Chapters (32)
“Well,” Adam Cramer said, dropping his smile, “it’s going to get hotter, for a whole lot of people. I’ll promise you that. This here little town is going to burn, what I mean; it’s going to burn the conscience of the country, now, and put out a light that everyone and everybody will see and feel. This town, I’m talking about. Caxton!” He paused. “People, something happened today. You’ve all heard about it by now. Some of you saw it with your own eyes. What happened was: Twelve Negroes went to the Caxton high school and sat with the white children there. Nobody stopped them, nobody turned them out. And, friends, listen; that makes today the most important day in the history of the South. Why? Because it marks the real beginning of integration. That’s right. It’s been tried other places, but you know what they’re saying? They’re saying, Well, if it works in Caxton, it’ll work all over, because Caxton is a typical Southern town. If the people don’t want integration, they’ll do something about it! If they don’t do something about it, that means they want it! Two plus two equals four!
“Except there’s one thing wrong. They’re saying you all don’t give a darn whether the whites mix with the blacks because you haven’t really got down to fighting; but I ask you, how can somebody fight what he doesn’t see? They’ve kept the facts away from you; they’ve cheated and deceived every one of you, and filled your heads with filthy lies. It has all been a calculated campaign to keep you in the dark, so that when you finally do wake up, Why, we’re sorry, it’s just too late!
“All right; I’m associated with the Society of National American Patriots, which is an organization dedicated to giving the people the truth about desegregation. We’ve been studying this situation here ever since January, when Judge Silver made his decision, and I’m going to give that situation to you. Of course, many present now are fully aware of it. Many have done what they consider their best to prevent it from happening. But there are quite a few who simply do not know the facts; who don’t know either what led up to that black little parade into the school today, or what real significance it has for everyone in the country.