I received a call from my friend Jacob who works for the Peace and Justice Center. He asked if I would join them and speak at a "Peace March" to keep the attention on the critical social issues facing the U.S. Now for a community organizer the opportunity to link arm-in-arm with other activist is something we never turn down. Of course I joined them.
This was less of a protest-march but more of a pro-march. We wanted to speak out in support of the campaign promises of President Obama and make certain that they are not like so many campaign promises of the past, forgotten.
There were several organized causes in attendance: The Peace and Justice Center, Food Not Bombs, and Veterans for Peace. The issues of concern varied from education, to health care, to housing for the homeless, to ending the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, to my concern of strengthening the voice of the poor though empowerment. We marched for two miles from the Civil Rights Museum into the heart of Downtown and back. I was asked to give the closing remarks. As I looked around I saw that us radicals needed to do more marching for several looked pretty tired so I kept my comments short.
All too often I hear the complaints from others about this issue or that, but rarely do these people inconvenience themselves in the slightest by showing up for a demonstration, or joining their local neighborhood association, or forgoing the X-Box and making a donation to a worthy cause. Our problem is that we have become TOO civilized. We are not willing to make a fuss. Instead we leave it to others.
So get off that sofa, turn off that TV and Just Do Something!
8 comments:
Thanks for coming out Reg. I thought you gave an excellent speech. Right on all points.
As soon as politicians get elected they forget all the promises they make mainly because the promises weren't realistic in the first place. Obama's not going to close Gitmo, at best he will close the building and just open another one up in another area. The poor will stay poor the rich will stay rich and all that crap congress is doing right now about punishing those AIG employees who got bonuses is nothing more than smoke and mirrors for the real problem is with their under the table compliance with these fat cats.
To Brad
I had a great time. It was a nice showing of concerned people and as we marched there were several bystanders that gave us the thumb's up (at least I think it was their thumb.)
To 12:48 P.M.
"As soon as politicians get elected they forget all the promises they make..."
Your point is well taken. That is why it is so important for citizens to get involved. Many who voted for Obama are now sitting back waiting for "change." In his inauguration speech Obama used the word "I" three times and the word "we" over one hundred times. He is truly a community organizer and understands that if there is to be real change it must come from us.
Tell me how this country can have so many poor black children killing each other and Bush can't do anything about it because ""we cant afford it"" but we can spend billions rebuilding another country. We must pray the President Obama will finally stand up and say this country must save these children.
To Reginald
From Kathy
This is such a nice blog. It is so professional!
Make LOVE, Not WAR!
Make LOVE, Not WAR!
Make LOVE, Not WAR!
Make LOVE, Not WAR!
Make LOVE, Not WAR!
Hell yeah.
Obama will change. Washington does that to people. He'll forget his roots. You'll see. We better start protesting.
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