JUDGE ME NOT BY THE COLOR OF MY SKIN
81Dr.Martin Luther King is know for many famous quotes. In his "I Have A Dream Speech" he stated the idea judge a person by what is in their heart not the color of their skin. This idea at the time fought the social injustice of the civil right era. Social injustice has involved over time. As Americans we can trace social injustice of slavery to where black men were not even counted as whole men. This injustice involved to the injustice of inequality found in the 60's. Negoes had evolved to being a black man. Now the evolution has evolved to the same social group of people being called african Americans. For the next evolution of social justice to take place it is approiate to look at the famous words of Dr. King in a modern context.
For the next stage of social justice to evolve and expand beyond the words of Dr. King we must look beyond the words of Dr. King. This idea is not to exclude Dr. King but have the belief that he was the big bang in the evolution of social injustice. Looking back at history after King gave his I Have a Dream Speeh his focus was on the social injustice caused by poverty. Before his death his energy and focus was on the poor peoples campane. The big bang of social injustice had begone with the racism of the 60 and had now evolved to the social injustice caused by poverty. If King would rewrite his I Have a Dream Speech would it read judge not a man by his net worth but his work and his deeds.
The social injustice caused by the color of ones skin has been difused by the Civil rights Act passed by President Johnson. The next stage of social justice can not happen untile we move the focus from the issue of race. The next stage in the evolution of social justice is to continue the work of King that he started in the poor peoples campane. The social injustice caused by poverty is just as complex as the issue as racism that Dr. King faced in the 60's. The injustice of poverty harms our society as much as racism did.
Poverty causes harm to the social integerity of the United States because of the inequality the it creates. This modern day equality is broad creating racism beyound just the color of ones skin. Women, Children, and African American Women are three social classes that are being destroyed by the social injustice of poverty.
Their is the illusion that when the Civil Rights Act was passed that the issue of inequality was solved. Social equality cannot be passed by law. Women because of the Civil Rights act can walk into any bank and apply for a lone. Women cannot be denied a loan because they are a women. However in reality women are payed less for doing the same job as a man. So in reality do they have the same access to the ecomonic system as others. This inequality is no less hareful to a democratic society as racism of the 60's was.
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I think racism is alive and well in many many different forms. Prejudice is alive and well in many many different forms. AND I concur with your analogy of the big bang. It is time to evolve beyond some of these issues even though they are still very much alive.
I think sometimes to think in terms of poverty, race, minority, illegal aliens, the haves and havenots, wars on poverty, No child left behind, etc. etc. is to fall "victim" to the politics of poverty, the politics or racism, the politics of.....
I believe our legislature has unfortunately evolved to having a vested interest in social problems. They are interested in passing legislation ultimately to enhance their stature as politicians rather than really addressing the issues and being brave enough to pushing for radical legislation that calls ALL PEOPLES to change.
We think in political terms that do not enhance our democratic process, nor do they enhance Martin's dream. We are not willing to sacrifice anything other than our sons and daughters to the war gods.
There are people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and actually accomplish very concrete changes in their communities, but they are not the politicians in either your state capitol or Washington DC. These are private folks, low profile, who seem to get it.
There is an abundance of money, food, housing, and maybe even an abundance of jobs, but we are hell bent on making sure that the abundance is locked up somewhere in our notions about how things SHOULD be.
Inmy little community of Yucaipa, California, a particular church fund raised and is still fundraising millions and milllions of dollars to build a huge wherehouse with a facade on it to make it look like a church on the outside. It looks very much like a traditional church on the inside.
The Salvation Army also builds huge edifices, but besides a place of worship, they also have facilities in those building to serve PEOPLE.
This same church speaks out against abortion, but they could have built a building that holds not only room for liturgy and service, but also rooms for serving pregnant teens, or teen mothers, rooms for taking care of homeless and jobless families. Even well-meaning "religious" folks can't seem to get beyond what you call the big bang. We are scared. Scared to speak out. Scared to protest our children being killed across the world, scared to protest the human beings who are being killed in the guise of spreading democracy.
I actually think we could capture Osama Ben Laden in a heart beat, but we have a vested interest in him being at large. I know that sounds really nuts, but we have very sophisticated intelligence. If you and I did any kind of terrorist act, they'd find us in a heart beat.
So our govenment and legislatures talk the talk, but only to enhance their political agenda. They could care less about democracy or change, regardless of color or economic status. They want to keep the status quo no matter what, otherwise CHANGE, BIG CHANGE would have occurred a long time ago.
Look at the Berlin Wall. What made it come down the day it did? If you can answer that, you have the secret to many more changes.
Thats easy, the Berlin wall came down thanks to Reagans efforts!
American Romance Level 7 Commenter 21 months ago
Poverty by blacks will never be corrected as long as they continue to ignore education, and family unity! African Americans have fewer fathers in the home than any other race, less education, not to mention a higher crime rate. Looking from the outside, when african americans do break free and make it to the top they are classified as uncle toms if they don't stick to a stringent rule of raping america or hustling like Sharpton or Jesse or Maxine, Those that become self working Americans like Miss Rice or Powel are looked down upon by blacks. The black community cannot hold slavery or the fact they are poor against any man. They have better access to education, business loans and minority help than any other person in the country!