Making of a Man in America

PREFACE

Living a long, active, and interesting life from birth, school years, World War II, and after, encouraged me to write this book on my experiences in growing up in America. Having lived before and after the GREAT DEPRESSION, being active in World War II, living through the Korean conflict, the Vietnam undeclared war, and in later years, living through the Civil Rights Movement, I am sharing my experiences of these times.

These experiences include the forced bussing that did not accomplish desegregating of most schools, but, in many areas of the United States, caused a rift that has widened the hostilities between ethnic and racial problems. Having observed the outcome of affirmative action in employment, job promotion for minorities and women, in many instances, caused the government and private industry to promote and hire individuals with less job qualifications, which lowered the standards for job qualifications. This has also ignored hiring job applicants on merit and promoted less qualified citizens. The idea was, perhaps, needed to give minorities and women an opportunity in the work force, but in some instances, this has proven to be reverse discrimination. This book is written to put together the many pieces of the great puzzles of the American Justice System, and to determine the reason this great country has developed into many complex situations. This book is not written to offend any ethnic, racial, or religious group. It is written to inform the citizens of this country on how racial separation has an affect on all Americans, and how violations of rights effect all citizens. How the Justice System's interpretation of justice for all citizens of the United States is not equal.

INTRODUCTION

At the outbreak of World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, made several speeches to the citizens of the United States of America. During one speech, the President ended his speech with a prayer. This section of the President's speech, was for guidance and support of all citizens in stopping the Japanese and German soliders in their determination to control the powers of this earth, and dominating this country and all of Europe and Asia. In their Apostles of Greed....racial arrogance this prayer ended with....'Thy will be done.' President Roosevelt stated on December 7, 1941, 'a date which live in infamy.'

President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlined the four freedoms this country would fight for: (A) the freedom of speech, (B) the freedom of worship, (C) the freedom of want, and (D) the freedom of fear.

These four freedoms outlined by Franklin D. Roosevelt were not for all American citizens. During this period in the 1940's, many citizens in America were very hostile toward the jewish populations across America.

Also, in the 1940's, Afro-Americans across America were not accepted as equal citizens. This policy caused many Afro-Americans to live as second class citizens, especially in the Southern states where many Afro-Americans were lynched, and jailed because of attempting to 'stand up' for their rights as American citizens. Because the Japanese government made a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, this country had concluded, the Japanese living in the United States, could not be trusted. This included naturalized citizens, and Japanese that still had ties with the people of Japan.

(from Chapter I)

On December 10, 1925, my mother, Faye Norwood-Groomer, gave birth to he first son, Earl Groomer, Jr., the third child of Earl Groomer, Sr.

Not many people can remember their infancy years, but I can. I remember an incident that occurred while laying on my back in a bed. I can remember that I was trying to get off my back, because I could not breath clearly. Remembering moving on my right and on my left, in an attempt to get off my back. After many attempts of trying to roll over, I finally succeeded. Apparently, I was near the edge of the bed, when I fell onto the floor, and it caused me to cry. Someone picked me up to see if I was bruised or hurt, then hugged me and rubbed my head. I can remember being taken to a person that rubbed my head. Later, my grandfather Groomer said to me, that I was being taken to a doctor, because of the bump on my head.

My next recollection of my infancy years, was my first steps to walking. LEARNING TO WALK. After learning how to crawl and being placed on the floor, it was fun for me to crawl under things. I was crawling under the table and reaching for the chair legs. Eventually, pulling my hands on the chair leg, pulling myself up in a standing position, then falling back onto the floor. My grandfather looked at me saying, 'Come here baby! Is the baby trying to walk?' He then took my hand and started walking slowly with me holding onto my hand. He would say, 'That's right, grandson, show granddaddy you can walk.'

(80 pages)