My heart is heavy…
As I am walking down the
street, I see Medgar Evers coming out of an office building. At the park I see Martin Luther King
addressing a crown of people. At the bus
stop, Rosa Parks is checking her watch as she waits for the next bus. Across the street a man hangs a sign at the
window of his diner that says “No coloreds allowed”. I spot
a newspaper stand and run and grab a copy of The Times. On the front page it says, “Suspect in Church
Shooting Intended to Start Race War”. Another front page headlines, “Eighth Southern
Black Church Burned in 10 Days”. The
date on the newspapers: 2015. Have things never changed?
It sounds like a script from
a made for TV movie, but it is how I’m feeling these days. It’s like we have gone back decades to a time
where these events were part of everyday activities. It has
taken me weeks to write this post after the racial crimes occurred. Stories I used to read about in history books
or hear from elders, somehow are being re-enacted today. It
wasn’t hard to find people to talk about what has been happening; opinions were
given freely. From the many different
opinions I received from black and white, men and women, the common thread was
that racism will never end.
My heart is heavy…
I have to admit, after all seeing
all of the media reports, it hasn’t made me angry about the stupidity. It’s made me sad. Sure, on the surface we have changed as a nation. After all, schools aren’t segregated, restaurants
welcome all races, and we have elected an African American in the highest
political office. But the stench of racism
has only been masked until now. The sad
thing is this is all learned behavior.
Instead of teaching the younger generation leadership and love, they are
being taught inferiority and hate. In
other words, stupidity.
I couldn’t help but look up
the famous speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr where he shared his
dreams. Yes, we have made great strides
in the racial divide, but how much of it has actually stayed the same?
And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I
still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the
true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of
former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down
together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state
sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression,
will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of
their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious
racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition"
and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black
boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and
white girls as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill
and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the
crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed and all flesh shall see it together."
I have no deep and profound
words for this post. I just wanted to
share my heart. Feel free to comment and
share yours too.
Mending Maria
Let us not wallow in the valley of
despair, I say to you today, my friends.
Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr
