Twisted Truth

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Chocolate Cake--and don't make a racist deal out of it

The basic law of human stupidity says no matter how high are one's estimates of human stupidity, one is repeatedly and recurrently startled by the fact that: people whom one had once judged rational and intelligent turn out to be unashamedly stupid. Sometimes city commission meetings get really boring or really stupid too. Today was one of those days for me.

While describing small plaques approximately 2 feet by 1 foot that will have historical facts inscribed and will be installed on the walkways throughout our beach park, Commissioner Golden took umbrage—Her problem? She said that prior to 1960, black people couldn’t even go to certain places, intimating our beach as an example. She said that the plaques would only have “white faces” on them. So she was not too keen on the idea.

Let's face it--Aside from the political pandering, Commissioner Golden is just not too keen on history. She has said that. But then why does she bring up "historical facts" that aren't even relative or even true?

First of all, the beach was never off limits to people of color. Back before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was an “equal but separate” philosophy. Lake Worth’s black population, which were few in those days, seldom went to the beach. Around 1950 or 1951, blacks could not be in the main part of town after dark. Osborne Elementary had a black principal, Mrs. Robinson, who paddled the kids which, as we know, is not allowed today. All these things are just part of history and we can be thankful that we have progressed beyond color and other mores.

At the last Census Lake Worth had an estimated Black/African American population of 6,627, which is 18.9 percent of the total population in town (The U.S. average is 12.30%). Today, because of the big influx of immigrants, I am rather sure that number is much higher.

Blacks did not come to the beach when I was a kid in the 50's nor do they come to the beach that much today. I don't know why they don't but perhaps Golden should ask them. Maybe they don't like to get sunburned.

Times change but whether blacks show up at our public beach or use the pool or not, does not change what has occurred there--it is part of our history. So, for Commissioner Golden to make a “racist” thing out of historical plaques and want to eliminate them because her sense of justice has been offended somehow really takes the cake.

P.S. And for the guy who wanted to sell us solar panels, who did not live in Lake Worth and who thought that people who do not live here should have a voice on how our beach should look and be allowed to take the survey, I invite him to move here, help pay the taxes and the maintenance at our beach. Until then, forget it.