Maine NAACP runs into issues–where is Robert Williams when you need him?

In hindsight I’m pretty sure that P6 wrote a bit about this story. One bit caught me off guard–one of those interviewed moved from Detroit to Maine looking for “peace and tranquility” and it was this sister who argued that folks in Maine weren’t necessarily racist, but rather simply xenophobic (again as P6 notes, this is only a semantic difference). I suppose she did so because she has to somehow defend her choice to both readers and her daughter–who hates her all white high school. But what stands out are her stylistic choices–she wears an Afro, has taken the name Assata, and practices Kwanzaa. This probably shouldn’t bother me…but it does. I can understand leaving Detroit. But I’ll be damned if you put your daughter at risk for your peace of mind. And then defend the people who practice racism against you and yours.The other part is that the “threat” doesn’t seem to be that much of a threat at all. I’m not sure what the gun carrying laws are in Maine…but how much would it have cost to simply send word to the police that if that 75 year old man walks into the NAACP, given his prior statements, he would be met with force?  This type of story is usually written in order to show how much things haven’t changed, and can be placed alongside a number of other stories that pop up every now and again (“wow…racism exists HERE?!?”). But usually stories like this serve to increase the apathy and powerlessness that black people feel, rather than making them more aware of what they already know.