Hey there,
Comment ca va?
Aujourd'hui, je ne vais pas vous montrer les dernieres photos de plages - qui commencent a dater mais restent tres sympas!
Hier soir, Rosa Parks est morte.
Cette Afro-americaine etait devenue celebre apres avoir refuse de ceder sa place a un homme blanc dans un bus, a Montgomery, Alabama. C'etait il y a presque 50 ans.
Cet acte de resistance morale avait declenche le mouvement des droits civiques et mis fin a la segragation aux Etats-Unis.
Tout a l'heure, en prenant le metro, j'ai pense a Rosa Parks. Un noir aveugle avec d'immense lunettes noires a la Ray Charles se frayait un chemin dans le wagon pour faire la manche. "Please for the blind. Have a soft and beautiful day". Il repetait ca mecaniquement dans le metro bonde.
Rosa Parks s'est battue pour que les noirs puissent participer au reve americain. Mais cinquante ans plus tard, dans ma rue, tous les mendiants, ceux qui vendent des objets pourris sur des stands et qui trainent dans les fastfood en se grattant la peau, sont noirs.
De meme, ce sont les blacks qui ont ete stockes dans des refuges apres l'ouragan Katrina.
Bien sur, certains reussissent. Mais quand je regarde autour de moi, ce n'est pas evident. Il y a bien quelques noirs a la redaction d ABC ou a Columbia, mais ils sont rares.
Pendant les manifestations des annees cinquante, Rosa Parks a demande que les noirs puissent devenir chauffeurs de bus. Elle a ete exaucee. Ils sont tous noirs.
cheers,
Ben
Hey there!
How are you?
For once, I will not show you my latest pictures of the beach - although I have some pretty nice ones!
Yesterday night, Rosa Parks died.
This African-American woman became famous after she refused to give her seat to a white man in a bus, in Montgomere, Alabama. It was almost 50 years ago.
This act of resistance triggered the civil rights movement and led to the end of the segregation in the US.
An hour ago, I thought about Rosa Parks, while I was riding in the subway. Un blind black man with huge sunglasses - a la Ray Charles - was begging in the crowded wagon. "Please for the blind. Have a soft and beautiful day", he repeated mecanically.
Rosa Parks fought to allow the Black people to have its share of the American dream. But 50 years later, in my street, all the beggars, those who sell dusty items on street stands et hang out in fastfood restaurants scratching their skin, are black.
And as you know, African-American suffered the most during hurricane Katrina.
Of course, some Blacks succeed. But when I look around me, it's not obvious.
During the demonstrations in the 50's, Rosa Parks demanded that Blacks could become bus drivers. He wish became true. All of them are black.
cheers,
Ben