Those "Exuberant" Latins. More 1963 assembly highlights.

Open mind

I'm dragging myself, a few pages at a time, through the 192-page report on the 1963 "Everlasting Good News" Assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses.

These two quotes are from page 47 which described a simultaneous program in Spanish at the New Rockland Palace, while the English program was going over at Yankee Stadium. (Quoted material in italics and bolding added for derisive effect. Hopefully.)

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After sessions the Palace virtually seemed to explode with conversation with an exuberance characteristic of the Latins.
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Do you think they would print something like that in an Awake! today?

Here's an entire paragraph describing how mind-numbing sitting through that drivel must have been. If you can't take the whole paragraph, skip to the last sentence.

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The attendants operated with clockwork precision in directing any latecomers to their seats. There was an absolute minimum of moving about. No one was aimlessly milling about the hall. It was a privilege to witness this rapt attention. Only when they could no longer hold their joy would the silence be broken by spontaneous applause. When telegrams of greetings were read, each one was followed by a burst of hand-clapping. When releases of literature were announced, the building fairly seemed to erupt with delight. Encouraging reports and accounts of intergrity-keeping likewise brought ringing applause. In fact, so warm was the response that even announcements concerning parking regulations brought approving applause.
****************

What does that last sentence scream to you?

om

Open mind

When I read that long paragraph and got to the last sentence I couldn't help but think:

These people will clap for anything!

Bro Knorr just got a new package of underwear!!

(Thunderous, joyful applause!)

But for me, the kicker was, they admitted it IN WRITING! I'm guessing that the writer was even being a little bit tongue-in-cheek. Even the writer could see that the level of clapping was over the top.

om

minimus

I hated when a GB member would say a final prayer and then when AMEN was said, everyone started applauding on and on. For a prayer??? And it wasn't because it was finally over! Some of the stoopid applause went on for a minute!

aSphereisnotaCircle

Some of the stoopid applause went on for a minute!

We were sending him our love,

Yes I was that pathetic.

I still can't quite believe i made it to the outside

OnTheWayOut

In fact, so warm was the response that even announcements concerning parking regulations brought approving applause.

The entire report could be a purposefully worded report that isn't even true. If some clapped at the right time, then the spontaneous applause was unstoppable. I imagine plenty wondered the corridor.

Somewhere on this forum, someone linked us to a press release about an assembly and it was word-for-word with another press release. It's just passing along what WT people said happened.

Have we ever heard of booing at parking regs?

Open mind

minimus:

everyone started applauding on and on. For a prayer???

And they say JWs don't idolize people.

asphereisnotacircle:

I still can't quite believe i made it to the outside

Reaching escape velocity is what an athiest friend of mind calls it. Kudos to you.

OTWO:

Have we ever heard of booing at parking regs?

No, but you just sparked a fantasy for me. Can you imagine some Bethel heavy of even a GB member giving a talk and milking the audience for Pavlovian applause but the audience has been replaced with JWN member?

Just a fantasy, I know. But a pleasant one.

om

sir82

After sessions the Palace virtually seemed to explode with conversation with an exuberance characteristic of the Latins.

Sheesh!

And what traits are "characteristic" of the darkies, wops, coolies, and spades?

Idiots.

undercover

In fact, so warm was the response that even announcements concerning parking regulations brought approving applause.

"Brothers...concerning parking... please be aware that if you drove a lowrider or a rice drifter to the convention and parked on the convention lot, your car will be towed immediately."

Thunderous applause erupts

White Dove

What are coolies and spades?

sir82

Wikipedia is your friend!

Coolie (variously spelled Cooly, Kuli, Quli, Koelie etc.) is:

A historical term for manual labourers from Asia, particularly China and India, in the 19th century and early 20th century.
A contemporary racial slur or ethnic nickname for people of Asian descent, including people from India, Central Asia, etc. [1]

Spade may refer to:

Spade, a digging and gardening tool
A derogatory term for a Negro American. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]

I.e., "exuberance is a characteristic of Latins" sounds only very slightly less racist than referring to someone as a "coolie" or "spade".

Those "Exuberant" Latins. More 1963 assembly highlights.

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