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Facebook Reaction To TV Report: Proud To Say I Live In Jay
March 8, 2010
Following a murder in nearby Berrydale and subsequent media reports that painted a potentially racist picture of Jay, a group of Jay residents have formed a Facebook page to promote pride in Jay.
The Facebook page “Proud To Say I Live In Jay” was formed by Caytlyn Gonzalez, a 2009 graduate of Jay High School. She created the site after a report aired by WEAR television included an interview with a white man that claimed to be from Jay. The man, identified by the television station as only “anonymous”, said that black people should not come to places that they are not wanted.
“This group is dedicated to proving that the town of Jay is not racist. Those who are proud of where they are from can post their remarks on the news media. We need to prove to the media we are not a racial town. Just good, proud, Southern, people,” the info section of the Facebook page says. “We are happy to live where we live, people are welcome to come and go as they please.”
Sunday night, there were just under 200 members of the Jay Facebook site.
” The tragedy in Jay has nothing to do with race. No matter what color you are, it is unthinkable to threaten people with guns in order to settle an argument,” one member said.
“Anyone who has ever been to Jay knows that we aren’t racist. We love each other and don’t go out of our ways to teach people otherwise,” another resident wrote.
To visit or join the “Proud To Say I Live In Jay” Facebook page, click here.
Comments
26 Responses to “Facebook Reaction To TV Report: Proud To Say I Live In Jay”
Went to school in Jay and lived in Jay, my Dad still lives in Jay, no regrets here. People are what they want to be, and some are what they should be. The events that took place that night happened due to choices made by the people referred to above. Now all have to live with the consequences of their actions, that is the facts of life. Something our Goverment lacks the ability to do. The Obama controlled media has to make this more than it is, so the Obama agenda for gun control can be reached. Wake up people, he is using you and you don’t even know it.
Proud to live in jay, good people here, cant just go by one mans look in life! Thanks for the facebook
Who would honestly believe this website would make anyone think differently about the town. Defending the town is not what this is about. It seems like people have taken advantage of this time to be known. WHY not make a website to show how much compassion you have for the two families at loss right now.
Of course not they would rather be talking about what has happenned over many years ago in the past. Bringing up the past and talking to elders is not what this is suppose to be about. The issue at hand has brought lots of controversey between two towns and too many people. They should try putting the shoe on their own foot first and realize the things being said are only making them look bad.
If i were from a town like Jay could i say i would be ashamed of the town? No, but i could say i would be ashamed of the way people are taking this issue into their own hands and slandering. Defending either side of race is not going to help. Not saying harmful things and going on with your lives will help. Hoping this incident does not repeat it’s self would be worth striding for. By making the comments that have been said only brings tension and anger. Instead turn it into a more positive outlook. Stop trying to betray the way the town is and has been and start making an effort to show it is a place where people can live and raise a family without the worries of losing another life. Until the people can get past there feelings and show compassion for those in need.
How can someone on the outside have such a view like this one well truth is i’m on the outside now but lived in Jay all of my Life. But see i was raised to forgive and look over the bad to find the good. There are good in both families just bad choices were made that are life altering. You may ask yourself if i am one of the elders to have such an outlook? The answer to that will be No. So i myself would like to apolgize for all of the people in both towns and surrounding ones for saying the hurtful and scrutinizing comments that have been made.
So if you that are making these websites really do care and have a heart think about it maybe you will do the right thing and erase any and all.
bama54 …you say why say anything. Because if you don’t stand up for truth then whats the point. You implied that we all are racist that it’s human nature. Not so, it’s human nature to like or dislike someone but to imply that we are all racist is to say we hate a race altogether. People confuse like and dislike with racism.
Being white don’t make you a racist. People like the shin heads, Aryan Nation, KKK, these are groups of people not a race in whole. Just like the black groups that hate whites don’t make all blacks racist..
Some of the best friend I have ever had have been black. I worked around a mixed work force for 35 years and know it’s all about getting to know one another. Don’t care who you are or what color we are the human race.
So please Bama54, don’t even imply that you know this Christians heart. I have black brothers and sisters that I dearly love. Now you maybe a racist, I don’t know. But unless you belong to some hate group, I suspect that you just like and dislike people based on attitude and behavior not color.
well i was born and raised in Jay,fl and there are people that are going to take everything in a racial way but i have alot of friends white, black, asian etc. some people can not look passed what a town used to be and look at what it is now. we are just people who live in a small community and thats how we like it.
