Demanding freedom... a personal rant...
This weekend I watched a documentary on the Children's March in Birmingham and it brought me to tears. Not because of the hoses or the dogs or the tank rolling through the streets. What evoked such emotion was the footage of these young people smiling and singing while being arrested. The youngest boy arrested was 4, and when he was asked what he was doing there he said "teedom".
How did this happen, how did thousands of young people and a popular DJ named "the playboy" organize and mobilize enough people to break the back of segregation? I mean that rhetorically of course.
And here we are today, we admit, that our criminal justice system is the new slavery, we voice our disgust with the current oppression we face. We now must commit ourselves to filling jails, to stopping business and demanding an end to our suffering.
Lets not over romanticize our past... its achievable... the organizers of these marches were not magicians, they were dedicated organizers and loyal to their cause. The community was not some how more educated or more open to movement, they were mobilized. We can do it too.
Hundreds of young people were arrested the first day, one thousand were arrested the next and thousands were arrested by the end of the week. That type of outcome is seen because of solid organizing and a belief that it must be done!
This rant of mine comes from my love for all of you and my belief that all of us have the ability to force America to stop and pay attention to the invisible problems of America. I look into your eyes and see my liberation. Thank you for making me believe that the March on Washington was not a one off, it was the culmination of a movement decades in the making… We are here again; lets take to the streets and force America to take notice how unacceptable our current justice system is.
How did this happen, how did thousands of young people and a popular DJ named "the playboy" organize and mobilize enough people to break the back of segregation? I mean that rhetorically of course.
And here we are today, we admit, that our criminal justice system is the new slavery, we voice our disgust with the current oppression we face. We now must commit ourselves to filling jails, to stopping business and demanding an end to our suffering.
Lets not over romanticize our past... its achievable... the organizers of these marches were not magicians, they were dedicated organizers and loyal to their cause. The community was not some how more educated or more open to movement, they were mobilized. We can do it too.
Hundreds of young people were arrested the first day, one thousand were arrested the next and thousands were arrested by the end of the week. That type of outcome is seen because of solid organizing and a belief that it must be done!
This rant of mine comes from my love for all of you and my belief that all of us have the ability to force America to stop and pay attention to the invisible problems of America. I look into your eyes and see my liberation. Thank you for making me believe that the March on Washington was not a one off, it was the culmination of a movement decades in the making… We are here again; lets take to the streets and force America to take notice how unacceptable our current justice system is.
Add a Comment
About
The Gathering’s Mission
The mission of The Gathering is to build an Intergenerational, movement, rooted in history, cultures and non-violent direct action to heal communities, build collective strength and generate an environment of hope and opportunity.
Civil rights and social justice organizations have come to understand that collective action on a national basis is required to stop child incarceration and challenge the immoral process which perpetuates an unjust justice system. These groups are working under extremely difficult circumstances and many of them with little or no resources. The Gathering is a national movement that creates a coordinated space to 1) fortify relationships between regional groups, 2) support local endeavors and 3) enhance the ongoing organizing of non-violent direct action training. Central to its mission is strengthening our moral environment.
- “a project of tides center” -
"The Gathering" is a project of Tides Center 501c3
Civil rights and social justice organizations have come to understand that collective action on a national basis is required to stop child incarceration and challenge the immoral process which perpetuates an unjust justice system. These groups are working under extremely difficult circumstances and many of them with little or no resources. The Gathering is a national movement that creates a coordinated space to 1) fortify relationships between regional groups, 2) support local endeavors and 3) enhance the ongoing organizing of non-violent direct action training. Central to its mission is strengthening our moral environment.
- “a project of tides center” -
"The Gathering" is a project of Tides Center 501c3
Videos
-
Bringing King to China
Added by Kazu
-
-
Elder wisdom
Added by Jonathan Lewis
-
Badge
© 2009 Created by Gathering For Justice on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
You need to be a member of The Gathering For Justice to add comments!
Join this Ning Network