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May Tangen Christmas Letters, 1961-1974
Christmas Letter
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12-63 It is out of affection and concern that we add this additional portion to our annual Christmas communication with you. It is because we feel that at this time, at the beginning of a series of religious celebrations that embrace the panorama of the whole Christ event, there is no more appropriate time to approach this subject. It is because we believe in the dignity and worth of all humans that we feel compelled to speak out to all we can. What we wish to speak about is the human and civil rights and liberties that should belong to all who dwell within our country, but don't. We are doing this because we feel that through our failure to speak up in the past or now we have shared and will continue to share in the flagrant disregard of minority groups human and civil rights in every part of our nation. We plead with you to become informed about this American problem. Please don't look for and accept only those facts that you want to find. Dig for something that will prick the conscience and propel passiveness into action. Read books not just newspapers; seek out and converse with those who have witnessed personally abuses suffered by minority groups; and most important write your senators and representitives in Washington, D. C. Deadlocked in the Rules Committee of the House is the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1963. We have read it. The policy of this Act is to promote the general welfare by eliminating discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin in voting, education and public accommodations. It is based on the power of Congress under the Federal Constitution of our Country. If you haven't read this Act please find a copy - read it - and decide what you must do. Some representatives have already signed a petition that is seeking to wrest control of the Act from the rules committee. This is a perfectly legal procedure. If you feel that this is the move you want to see write your representative and request that his name be added to the list. If you prize the liberties we hold dear please act now. TODAY. Being silent and passive means we condone this disgraceful situation that exists. It needs to be made clear to all of us that if liberties and rights can be withheld from a Negro, Mexican or moderate White in some areas of our country, ultimately is is possible that these or other rights can be with withheld from YOU and US and our Children. Nothing brought this home more clearly to us than to hear a dear friend of ours speak from the pulpit last Sunday morning. He is a Methodist minister who just last week went with his wife to another state to speak at a Methodist supported college that is attended by a Negro student body. We cannot tell you all that he related to use about that experience but here is a small portion of a wise, educated, non-alarmist and fully Christian man said. The parallel between the United States of today and Germany in the twenties and thirties is shocking and makes me shutter to the depths of my being. Hitler rose to power because of the indifference and blindness of the masses who professed to be Christian. The human rights and dignity of a minority group were disregarded because of the passiveness of the population. Only after the atrocities that were carried on during World War II were well under way did their eyes become open. To Late! To Late! I pray to God that it is not to late here." It can't happen here? Just look around You! There is hope but all of us must be willing to sacrifice and suffer a little. We don not wish to close on a note of gloom. Being human we must be optimistic for great things are not accomplished out of pessimism. If we stop making the symbol of Christmas a sham and emerse ourself in positive humanitarian action we will become a constructive force to those around us. We will want to accept, and be concerned for, all our neighbors. We believe that God accepts all men without reservation. Here lies the significance and Joy of the Christmas event that we celebrate now. Joetta and John
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12-63 It is out of affection and concern that we add this additional portion to our annual Christmas communication with you. It is because we feel that at this time, at the beginning of a series of religious celebrations that embrace the panorama of the whole Christ event, there is no more appropriate time to approach this subject. It is because we believe in the dignity and worth of all humans that we feel compelled to speak out to all we can. What we wish to speak about is the human and civil rights and liberties that should belong to all who dwell within our country, but don't. We are doing this because we feel that through our failure to speak up in the past or now we have shared and will continue to share in the flagrant disregard of minority groups human and civil rights in every part of our nation. We plead with you to become informed about this American problem. Please don't look for and accept only those facts that you want to find. Dig for something that will prick the conscience and propel passiveness into action. Read books not just newspapers; seek out and converse with those who have witnessed personally abuses suffered by minority groups; and most important write your senators and representitives in Washington, D. C. Deadlocked in the Rules Committee of the House is the Omnibus Civil Rights Act of 1963. We have read it. The policy of this Act is to promote the general welfare by eliminating discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin in voting, education and public accommodations. It is based on the power of Congress under the Federal Constitution of our Country. If you haven't read this Act please find a copy - read it - and decide what you must do. Some representatives have already signed a petition that is seeking to wrest control of the Act from the rules committee. This is a perfectly legal procedure. If you feel that this is the move you want to see write your representative and request that his name be added to the list. If you prize the liberties we hold dear please act now. TODAY. Being silent and passive means we condone this disgraceful situation that exists. It needs to be made clear to all of us that if liberties and rights can be withheld from a Negro, Mexican or moderate White in some areas of our country, ultimately is is possible that these or other rights can be with withheld from YOU and US and our Children. Nothing brought this home more clearly to us than to hear a dear friend of ours speak from the pulpit last Sunday morning. He is a Methodist minister who just last week went with his wife to another state to speak at a Methodist supported college that is attended by a Negro student body. We cannot tell you all that he related to use about that experience but here is a small portion of a wise, educated, non-alarmist and fully Christian man said. The parallel between the United States of today and Germany in the twenties and thirties is shocking and makes me shutter to the depths of my being. Hitler rose to power because of the indifference and blindness of the masses who professed to be Christian. The human rights and dignity of a minority group were disregarded because of the passiveness of the population. Only after the atrocities that were carried on during World War II were well under way did their eyes become open. To Late! To Late! I pray to God that it is not to late here." It can't happen here? Just look around You! There is hope but all of us must be willing to sacrifice and suffer a little. We don not wish to close on a note of gloom. Being human we must be optimistic for great things are not accomplished out of pessimism. If we stop making the symbol of Christmas a sham and emerse ourself in positive humanitarian action we will become a constructive force to those around us. We will want to accept, and be concerned for, all our neighbors. We believe that God accepts all men without reservation. Here lies the significance and Joy of the Christmas event that we celebrate now. Joetta and John
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