I wonder if Abraham Lincoln was a redneck? He was just a white country boy.
Another anonymous,
Jimmy didn’t say he was a Christian, but it sounds like He is a believer. Sounds like he really believes The Word is True. And, He (The Word) is True, and The Word is Powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword!!! The Word is ALWAYS True, but we are not (always). Are we?
AMEN, Maggie!,
But, IF you can find a really good one, it really does help. I am blessed to have done so twice in my life.
If you come to know and love Christ, you have a deep desire to fellowship with Him as much as possible. When others that are of like mind (for really) are together, He is in their midst, for He dwells in them. He is so real to me now, and I am so very blessed to find His Presence and at my church, every time I am there.
I pray you are so blessed. Really!
In response to:
jimmy said “weird that the creator of the group , a 2009 graduate of jayhigh would say that jay is not a racist town, well mam, talk to your elders..ask them about the black men that were hung in jay years back….even in the 80’s…i personally am connected with one of the lynchings(my family member).but it was swept under the rug, a cover up..jay is the only town that has more recent links of lynchings out of all of the tri-cities and in both santa rosa and escambia county(fl) and alabama…do some history..jay is still a racist town and that is evident in the recent happenings…its just that this last killing wasn’t swept under the rug as well,the only thing that can change it is prayer..”
Really, Jimmy? You think PRAYER is going to change what’s going on here?????? Wow…..That’s a bit naive, don’t you think? I’m a Christian and I do pray, but seriously? Seriously????? You’ve gotta be kidding me!!!!!!!
You Rednecks make me sick ! Can someone please tell the people in Jay that it is 2010 !! People of the south are so proud to say that they live in “The Bible Belt “……there is more to being a christian than going to church !!!!!!!
“…………The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” Philippians 4:5-9
And, why do we call Him, “Lord, Lord,” and not do what He says?
Who of us are so righteous we can throw stones at our fellow man? We all need to love each other and pray for one another. I feel so bad for both families. Just by the Grace of God it could have been any of our children, then would it have made any difference? Please ya’ll let’s stop the name calling and etc. and try to let this die down.
WOW, here we go again. Racial issues are everywhere. T.R. Miller High School went just short of a “lockdown” last Friday due to so much racial tension or rumors or racial retaliation. The Police were there all day so Jay is no different than any other town. It is just smaller and if it is a white-balck issue then it is race.
The towns history is just like all small towns. Just that…. history.
Lets all be bigger and better and agree that we can all get along no matter what. Adults, set examples for your children and show them that no one ever wins in a fight. Let the law prevail and the rest of us shut up and show our understanding and care by actions, not words. Tragic situation for both sides. Either way I see it 2 lives have been wasted.
Judy you are correct. Thanks for the correction.:)
SLB, you’re completely right! I should have just read the information and kept my fingers off the key pad. Like everyone else on here I felt like my opinion needed to be heard. I said a lot and in the scheme of things, it probably was not worth reading or my time to write it. On the other hand maybe it caused at least one person to stop and think, of which I sometime do not. Thanks for let me know.
ok people its time to let this young man, his family and friends mourn in peace all sum of you are doing is still adding coals on a fire thats almost gone out its time to let it rest now its been almost 2 weeks now since all of this if the mom’s and dad’s are ok let it be GOD do things for a reason and maybe just to bring people together because GOD is not the auther of any confussion the DEVIL is and you people on here are alowing the DEVIL to do jus that so stop commenting to the things on this sight because all it is doing is stirring up envy,malice,strife and what ever else the DEVIL can use to keep this mess on going just begin to pray and let GOD DO WHAT HE DOES BEST MEND ALL I DID SAY ALL WHO ARE BROKEN HEARTED AND HEAVY LADEN RIGHT NOW
Bama said: Why say anything, because all you do is fan the fire just like the TV3 news team did when they found the right person to put on the air to spew the hate.
You sure said ALOT for someone suggesting others shouldn’t say anything on the subject!
i, for one, totally agree w/what bill has said…..he is right on!…(correct me if im wrong, bill, but i think that in your first paragraph, you meant to type “you CANT say that….”…small typo, but it does change the context of that thought….)
Nah, Jay ain’t no little old racist town, but when you read comments left on this facebook page like this one from the wall:
Sean Joseph Loupe wrote “ im gone from jay already, but i have to say, one of the best places ive ever lived, and the town is not racist, hell, colored ppl mow the school’s lawn”
Yep, good enough to mow your grass but that’s about it, right? It does make one wonder.
