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Ed Spannaus correspondence, June-September 1964
1964-08-03 Ed Spannaus to his parents Page 2
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one deals within the movement, and for the Negroes and whites we are trying to reach by our efforts. Nonviolence is not discussed as passive resistance, but as an aggressive and positive response to violence and hatred in an attempt to reach the humanity that is in every individual. In our relations with others, we are to be concerned with their total and complete self, in our attempts to work towards a society [[in which?]] people are not exploited or used by other people for any purpose. Now I see why this is called the most lied about state int he Union; the truth about this place is just fantastic. For example, a summer volunteer and a minister from Des Moines went to a doctor the other day (without first checking with the COFO medical committee.). The doctor not only refused to treat them, but ten thugs bent them while they were in the doctors' waiting room. The minister, not schooled in the tecniques of nonviolence, was beaten quite severely. But lest it seem incredible that doctors would be involved in this, listen to this: Quite frequently, while doctors have supposedly been performing apendectomies, they have performed a hysterectomy on young Negro women, some in their teens, by tying off the tubes, removing ovaries, etc. This has been discovered when autopsies have been performed on women who died early, often after suffering profound physiological effects. I'm not sure I can thing of much that is more inhuman than involuntary sterilization. Incidents like this should help to explain in the sense of urgency that is found in this movement. The Community Centers have been one of the most successful aspects of the project. In many commities there has been such a response that local people are raising money and building permanent centers. There are about 15 or 20 centers, I think; 20-25% of the summer staff working at community centers are staying on this fall. Freedom Schools have generally also been quite successful. The state convention of the Freedom Dem. Party is being held this week; I'd appreciate it if you would keep me informed of the coverage that it is getting in Chicago papers. I'm sure I'll have a lot more to tell once I get to the project at Moss Point. So until then, give my best to everyone. Love,
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one deals within the movement, and for the Negroes and whites we are trying to reach by our efforts. Nonviolence is not discussed as passive resistance, but as an aggressive and positive response to violence and hatred in an attempt to reach the humanity that is in every individual. In our relations with others, we are to be concerned with their total and complete self, in our attempts to work towards a society [[in which?]] people are not exploited or used by other people for any purpose. Now I see why this is called the most lied about state int he Union; the truth about this place is just fantastic. For example, a summer volunteer and a minister from Des Moines went to a doctor the other day (without first checking with the COFO medical committee.). The doctor not only refused to treat them, but ten thugs bent them while they were in the doctors' waiting room. The minister, not schooled in the tecniques of nonviolence, was beaten quite severely. But lest it seem incredible that doctors would be involved in this, listen to this: Quite frequently, while doctors have supposedly been performing apendectomies, they have performed a hysterectomy on young Negro women, some in their teens, by tying off the tubes, removing ovaries, etc. This has been discovered when autopsies have been performed on women who died early, often after suffering profound physiological effects. I'm not sure I can thing of much that is more inhuman than involuntary sterilization. Incidents like this should help to explain in the sense of urgency that is found in this movement. The Community Centers have been one of the most successful aspects of the project. In many commities there has been such a response that local people are raising money and building permanent centers. There are about 15 or 20 centers, I think; 20-25% of the summer staff working at community centers are staying on this fall. Freedom Schools have generally also been quite successful. The state convention of the Freedom Dem. Party is being held this week; I'd appreciate it if you would keep me informed of the coverage that it is getting in Chicago papers. I'm sure I'll have a lot more to tell once I get to the project at Moss Point. So until then, give my best to everyone. Love,
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