would have been seen as inconceivable in 1965 not

would have been seen as inconceivable in 1965 not to mention abominable.

It struck me that maybe tiny Rappahannock was much farther ahead in tolerance, in acceptance of each other and our differences than some other alledgely more cosmopolitan, sophisticated communities.

Mr. Ralls’ letter reminded me that we still have much farther to go, that bigotry of all sorts remains alive and well, and that we seekers of “liberty and justice for all” must “keep on keeping on,” in the words of a song from the ‘60s Civil Rights Movement.

Unlike that lone AfricanAmerican student in 1965, Mr. Ralls was fortunate to have a classmate who supported him, who “was appalled” by the treatment he received. I hope the School Board acts.

In the first place, violence and harassment directed at any student for any reason, whether it be based on some sort of prejudice or for some other reason, must not be tolerated. Rights and fair treatment must be guaranteed for all despite the fact that might mean taking an unpopular stance.

For instance, anti-gay prejudice often hides behind the guise of religion. It was the same way with racism then. Religious beliefs were invoked to defend segregation and discrimination against black people, just as they are used to deny the humanity of gay and Lesbian people today.

I am reminded of a song by Si Kahn which contains the lyrics “Everybody’s got the right to be the way they are/if you’re not hurting someone else/then you’ve not gone too far/so before you start to criticize the lives that others lead/take a good look in your mirror and be sure of what you see.”

Much of what I have been saying here depicts my own journey to come to terms with what it means to have come of age. in a small rural Southern community, yet always feeling somehow an outsider. One who, for instance preferred books and solitude and communing vyith nature to what was seen as the more usual, normal life of those around me.

As I have said before, I did