Are there any Quora users who vividly remember the segregated South? If so, what are your most memorable recollections?
First I would like to point out that segregation was not just limited to the South. I grew up in Southern Indiana, and segregation was alive and well there as well. I was born in 1940, and when I was 9 or 10 years old, my dad took us to a football game at the one “Black” high school that blacks were permitted to attend. My Dad was a part of a group of Jaycees who helped support the school. My mother had a black maid the entire time I lived at home, so I grew up with a black lady as part of my home environment. I am so very thankful she was a part of my life. I never heard any racial slurs at home, but I heard them outside the home all the time. The blacks lived in a neighborhood near the center of town, and were not allowed to purchase a home outside that area. They could work only in menial jobs that paid little.I would also point out that my dad din’t have any black employees. To his credit, he paid the entire amount of our maids FICA and Social Security; nothing was deducted from her pay. When she could not work any longer, she was able to retire with a social security check every month. Later, she became ill, and my mother, a retired nurse, would visit her regularly and take her to the doctor when needed. But believe me that was not the norm.There were no lynchings in Indiana that I was aware of, but they continued in the South and I heard of them from time to time. I vividly remember the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy, who dared to face the bigots and challenge their activities, while asking only for peace and equal treatment that our Constitution calls for. I was saddened to think of the hatred that accompanied the era, and still feel the same way.I am a Freemason, and the one criticism I had concerning that institution was the lack of black members, and the refusal of Masonic Lodges to recognize the Prince Hall Masons (who are black). Then the Grand Lodges began to recognize Prince Hall Masons, except the Southeastern states, who, as one might expect, continue in their bigotry. I am a Texas Mason, and so very proud that we, as most of the state Grand Lodges, now not only recognize Prince Hall Masons, but also accept people of color, and of various religions into our lodges.
What is each US state best known for?
I'd love to say that Ohio is known for its tranquil, rolling hills...its clean, friendly "big" cities...its contributions to medicine (the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and The Ohio State University Medical Center), science, (including 24 astronauts), law (10 US Supreme Court justices), and the presidency (8 US presidents)...the beauty of Lake Erie...the state's relatively inexpensive cost of living...its waterways...its attractions (Pro Football Hall of Fame, Cedar Point amusement park, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Columbus Zoo, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park honoring native Ohioans the Wright Brothers, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Garden, and the art museums in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo)...the beautiful pastoral and urban landscapes...Ohio's covered bridges...its historic homes...its Amish settlements...its wineries...and its warm and friendly people welcoming you to our state. But, alas...what we're BEST known for is OHIO STATE FOOTBALL. The Ohio State University football program is known for rabid fans, the celebrated 'Shoe where home football games take place, the OSU Marching Band half-time shows, the adoration of Woody Hayes, tailgating, and all of the insanity that surrounds OSU football. Please visit us here in beautiful Ohio...but not on a football Saturday.
What is the worst car crash you've ever seen or experienced?
20 years ago - 1996 I think it was - I was driving back home with my then gf from Auckland (I lived 160km away). It was raining and I was speeding because I wanted to get home in time to watch the X-Files. I was an idiot.I came zooming round a corner at 120kmh and found a bus stopped in the middle of the road. I found it very interesting just how time really does slow down in these high-adrenaline situations. In the second or so before I hit the bus, I saw a car coming the other way on the other side of the road and immediately weighed up that overtaking the bus was a bad idea as that would mean a head-on with the oncoming car, which means greater combined force. On the side of the road was a deep ditch and again I realised going that way would be certain death. My only option for survival was hitting the bus. As I made my decision, I turned to my gf and said, “I'm really very sorry about this.”All this in about a second!We hit the bus but unfortunately the bus was high up and instead of smacking into the back of the bus, we went under it!The force of the collision tore the side struts off the car windscreen and crumpled the roof. By sheer dumb luck my car hit the bus's back tires, and this stopped our progress. The back of the bus ended less than an inch from my face. Another foot or so…I ended up with a tiny scratch on my thumb. My gf was less lucky being seated further forward. The top edge around the windscreen hit her head so she was bleeding rather profusely but fortunately not seriously (headwounds are messy). Later when she was taken to hospital we found she also had whiplash.The fire dept were already there due to road flooding (which was why the bus was stopped). One of the firemen cheerfully offered me my car's radiator cap - he found it 2 cars in front of the bus. This should give you some idea of the force of the collision.Had I driven for the road conditions - say at 90kmh - we would have missed the first 5 or 10 minutes of that evenings X-Files episode. As a result of rushing we missed the entire episode, destroyed the car and ended up spending half the night at the hospital. Oh, and I got a traffic infringement ticket.There's probably a moral in there somewhere…