I think the action of Governor Wallace is saying that the politics have raised. The politics that we knew during the 50s and 60s is gone. If it's not gone completely, it's on its deathbed. I think that's what it symbolizes.
Throughout the civil rights movement and the years to follow, the South – and the country as a whole – has changed in significant ways. Some believe that the strife experienced in southern states has allowed the region to more quickly confront and begin to address racial prejudices. These problems have deep roots and are not quickly solved, but despite many setbacks, much progress has been made in the last half century. Certain changes were forced on some southerners, but many would now agree that the region is a better place because of it.