Either way, I don’t know if this circle the wagons public relations stint is going to bolster or hinder Jay’s effort to change its outward image or even for that matter, if it really wants too.
I’m glad somebody trying to protect us residence that aren’t racist. I was born and raised to Jay and I have black friends and they have come to Jay with me before with no problems. And no I did not graduate last year. I know my memory isn’t the best but I can’t remember anybody being hung in the 80’s come on now. And I know there are some racist people in your town. But every Saturday night you can see 10 to 15 black people buying lotto tickets in Jay well after dark and never get harassed. And that there is a black couple that lives with in few miles from the shooting, that’s lived there for years with out any problems. I guess sense this was such a racist act the bullet must of been racist too because it knew to hit a black person because lets not forget there was white people in the vehicle also.
Everyone that has made comment on this Jay tragedy has some racist attributes. Even Bill, you can’t help yourself, it is just a part of the human spirit. You can say you’re not, but just think about it because you have made a comment here, to show what? You are/you are not!! Why say anything, because all you do is fan the fire just like the TV3 news team did when they found the right person to put on the air to spew the hate. I ask my wife all the time where do they find these people put on the air. They surely don’t represent my views, and makes the whole area look the part of being racist. You can go into any city, county and find areas that you do not feel comfortable being in, parts of downtown Pensacola you have to hire armed guards if you work in the known bad part of town after dark. Sorry to say but it is basically the black neighborhoods where you have black on black crime, and if you’re white then you can say it racist or is it just crime? We have the bad and good in all colors!! One thing that would help would be putting God back in our schools and take the Black and White power out. This would be a great starting place, young kids learn at very early age the rights and wrongs of our society. We adults have grown up and become hard headed, and very reluctant to change, so maybe our grand children want be as colored blind as we are. One last thought, when teaching our young children in school just teach the fact and don’t slant your opinion. The children will have time to form there own!!
bill, big b, little ill
Ditto!!
Why don’t you all shut up! Jay is racist…..walk your white butt around the village in Pensacola, bet you find some racist there. There are racist everywhere, white, black, asian, etc….. What is boils down to is, if you go looking for trouble you will find it. The media loves this kind of crap, it’s all they report. I am tired of hearing it, let the legal system handle it and move on.
After reading the derogatorily remarks about the Jay community and how the people have been stereotyped by a crime that happened many years ago. I know it’s not true and suspect that the people making these remarks know it as well. They would be making them on any community because these are the people who love to stir trouble. You can say that the black people of the the Brewton are are all rapist and murders because of a black man actions back some time in the late 30 to early 1940 when a black man raped and killed a white woman.
If you chose any area in the United States or any other country you can find something bad that has happened. Its preposterous to think that all people are racist, murderers, or rapist just because it happened once upon a time. Don’t think they are still hunting down witches in Winston Salem and burning them.
It’s time that all people realize that we are no different because of skin color, that we all want the same things in life. When people take the time getting to know each other they find the have many things in common. They will find they may even like each other and get along very well. There will be exceptions of a few black or white that can’t get along with anyone. That’s the shame of it all, when you allow the few to control the majority.
This is an opportunity for communities to come together and get to know one another. You can grab hold of this opportunity or just let it slip away letting this young mans life be in vein.
For all of those who still can’t stand to see a black and white together, your pitiful. Love has no color and I suspect that a soul has no color. But I’ll have to wait on that to know for sure.
Those who wish to attack me for anything I have said here, attack away.
Bill waiting on Jesus. Better days ahead.
I think it is sad when a town feels it necessary to “Prove” it is NOT racist. There are still racists out there and they are not all white. Hopefully, if all of us stop fanning the flames, we might be able to move past this ugly part of our lives. WEAR was “Out of LIne”, in my humble opinion, for airing that person who was so obviously racist. They are a “News” organization, however, and will air anything to get viewers.
What’s next, must we “Prove” our innocence in a court of law, or must we be proven guilty?
weird that the creator of the group , a 2009 graduate of jayhigh would say that jay is not a racist town, well mam, talk to your elders..ask them about the black men that were hung in jay years back….even in the 80’s…i personally am connected with one of the lynchings(my family member).but it was swept under the rug, a cover up..jay is the only town that has more recent links of lynchings out of all of the tri-cities and in both santa rosa and escambia county(fl) and alabama…do some history..jay is still a racist town and that is evident in the recent happenings…its just that this last killing wasn’t swept under the rug as well,the only thing that can change it is prayer..