Hello Dr. Myers, I left message on your answering machine about this conference. As you can see, I would like to be part of this event? However, I am of a strong belief that there ought to be permanent "Truth Reconciliation Dialogue" Center here in Charleston as a World Wide Model.
Dear Dr. Burton,
My name is Ron Alexander. I have been a part of the healing here in Charleston after the tragic Emanuel Massacre. As a Southern white man, interested in being part of the solution, I was interviewed by Gwen Ivers on the PBS Special AMERICA AFTER CHARLESTON. Also, I have been working with ArtsHealHearts, LILA a writing group who put on an event of writing by poets and other authors with a Healing Purpose. In addition, for my Unity Church, I led a book group BEYOND FEAR on healing racism. This book, by Aeesha and Kokomon Clottey, was written in the 90's in Oakland, Ca. I studied with them and am actually written up in the book (they were surprised a Southern white man would want to be part of healing racism.) I went to graduate school out there and became a Family Therapist, which I practiced at the time. I moved back here in 1999 to help with my own family.
I am born and raised in the Carolinas, and unfortunately learned racism growing up here. I heard a story from a African-American friend at Unity, which really increased my awareness. He was brought up in a similar small Southern Town as myself. He graduated in 1961, and I graduated in 1962 from High School. This was during the apartheid years, and African-American students did not have buses while the white kids did. He and his friends had to "hide in the woods" when the buses came by because the children in the buses would throw rocks at them. On the other hand, when I was brought up, I felt completely safe in the community. However, I have a sad memory of being a rock-thrower myself. I was in the Athletic Field for whites only. There was high outfield fence and on the other side of the fence were the unpainted houses of the "Colored community". I was about 9 or ten years old, and saw some other kids throwing rocks over the fence at the houses. I joined in, wanting to be accepted - a toxic example of "mob mentality". Much to his credit, the white chief of police drove in with his siren on, and threatened to throw us in jail, if we ever did that again. He scared me enough where I never participated in that again, and never heard of it happening again. I have spoken with several friends and veterans here who have told me similar stories growing up here near Charleston. I have been thinking of writing a play, and Marion (the rock-throwing victim) has agreed to join me as two elders in rocking chairs in front of a country store, talking about our differences in growing up near here. He would probably come with me to part of conference. His wife leads a women's group on BEYOND FEAR at the Unity Church.
I am a veteran from the Vietnam era and volunteer at the VA Hospice in memory of my Brother who was killed in Vietnam. Most of the wounded elderly warrior patients here are African-American men who were drafted into service. 94 year old Rev. Dan Wright ended up in the Pacific Sector in the Phillippines and New Guinea. He has enlightened me about how abusive white racist soldiers were to him in the segregated army. He was almost just afraid of them as the Japanese. Rev. Dan became an AME minister after the war ordained here at Emanuel. I would love to get him to the Conference, if he is willing. He is ambulatory in a wheelchair, and gets out a lot, so there is a possibility.
I am 71 myself and also have been a patient at the VA almost dying of heart blockage. However, with pacemaker, I am much better, and would love to be a part of the conference. I am on fixed income, cannot afford tuition, and humbly ask for a scholarship.
P. S. Let me know if you would like me to invite Marion and/or Rev. Dan Wright for a limited amount of time at the conference?
Rev. Dan Wright is on the far right and I am standing behind him. We took the ambulatory vets to a State Fair a few weeks ago. The two vets in the wheel chairs on the left are Vietnam draftees.
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