Eddie J. Thomas

Peckerwood, Please or (The "P" Word): Quantum Theory? Eddie J. Thomas

PREFACETHIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE JOHN HOWARD GRIFFIN. AS THE WHITE AUTHOR OF THE 1960'S BEST SELLER, 'BLACK LIKE ME,' HE UNDERSTOOD THE MEANING OF RACIAL PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION. HIS WAS NOT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT COMES FROM THE INTELLECTUAL DETACHMENT OF OBJECTIVE AND SAFE OBSERVATION. HIS UNDERSTANDING WAS BASED ON THE DIRECT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE RESULTING FROM AN ACTUAL CHANGE IN SKIN COLOR. IT WAS THIS DIRECT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT GAVE HIM THE UNIQUE STATUS OF BEING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO PERSONALLY UNDERSTOOD RACIAL INJUSTICE FROM BOTH THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE DOMINATE GROUP AND THE SUBORDINATE GROUP. PHRASES LIKE 'WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES' AND 'DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU,' BECOME MORE THAN MERE VERBAL IDEALISM WHEN USED TO DESCRIBE THE RACIAL CROSSOVER THAT GRIFFIN REALIZED. ONLY THE MOST CALLOUS OF INDIVIDUALS WOULD REMAIN STEADFAST IN SUPPORT OF BIGOTRY WHEN THE 'TABLES ARE TURNED' AND THEY BECOME THE VICTIMS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK IS TO 'TURN THE TABLES,' PUT ONE IN 'ANOTHER'S SHOES,' AND TO ENCOURAGE SERIOUS INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT ABOUT RACE RELATIONS AND THE ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN SOCIETY. IF THAT IS ACHIEVED, THEN MAYBE SOCIETAL PROBLEMS OF RACE CAN BE MINIMIZED BY THE ACTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO COME TO UNDERSTAND THE PHRASE 'DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU' FOR WHAT IT TRULY IS THE GOLDEN RULE, IN THE CULTURE OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES (THE 'OLD SOUTH') PRIOR TO THE LAST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, THE WORD 'PECKERWOOD' WAS A DEROGATORY TERM USED TO DESCRIBE THE POOR CLASS OF SOUTHERN WHITE FARMERS. IT IS A REVERSAL OF THE NAME FOR A BIRD (THE RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER). A NOTED CHARACTERISTIC OF THE BIRD WAS A PATCH OF RED ON THE BACK OF IT'S HEAD AND NECK. POOR SOUTHERN WHITE FARMERS WERE OFTENSUNBURNED ON THE NECK. HENCE, THE TERMS 'PECKERWOOD' AND 'REDNECK' ORIGINATED AS REFLECTIONS OF THAT EXPOSURE TO TOO MUCH SUN. THE NOVELIST STEPHEN LONGSTREET IS QUOTED AS SAYING 'ANY WHITE MAN FROM THE