George C Wallace was running third party in 1968 and some of the liberal back room boys in Boston were trying to keep him off the ballot.
There was a petition going around supporting letting Wallace be on the Massachusetts ballot. One of the people circulating the petition asked my dad to sign it and he did. I was stunned until he explained it to me over dinner. My mother was shocked that he had signed it and asked him how he could support the biggest segregationist out there.
"I don't support him," he explained. "As a citizen I have a duty to help insure free elections. Wallace has every right to be on the ballot. However, as a human being I have a duty not to vote for the son of a bitch."
Mom shook her head. She didn't understand. I thought about it and did understand. Dad was right. Wallace had every right to be on the Massachusetts ballot and I had every right not to vote for him.
Dad wasn't supporting George Wallace. He was supporting free and honest elections.
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Years later when dad was dead and gone his son took a lot of flak for supporting some Skinhead type group's basic civil right to hold a rally.
If you don't support the rights of others don't be surprised when it becomes your turn and you lose yours.
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