I pin things here.
I write short things here.
My author page is here.
My photos are here.
I talk about books here.
Tuesday
Jan162007
Dreams of freedom
January 16, 2007
I feel like I want to post again because yesterday I was so full of complaint that I didn't even mention that it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. An important thing. Too important to miss.Â
Last night Chinua and I made up a little song about how we couldn't be together if we lived during those days. Our song was silly, but full of sad things. I don't take the era I live in for granted. A short time ago my children would have had a much harder life. A short time ago my marriage would have been illegal. A short time ago, as in, during my father-in-law's lifetime. My father-in-law lived in Alabama in the sixties, as did his family. Considering that he has experienced Jim Crow laws and injustices, it is nothing short of a miracle that he holds the kind of forgiveness that he does, that he can see outside his own heritage of oppression. He is one of the kindest people I know.Â
A short time ago, my husband may have been one of the freedom riders, getting off the train to have his face and ribs smashed with iron pipes and wooden clubs.Â
We can barely imagine a place where women and children would have dogs set on them. Dogs set on them. Where they would be mangled, killed, beaten, spit on, insulted. We can barely fathom it. But the reason this is not a part of our life, the reason that our experience as a country doesn't include thi a dream of truth and beautyngs like this on a regular basis is because of the determination of many men and women to lay their own well being down for the hope of seeing change in the future. We owe a lot to their unwillingness to settle.Â
We think of Martin Luther King Jr. as a great leader. We honor him. What I forget is how many times he was beaten himself, and how many times he ended up in jail, being mistreated by the "authorities", by people who were "upholding the law". He knew he answered to a Higher Authority.  And his life was ultimately taken because of his pursuit of justice. I forget that the dream he had was unthinkable, that the idea of brotherhood between black men and white men was impossible.  It is a very hard thing to speak, a dream of truth and beauty into a void of injustice. He was inspired by God, and what was done then has effected my life now, perhaps nothing has effected my children more than this.Â
We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and the safety and privilege my family experiences is a direct result of the sacrifice of men, women, and children who didn't have that safety, who were beaten and hurt for their purpose. They had a vision that was given to them by God, and they had strength to pursue it that was given to them by God. I don't take it for granted.
"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word." Martin Luther King Jr.
Last night Chinua and I made up a little song about how we couldn't be together if we lived during those days. Our song was silly, but full of sad things. I don't take the era I live in for granted. A short time ago my children would have had a much harder life. A short time ago my marriage would have been illegal. A short time ago, as in, during my father-in-law's lifetime. My father-in-law lived in Alabama in the sixties, as did his family. Considering that he has experienced Jim Crow laws and injustices, it is nothing short of a miracle that he holds the kind of forgiveness that he does, that he can see outside his own heritage of oppression. He is one of the kindest people I know.Â
A short time ago, my husband may have been one of the freedom riders, getting off the train to have his face and ribs smashed with iron pipes and wooden clubs.Â
We can barely imagine a place where women and children would have dogs set on them. Dogs set on them. Where they would be mangled, killed, beaten, spit on, insulted. We can barely fathom it. But the reason this is not a part of our life, the reason that our experience as a country doesn't include thi a dream of truth and beautyngs like this on a regular basis is because of the determination of many men and women to lay their own well being down for the hope of seeing change in the future. We owe a lot to their unwillingness to settle.Â
We think of Martin Luther King Jr. as a great leader. We honor him. What I forget is how many times he was beaten himself, and how many times he ended up in jail, being mistreated by the "authorities", by people who were "upholding the law". He knew he answered to a Higher Authority.  And his life was ultimately taken because of his pursuit of justice. I forget that the dream he had was unthinkable, that the idea of brotherhood between black men and white men was impossible.  It is a very hard thing to speak, a dream of truth and beauty into a void of injustice. He was inspired by God, and what was done then has effected my life now, perhaps nothing has effected my children more than this.Â
We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and the safety and privilege my family experiences is a direct result of the sacrifice of men, women, and children who didn't have that safety, who were beaten and hurt for their purpose. They had a vision that was given to them by God, and they had strength to pursue it that was given to them by God. I don't take it for granted.
"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word." Martin Luther King Jr.
Reader Comments (13)
He truly was an amazing man as were so many other "freedom fighter" - those who lost their lives because of a hatred between blacks and whites - how despictable and sad. John F. Kennedy wanted to see things change and that a person was no judged because of their skin color. You are right, the world has changed in many ways. I can still remember students being killed on US campuses because of racial tensions - I can remember the racial outbreaks in Detroit and many other places through the US. Thanks for reminding us of the changes.
