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FREEDOMWAYS
FOURTH QUARTER 1966

fact that we Afro-Americans understand clearly what the enemy are talking about and how they feel, but they don't seem to begin to understand what we are talking about and how we feel.
For instance:
We Negroes know there is a great forest fire burning, burning within us: the fire of deep anger fed by disillusionment, frustration, resentment, disgust and a profound disrespect for those Americans who try to sell American ideals and American democracy abroad while they deliberately do not practice these at home.
The enemy, dressed in their asbestos suits of bigotry and prejudice, stubbornness and ignorance, "superiority" and greed, do not seem to realize that this forest fire is burning, burning. They are finally admitting that something is very wrong and, frightened, but feeling secure in their asbestos suits, they bring out the dogs, tear-gas, bombs and dynamite, police and the National Guard, and the fire hoses—not to put out the fire but to beat back the demonstrators. And now, in Mississippi, the Mayor of Jackson, anticipating a long hot summer, has prepared a detention prison camp to hold 10,000 people!
We Negroes know that all this is not the way to cope with the forest fire which is burning, burning. (It is ironic that our country seems much more deeply concerned and preoccupied with a fire in Vietnam, thousands of miles away, while it practically ignores the forest fire right here at home.)
Lately there has been much criticism of Negro leadership by the enemy and others; Negro leaders must be "responsible" they say; must not lend themselves to violence and to all those demonstrations. And behind the "black curtain" we Afro-Americans have some very sharp criticism for "respondible" white leadership. Oh yes, indeed, we too dare to criticize.
We know that the forest fire is burning, burning, and that white leadership is doing practically nothing to put it out, or even try to control it. Just look at the way the Senate is behaving. The obvious water supply to dampen down the fire is the passage, fast, of a strong, meaningul Civil Rights Bill; but the Senate - this very white leadership - has calmly directed the water to the fire in Vietnam. Vietnam? Southeast Asia, if you please. Well, now!
There are rumors from usually reiable sources in Washington that the Senate will wait until after the Republican and Democratic national conventions are over before coming to the vote on the Civil Rights Bill, so as not to embarrass the candidates. It has already been announced that the Senate will not call for a vote on cloture to

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