all law-abiding citizens in this area that no physical harm has come to them and they will eventually show up.
This is the first of many incidents, we have been told, that we will face this summer by outside agitators and demonstrators who say they are interested in voter registrations in Mississippi. But regardless of how many incidents they stir up, it is imperative that we all keep our balance and don’t let them throw us off track. It is important that we restrain ourselves and give them no reason for creating situations that we will all be sorry of in the future. It is important that we be calm in whatever deliberations we may have with them.
We are getting and will continue to get much publicity nationally (some favorable, but mostly unfavorable) and the way we react to the situations will mean a lot to our national image. Too much stress cannot be put on all concerned to remain calm. We realize the agitators and the “civil righters” are not concerned with the trouble they cause. In fact, it is their purpose to stir up the populace as much as possible to get their points over. To them, theirs is the only point, but we must show them we have ours, too, without losing our heads.
We think we have duly elected officials capable of handling the situation; who want to cooperate with federal officials in keeping the peace. But we don’t want to knuckle under to the whims and pressures of outsiders who have taken it upon themselves to tell us how we should live, operate our local government and investigate crimes which might be committed here. Most of them need to clean up their own backyards before trying to tell others how to keep their premises.
Nothing but strife and turmoil can result from the actions so far, and it will be to everybody’s advantage to act as Americans should, and be considerate of their fellowman, both verbally as well as physically.
We think the Federal Bureau of Investigation will do whatever it can to solve the mysteries, and we believe local officials will give them every cooperation. But we must not perform acts that will incite others to commit actions which will lead to violence. We must be on our guard not to lose our tempers and play into the agitator’s hands.
This will probably be the longest and hardest summer any of us has ever spent, and there’s no use to make it any worse by popping off when restraint will get the job done better.
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Article comment by:
CARL
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE IN NESHOBA COUNTY DID THIS DOES THAT MAKE EVERY WHITE PERSON IN THIS COUNTY BAD. WOULD THAT NOT BE THE SAME AS SAYING BECAUSE A BLACK MAN ROBS A STORE THAT ALL OF THEM ARE BAD. A FEW MEN DID THIS VERY BAD THING, NOT THE HOLE COMMUNITY MARIAH.
Posted: Sunday, February 24, 2008
Article comment by:
Caitlin Rollins
“It’s time to be calm and cool-headed”, first caught my attention due to the date, June 25, 1964, the same year of Freedom Summer and the disappearance of Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney. Andrew Goodman 20 years, Michael Schwerner 21 years, and James Chaney 24 years were all summer volunteers that lost their lives for the ongoing struggle for equality. The editorial neglects to focus on the missing persons, only referring to them as “outside agitators” and does not even reveal their names. At first, the author gives the impression as a moderate thinker when he/she asks the citizens of Mississippi to “be considerate of their fellowman, both verbally as well as physically”. When reading through the entire article, however, the author appears to be more ignorant than anything else. He/She starts the article sincere, calling the incident of the missing men “unfortunate” and then suggesting that “they will eventually show up”. It is June 25; the three civil rights volunteers have been missing for four days in one of the most dangerous and racial states during the time, the outlook is not good. The title of the article “It’s time to be calm and cool-headed” is a direct message to the people of Mississippi to remain civil while they are under the spotlight. He/She emphasizes that Mississippi will be getting more publicity and it is essential that they portray a good image for the state. The author is not asking the people of Mississippi to be the good, honest people they always should be, but to be under their best behavior only because the media is here. This article frustrates me because even after so many people have been hurt and killed, the message for equality continually gets lost in the commotion. The author’s main focus is not on the future and what the people can do to prevent future missing persons, but more on the “pressure of outsiders’ and the troubles which “civil righters” generate. The author is not holding anyone from the state liable for the missing men. It is as if he/she is actually blaming those in favor of civil rights for the missing men since they aim “to stir up the populace”. Yet the truth of the matter is the three men were simply passing through town to investigate a church burning nearby. The three summer volunteers are not the agitators but those who burnt down the church and those who arrested, kidnapped and killed the three young men are the true agitators. The response from many civil rights supporters was not of intimidation but a stronger determination to tame the prejudices and cruelties that so many had endured. The fact that it took forty-one years for any type of justice to be served for the three killed men, is an indication that Mississippi and the United States all together is not yet a completely healed and righteous place. It is difficult to say if the country ever really will be the only thing I hope for is a constant progression to do so.
Posted: Sunday, February 24, 2008
Article comment by:
Mariah Johnston
After reading “It’s time to be calm and cool headed,” I am surprised at how insincere this article is. When I hear or read anything about the Civil Rights Movements I am always curious to learn about the reactions and opinions of anybody who was present during that time. This article gives a clear picture of how many white people at the time may have reacted to the three missing boys. It is interesting to see that the author never writes Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner’s names in the article. Instead he refers to them as “agitators” or “civil righters.” The whole point of this article being written is because these three boys have gone missing. Why wouldn’t the author actually write their names in the article? I think this shows how truly insincere this person is about finding these three young men. The author paints a picture for the readers that these men are only down here to cause trouble. They are agitators looking to start a fight with anyone. It is clear that he or she obviously does not want any civil rights groups coming to the town. It’s sad to read that these people are so set in their ways and they view anyone not from their town as bad people trying to change their views. I don’t think that the people of the town are going to just going to keep quite while the civil rights group are in town. I am sure that the author is well aware of this fact also. This goes to show that the author is just writing this article as a way to give the town a better image to the public. The author is not sincere in stating that no one should lose their heads or become violent from the events that are going to take place in the summer. I was also surprised that the author makes it very clear that the mysteries and disappearances of the young men are the “civil righters” fault and not their own. If these people didn’t come down here and try to change their points of view then these events would never have occurred. He or she clearly thinks that these “mysteries” are not their fault. It is sad that the community at this time is not taking the blame or even feeling bad about what is happening. After reading this article it has become more clear to me how people during this time reacted to the Civil Rights Movements. It is sad to realize that most people at this time didn’t really want to take the blame for what was occurring all around America.
