7

Freedom Rides began on May 4, 1961. A group composed of students,
ministers and community leaders left Washington to travel as an in-
tegrated group through some of our southern states. They believed
that non-discrimination in interstate travel should exist in prac-
tice as well as in theory and in law. These people had decided that
the time had come to test the acceptance in the South of the rights
of individuals to travel from state to state with unrestricted use
of terminal facilities provided for bus, plane, or train passengers.
It was their good fortune to be able to ride through several states
without incident. Then the riders headed for a city called Annis-
ton, Alabama. Efforts were made by those who recognized the consti-
tutional rights of freedom riders to prevent any undemocratic action
on the part of irresponsible persons who do not yet understand the
wholesome variety in the appearance of members of the human race.
Because of their long-impenetrable denseness, such individuals pro-
ceeded to dramatize their shallowness by bombing a bus carrying the
Freedom Riders on May 17. They further inflicted unspeakable bodily
harm upon the non-violent riders. Ironically enough, the violence
perpetrated by this mob causes many persons, not to speak forth on
behalf of human dignity and our democratic way of life, but to ques-
tion the continuance of the rides and the good that they could ac-
complish.

Now these courageous and dedicated people have focused nation-
wide attention to situations in which constitutional rights are be-
ing denied in certain sections of our country. They have brought to
the eyes of millions of people the fact that certain states such as
Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and many others continue to
violate the 14th Amendment and the ICC ruling. These states conti-
nuously use misdemeanor statutes and administrative remedies to make
a mockery of our rule by law. By exercising their rights to travel,
Freedom Riders have created an atmosphere which brings into focus
these instances of wanton disregard for legal rights and statutes to
the extent that the Justice Department now realizes the need for firm
decrees to protect and effect statutes passed years ago outlawing
discrimination practices in interstate travel.

Attorney General Robert Kennedy suggested that there be a
"cooling-off period". This was supposed to allow rob violence to
subside. However, to do so would be to admit defeat. To do so
would be to acknowledge the fact that mob violence rules in a nation
where democracy is prevalent. To do so would be to admit that in the
United States a non-violent legal activity may be easily stopped by
those whose actions are illegal, violent and irrational. Furthermore,
this would have made useless the physical suffering that the Freedom
Riders endured. I am sure that the riders would have deeply regret-
ted a discontinuance of further rides. They would surely feel that
injustice prevails not only in the South but in the minds and hearts
of other Americans. Such a discontinuance of rides would have defi-