Comments on: Freedom Riders

By: jayann

jayann — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 17:04:44 +0000

I forgot to add that Chris Harman (SWP) stole the quote in ‘69; just in case anyone thought it was a SNCC thing. And see the memoirs of women of the US New Left (I do have more precise references, I’ve mislaid them—Robin Morgan, Marge Piercy, ?).

By: P6

P6 — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 13:41:02 +0000

Steve:

Perhaps Helen’s sense of satisfaction isn’t all self-induced.

I think your meaning is more interesting than the source of your quote.
What do you suppose might be inducing that sense of satisfaction? Are you making assumptions about her based on what some unrelated person said?

By: jayann

jayann — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 12:42:32 +0000

“the position of women in the movement (in SNCC?) is prone”; Stokely Carmichael, 1968.

Perhaps, Dave, he went on saying it later?

By: dave heasman

dave heasman — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 10:27:32 +0000

The ever-positive Steve : – I recall a quote from one of the Freedom Riders or Black Panthers, I believe, to the effect that “the only position for women in the Freedom Riders/Black Panthers is horizontal.”

Actually Stokely Carmichael, in England, many years after his ego took over and even longer after he counted for anything.
(Not that the attitude wasn’t there, in the movement, mind)

By: degustibus

degustibus — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 04:17:10 +0000

Facial expressions by thesemselve out of context can be misleading—like a Rorschach inkblot. Thanks to Steve—for reminding us what an asshole looks like.

By: Belle Waring

Belle Waring — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 02:52:31 +0000

I agree that the men look blank in a purposeful way, intending to avoid trouble. either she wasn’t in as much danger, wasn’t clearly aware of how much danger she was in, or she just plain couldn’t help herself.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 23:13:19 +0000

I recall a quote from one of the Freedom Riders or Black Panthers, I believe, to the effect that “the only position for women in the Freedom Riders/Black Panthers is horizontal.” Perhaps Helen’s sense of satisfaction isn’t all self-induced.

Steve

By: etat

etat — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 22:33:51 +0000

Belle, you may have ‘been there’ to a greater extent than I, but I see something different in those faces. Particularly the in the purposefully expressionless faces of the men. In Helen I see a degree of smug superiority, a clear indication that she knows more about the situation and its significance than the photographer/police do. She is smiling that slightly bemused smile of being above it all.

The men. Two look at the camera, blankly. One looks above and beyond, also expressionless. It is quite clear that to do otherwise is to invite trouble. Helen’s irrepressible expression is out of bounds. Probably for good reason.

Compare the men’s mugshots with their photos today. All of them are engaged, with a range of subtle and not-so-subtle hints playing across their faces. The differences could not be more obvious. So we may have to ask whether the mug shots carry the equivalent of Helen’s rebelliousness, but in some other way.

By: bitchphd

bitchphd — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:32:59 +0000

I loved that photo too, and for exactly the same reason. You rarely see someone looking so justifiably proud of themselves.

By: Delicious Pundit

Delicious Pundit — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 18:40:15 +0000

I wonder what the Jackson police photographer thought about that cocked eyebrow and that smile?

I sure don’t know, but he seems to have gotten some revenge in the last handful of Presidential elections.

By: abb1

abb1 — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 17:26:52 +0000

Isn’t this facial expression kinda typical for young Southern Californians? Ms. Singleton was a student of the UCLA at the time.
http://crmvet.org/vet/singleth.htm.