Amy Goodman recounts that Mahalia Jackson once insisted that Studs Terkel be hired as a host for her show on CBS. When Studs balked at signing the loyalty oath that CBS demanded, Mahalia told them, "Look, if you fire Studs, find another Mahalia Jackson." CBS backed off.
The lesson, the 95 year old Terkel said in a recent interview, "...is to say 'No!' to authority when authority is wrong."
It took me awhile to learn that lesson.
The Loyalty Oath fetish was in full glory when I started college. The mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps, ROTC, demanded it. I, and a few other students, refused to sign. We were called into an office where an Army officer told us solemnly that if we didn't sign, we couldn't take ROTC. And if we didn't take ROTC, we couldn't graduate.
I don't know if all the others signed, but I chickened out and did. I've been ashamed of my cowardice ever since.
Posted by Deck at July 3, 2007 03:40 PM