European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6 a the stars and stripes monday March 4, 1991 thirteen year old Norman Dexter left portrays a Young boy who was shot while rid ing a bicycle with his brother Lovely Thornton Center shares some personal a Peri a amps. Lynda Davidson in pcs of growing up As a Black child. Rianne Disch portrays a Young College student whose friends were shot because they helped Blacks Register to recalls civil rights revolution by Jimi Jones. A education writer. Six and Aillem Germany a a sign on the Wall at Span Dahlem elementary school reads Quot a roots and wings Are the two most important things we give our a . A a a a a a a v1a a 1 Hal statement describes history and Hope or roots and wings that children and adults alike presented on stage wednesday in Quot Lorty lives Tor the. Program featured a revolution in America the Peri a of from 1954 to 19hs when the country began to rid Uyselt of segregationist practices. J the tone Tor the Black history month presentation was set by chaplain Steve riches opening prayer. Quot lord a. A a a a / a Quot Lor too Long the civil rights movement in our nation has been poking along in the slow Lane. It needs to lunge Forward in the last Lane. For too Long we have tailgate the Fustor rot others instead of pulling out to make our own histor a. Lor too Long we be Ridden the brakes of. A indifference. When we need to ride the accelerator of enable us to see that it we arc Ever going to get into the passing Lane of Hie we must Start by checking our mirrors of history. And that our mirrors need some adjusting. V a history that showy Only one color and one race in our nation s development is a Side View Mirror that has too Many Blind he heroes of the civil rights movement were not Alt famous leaders and renowned strategists said Lovely i Hornton program coordinator. And the presentation was meant to Honor the a Ordinary men women and children with extraordinary courage and . That Justice would because stack history month tends to focus on famous Black americans people Are left with the false impression that fought and died for civil rights was Black Thornton to the contrary Many White individuals gave their for Blacks to be free Quot she said. The pre a sensation honoured those and others who were targeted for of their skin color she Saij. Blended with selections from the Span Dahlem gospel choir forty lives brought together teen agers from the Middle school and adults from diverse backgrounds Quot to exemplify Unity of purpose Quot in portraying those who died for the cause of Freedom Thornton said.-. _ "1. Was on the handle bars Quot said 13-year-old Norman Dexter an eighth grader who portrayed Young Virgil l. Ware. Quot As we turned two White youths drove around the Corner on a motorcycle. As we passed the youth on the Back of the motorcycle pulled out a gun and shot mein my stomach and my head. I died. A. Quot the reason i died was because the people in my neighbourhood were All. For civil rights and some of the Whites Hack then did no to like that. My death was so that Black people today would have the right to vote have the right to work where they Are qualified to work but _ to sum it All up to have the right to do what they want to do As Long As you done to disrespect anybody. So in the meantime and in Between time keep Hope Steve Rich portrayed James Reeb a White Clery Meh who went to Selma ala., to March for Freedom. Rich described Reebs calling to the civil rights cause and his death by a blow to the head from a club wielded by a White Man who called him "nigger.�?�. As Reeb Rich added a my death Means that your skin is riot the determining of your future a hut your thoughts so think lord. A a / redirect our viewing mirrors of history so we can see that it is values that Impact us not color that it is principles that develop us not race that it is personalities that inspire us not gender. Quot Vve Are Wise enough not to select history by the color of eyes or the color of hair make us Wise enough not to select it by the color of skin lest we miss some of its greatest lessons. Quot enable us to see that history is meant to be a rear View Mirror that guides us Forward. In that Mirror Are Many who have Given their lives for Freedom. Re a mind us that they have done so in order that we might remember them As victors to arouse our potential not. As victims to arouse our interest. A during the program Kathy Well a Young White woman played the role of a Black Mother whose 14-year-old son Emmett Louis till was killed while visiting Mississippi in the 1950s. Quot my son was murdered because \ taught him that he was As Good As a Whiteman a she said. Well quoted the w Ife of slain civil rights Leader med Gar Evers As saying Quot it was Emmett s death that Shook the foundations of Mississippi because not even a child Quot was Sale from racism bigotry or in the welcoming address Ruthie Peksens told the audience that she originally was bothered by tie script. A i was embarrassed and very ashamed at the atrocities that were committed by members of my own race Quot said Peksens the wife of the Span Dahlem Wing commander col. Rudolph Peksens. A then i realized that some of the victim s were White. Why 1 instead identify with them. Why not celebrate the integrity that they showed in their commitment to a higher Ideal. That s what in be chosen for myself my Way is she said she also had been concerned that the Content of the script might open old wounds in the Black Community. A Quot i was afraid it might even incite anger a Peksens a a Quot fears like that May be the reason Why the incidents you la hear Here tonight Are not in our history books. But the sweeping under the Rug of incidents like this to ignore it is an act of cowardice i choose not to ignore it. Sometimes growth is not comfortable but we can All grow from 1. Quot lord Quot a a a a a a. Quot let us then look at history not As an Opportunity to open up old wounds but to prevent new opes. Not to hate people that Are blinded by Justice but to hate a Justice that blinds people. A driving up to Row has been rough remind us that it is riot because of the colors of the Drivers around us but the color of thoughts that drives within us. A. Quot would you do us a favor would you pull us Over and make us wind Down the wind dive of our minds let out the destructive ones and let in some fresh new. Ones. A. A it. Quot once they realize that a discriminating Driver does no to focus on who is driving but who drives us and if it is hot you would you nudge us and move us Over so you can take the wheel so we do Scarf rolling Down the Radhke we re suppose . The children some of whom Are drama club members said that their roles had been educational experiences and that putting themselves in the roles of the victims helped them to belter understand what people must have gone through to ensure peace love an teacher Institute on arabic culture planned by Jones education writer military school officials arc planning teacher training programs that will help students better understand life in saudi Arabia where so Many of the children a parents now serve the department of defense dependents schools Section. 6 schools and the National endowment for the humanities Are working to offer some teachers a summer Institute in arabic language culture and society. The three organizations will jointly fund the Institute tentatively set for june 24 through july 19. Officials have not decided yet where the Institute will be located. Officials said the Institute also will prepare teachers to integrate tie study of the arabic language. Culture and society into the curriculum. It also will help children feel less apprehensive about their a parents absence if they understand the arabic environment and the circumstances of their parents Quot service. _ a the first session will be for 55 sixth through 12th-Grade teachers from schools with High percentages of students whose parents Are operation desert storm. A John Stremple director of Milita schools said the program will exp after that. Teachers eligible for the Institute a those in the Atlantic Germany and my Terrane an regions of Dodds Section schools most heavily affected by Desi storm and . Public school systems p Marily serving students connected w military installations. A
