By Richard Cohen
03/25/2010
Earlier this month, my colleagues and I at the Southern Poverty Law Center were privileged to stand with U.S. Rep. John Lewis at the Civil Rights Memorial as he led a bipartisan congressional delegation in laying a wreath in honor of those who lost their lives in our country's epic battle for equality.
The ceremony was held on the eve of the 45th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," that Sunday back in March of 1965 when Lewis and other civil rights advocates were beaten and tear-gassed by baton-wielding state troopers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., on a march in support of voting rights.
The pictures of the bloodied marchers pricked the conscience of the nation. Thousands of people of all races and faiths flocked to Selma and joined Lewis, Dr. King, and the people of the Black Belt of Alabama as they resumed the march for justice. As Dr. King explained, "If the worst in American life lurked in [Selma's] dark street[s], the best of American instincts arose passionately from across the nation to overcome it."
On March 25 – 45 years ago today – the marchers reached the state capitol in Montgomery. Their courage, their example, inspired the introduction and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, legislation that transformed our nation.
This past Sunday, Lewis was involved in another march. Along with other members of Congress, he walked up to Capitol Hill to cast a vote for health-care reform, another important piece of legislation with the potential to transform our nation.
But once again, Lewis was confronted with the ugly stain of racism. Angry "tea party" protesters shouted racial slurs at him and Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana. Another black congressman, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, was spit on. Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay congressman, was the target of anti-gay epithets.
Lewis said that the protesters at the Capitol reminded him of the angry mobs that confronted him during the ugly days of civil rights movement in the 1960s.
The question now is whether America will respond as it did 45 years ago when it saw the pictures of the racism at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Will people of good faith – of all races and faiths – stand with Rep. Lewis and reject the politics of hate? Or will the angry mob, fueled by racism and demagoguery, continue to swell?
Will "the best of American instincts," to use Dr. King's words from 45 years ago, once again arise "passionately from across the nation to overcome" the hate and fear that threatens to engulf us?
The ceremony was held on the eve of the 45th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," that Sunday back in March of 1965 when Lewis and other civil rights advocates were beaten and tear-gassed by baton-wielding state troopers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., on a march in support of voting rights.
The pictures of the bloodied marchers pricked the conscience of the nation. Thousands of people of all races and faiths flocked to Selma and joined Lewis, Dr. King, and the people of the Black Belt of Alabama as they resumed the march for justice. As Dr. King explained, "If the worst in American life lurked in [Selma's] dark street[s], the best of American instincts arose passionately from across the nation to overcome it."
On March 25 – 45 years ago today – the marchers reached the state capitol in Montgomery. Their courage, their example, inspired the introduction and passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, legislation that transformed our nation.
This past Sunday, Lewis was involved in another march. Along with other members of Congress, he walked up to Capitol Hill to cast a vote for health-care reform, another important piece of legislation with the potential to transform our nation.
But once again, Lewis was confronted with the ugly stain of racism. Angry "tea party" protesters shouted racial slurs at him and Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana. Another black congressman, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, was spit on. Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay congressman, was the target of anti-gay epithets.
Lewis said that the protesters at the Capitol reminded him of the angry mobs that confronted him during the ugly days of civil rights movement in the 1960s.
The question now is whether America will respond as it did 45 years ago when it saw the pictures of the racism at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Will people of good faith – of all races and faiths – stand with Rep. Lewis and reject the politics of hate? Or will the angry mob, fueled by racism and demagoguery, continue to swell?
Will "the best of American instincts," to use Dr. King's words from 45 years ago, once again arise "passionately from across the nation to overcome" the hate and fear that threatens to engulf us?
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2 comments:
Elect Cuomo or Lazio for Governor of New York - But elect a Gentleman and not Racist Steve Levy - Andrew M. Cuomo's has big job approval ratings and Great Popularity
Elect Cuomo or Lazio and the state of New York will be fine. Lazio is 100% anti-Illegal Immigrants but this does not detract of his Gentlemanliness. He is not an angel of charity with Minorities, but neither is he the devil .
Don't elect a declared Bigot and Racist like Steve Levy. He is really the Devil's Choice.
Here is Andrew M. Cuomo, What a fine Gentleman !, with a lot of experience in Social Policies, Social Matters like Housing, Poverty, Homelessness, Minority Issues, etc ....
Andrew M. Cuomo in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Cuomo
Some excerpts :
Cuomo as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
64th New York State Attorney General
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2007
Governor Eliot Spitzer
David Paterson
Preceded by Eliot Spitzer
11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
In office
January 29, 1997 – January 20, 2001
President Bill Clinton
Preceded by Henry Cisneros
Succeeded by Mel Martinez
Born December 6, 1957 (1957-12-06) (age 52)
Queens, New York
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003), daughter of Robert Kenney, niece of JFK
Children Cara
Michaela
Mariah
Alma mater Fordham University (B.A.)
Albany Law School (J.D.)
Religion Roman Catholic
Andrew Mark Cuomo ( born December 6, 1957) is the New York State Attorney General. He was elected on November 7, 2006. Previously Cuomo was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton between 1997 and 2001.
Cuomo was born in Queens, New York, the elder son of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo and the older brother of ABC News journalist Chris Cuomo. Andrew and his ex-wife, Kerry Kennedy, the seventh child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Skakel Kennedy, have three daughters. The couple announced their separation in 2003 and have subsequently divorced.
He attended Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York, graduating in 1975. He then attended Fordham University and received his J.D. from Albany Law School.[1] He was a top aide to his father during his father's 1982 campaign for Governor. He then joined the Governor's staff as one of his father's top policy advisors, a position he filled on and off during his father's 12-year governorship. Cuomo became active in issues affecting the homeless and housing policy in New York during the 1980s and 1990s. He founded a non-profit organization focused on homeless and housing issues, Housing Enterprise for the Less Privileged, or HELP.
During the administration of former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, Cuomo served as Chairman of the New York City Homeless Commission, which was charged with developing policies to address the homeless issue in the city and to develop more housing options.
Youth, Minorities, Politics :
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque
Killing a dog is a graver offense : Six Coward Terrorist kicked a man to death and are as free as birds - Police Obstruction of Justice, Corruption, Extortion - Redneck Orgy of Satisfaction
Last news from Shenandoah Pennsylvania :
Luis Ramirez, a small man, was killed by Six Football Players, in Shenandoah Pennsylvania in July 2008. He did not provoke them, it was a racist murder.
"While the men yelled racial epithets at Ramirez, they punched and kicked his head and body so severely that he lay foaming at the mouth with two skull fractures.
Once Ramirez was on the ground he was continually kicked until brain matter leaked from his skull."
Please read the Hate Comments of people that write to the "Republican Herald" .... It seems that the Six Coward Perpetrators should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ... They have become heroes for many people in Shenandoah Pennsylvania as many racist meetings and demonstrations attest this fact.
Those comments and many others in other Forums are a Redneck Orgy of Satisfaction !
The Happy times when Racism no longer exists !
Raciality.com
Vicente Duque
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