I've Been Watching CNN's MLK Day Converage

[NashVegas]

I love hearing people who were part of the Civil Rights Movement talk about the events in the struggle and share their war stories.

These are the stories of people who knew the inherent rightness and justness of their cause and the necessity to fight, the necessity to accept there would be losses, there could be great harm to their lives and their bodies and the need to keep fighting in spite of all the shit.

In spite of all those who meant well, but wished civil rights marchers would sit down and shut up. In spite of those who hated their fucking guts because of what they were doing to bring equality.

Just sayin' ...

[stillcool]

1. Funny that since 1868 .

when the 14th Amendment recognized African Americans as citizens and gave them the right to vote, until the 1960's nothing of the struggle has any significance. It's as if all that happened occurred in the 60's. Why is that? I'm sorry all those people had to die, for daring to claim their rights as human beings. I will recognize their sacrifice, and all that went before to bring us to this time in place.

[Connie_Corleone]

2. The images on the TV national news is probably why the focus is on the 60's.

It wasn't until the images of black people being water hosed, beaten and attacked by dogs were on the TV news that brought the civil rights movement into the homes of people across the country who didn't live in the Jim Crow South.

[cynatnite]

3. I have, too n/t

[Waiting For Everyman]

4. These struggles aren't won overnight just because they're "right".

That's what some here are forgetting. Look at the women's right to vote and the ERA. Look at black civil rights. To establish rights which aren't currently explicitly mandated to be enforced does not come about just because the cause is obvious. Prepare for it to take a long time, just as it has in the past. Whether to win an initiative in individual states or to win it from the Federal government is not going to happen overnight. I don't see how. So carping to the choir for a long, long time is only going to diminish the number of foot soldiers.

But the inspiration from today's event is well-taken. Look at ALL of what it took though, and for how long. It took longer than the time it takes to watch the coverage of it. And it took determined patience rather than anger, in the face of setbacks. And it took aligning with other groups which were moving in the same direction.