These photos were taken 40 years ago tonight, probably by my father but conceivably by my uncle, aunt, grandfather, or grandmother, about 14 months after they arrived to the United States from Argentina.

Couzo called me from the road the other day. He was driving from North Carolina (where he’s going to school now) back to Mississippi, because through some friend working for the Obama campaign he lucked into a ticket to the first debate. As far as I know, no other friend or acquaintance from Mississippi was able to get in. He told me he’d be wearing a blue Carolina shirt, as if I’d be able to see him! Ha!

And there the smug bastard is, staring into the camera from the front row, lower right corner. (A few more screen grabs at flickr.)

That’s not what it’s supposed to say.

I had a big, glossy card from Stop Lawsuit Abuse in Mississippi, Inc. in my mailbox this morning, urging me to vote for incumbent Insurance Commissioner George Dale. I thought it was peculiar that the back of the card would have a photograph not only of Commissioner Dale, but of his opponent, Gary Anderson. And it occurred to me that the photo of Mr. Anderson, who is black, looked unusually dark. My scan may appear darker still, but it does seem unnaturally dark on the original.

On his campaign site I found what seems to be the same photo (high-resolution available here).

I found an .mp3 of Commissioner Dale on the radio, discussing his participation in the selection of a figure in the Democratic Party in Mississippi. His says that one of the things they were looking for is a white candidate. He says it awkwardly at first, like it might have slipped out, but then is very candid. Nothing against blacks, apparently. But the Democratic Party needs to win back the conservative whites in this state, he says, or it’s got no future here. I guess that’s how you do it.

Graffiti discovered on our classroom set.

(I’ve taken some more pictures as the year ends.)