He was one of those great leaders who brought freedom not only to african-americans, but also began to show the plight of other ethnicities, too. My family is hispanic, lives in California, and until a few decades ago was looked down on as being less than human, no more than migrant farm or construction workers. Thanks to freedom fighters like Martin Luther King Jr., even hispanic-americans can stand up for equal opportunities in school and workplace.
My pastor (and missionary) John told me that we all need to be more like Dr. King, that we all need to be willing as believers to say what he said. I'll never forget a particular quote, "We will WER YOU OUT with our ability to suffer".
And it still makes me cry to think of it.
Duh, I can't spell. WEAR YOU OUT
It still amazes me how close in time these things happened to us. I do not feel their sting in the same way but I feel it from my students.
It really is touching to see your connection and grattitude, i guess as a canadian we don't really see the other side of the story behind Dr.king, it is recognized,(on my peace calander) but i don't feel like we really focus on his life teachings so much...
i recently found out that my great great great grandmother was an African American Slave, (my aunt, a Dr. of Ethnomusicology,(first nations oral history through music) she dove into our lineage...she also participated in Aparthide protesting in South Africa and Trinidad back in the day, and later went on to become part of the Bahai Faith)She is dying of Brain Cancer now and I turn to her for so much guidence....
I also found out that we have First Nations Migmaw ancestory too... which explains my increadibly dark eyes, but needless to say it strikes a strong chord, a gratitude beyond words, a silent sadness... for the pain and sorrow i have not had to suffer but without it i would not be here...
why do people hate and oppress? why does it continue today, in Iraq, Pakistan, in the Congo, Darfur, India, Indonesia, America, Canada, Central America Europe, just to name a few./... All over i hear of attrocities.
I was working for amnesty Internationl this past year and it was the most enriching work i've done.(aside from mother hood). I realized to some extent of so much that is happening, has happened, and will continue to happen.
Also God revealed to me one of the many gifts we have in north america, and that is that we have the power to speak out! And it works, not allways, but many people have had their lives and futures saved because of the many compassionate beings there are out there...
Martin Luther King is somone i don't want my kids to grow up not really knowing about, how blessed and empowered I feel to have shared your wisdom about his life and teachings,
When i read your story, i could feel his life,
I can't help but be reminded of a woman named Zhara Kazemi who was an Canadian-Iranian photo journalist recently killed about two years ago in Iran for taking picutres of a peaceful protest in Tehran near well known prison practising torture and execution of young people, some children as young as 9 and 15 (depending on your gender) She was a peaceful woman trying to help injusticed citizens, and was detained for one week without access to lawyer or family, she passed away due to torture, the doctor who performed the autopsy was forced to leave the country, no one was accused, or held acountable, In canada her family are seeking justice through international courts, and public pressure to act in her name to prevent this reocuring tradgedy.. but how many more peacmakers will have to die so we can overcome this violence and hate? I pray none, but we know they are dying right now. I turn to faith for answers, faith that God is with us all..
I pray our children will be guardians of light and love, and that they learn from our wise elders who have given us so much hope and determination.
Just wanted to share my story because i told almost everyone i met last year a different story of human rights abuse (standing on the streets of our provinces capital in all the elements for eight hours a day, it kind a rubbed off on me and stuck for life) My goal was to engage people to learn more about the stop violence against women campaign in Canada...The Stop Child Soldiers Campaign.. and I also got involved fundraising for and educating about many other awesome charites like MSF,(doctors without Boarders) OXFAM, Warchild, Freethechildren,
and PLAN
United we stand, divided we fall..
Many thanks,
Melissa
My husband and I were just talking the other day about how the civil rights movement was not long ago - at all. I think what Dr. King did was unimaginable, for sure, but I do believe that prejudices and racism will continue to exist until God takes his people.
I am happy for you that you are experiencing this joy of knowing how good you have it...of knowing how different it could have been. Thanks for recognizing people who fight every day for a better world, for Him.
Yes, Truth and Love will have the final word, won't He? But until then, how good to celebrate such beautiful visions of love and justice proclaimed by a man who was shown so little love or justice by the world he longed to see change. Thanks Rae.
A beautiful post and so wonderfully written. It's easy to forget those who gave their lives to make our lives today a much better place. It's good to stop and remember their sacrifices for us.
And I am thinking not only of Martin L King, but also all those who fought for any of the rights that we have as Americans today.
My in-laws are from S.Africa and moved to the US in the 70's because they couldn't live together there. This is a little different then what your talking about but still not to long ago things were very different.
thank God and great people like Martin Luther King for the world we live in today! bueatiful post!
Excuse, and what you think concerning forthcoming elections?
cool blog!
nice photos of this blog