As we celebrate the National holiday recognizing the work of Dr. Martin Luther King and approach February, Black History Month, many important issues are raised. One of the good things about this time of year is the amount of programming you find on television addressing issues important to Black America.
I was lucky enough to catch a documentary outlining the challenges faced by the Freedom Riders and remarked on how driven, focused and aware the young students in the documentary were. They appeared to understand the importance of their role in being responsible and driving change. I then noted the stark contrast in the image of the “typical” young students today. The students in the documentary were dressed professionally, spoke well and were working hard to address significant issues. They were risking their lives, or at least a fairly serious beat down at the hands of southern racists, in an effort to desegregate bus stations in the South.
What are young students or young Black people doing today? What efforts are they addressing that relate to the advancement of the race? What recognition do they have of the sacrifices that have been made on their/our behalf’s?
I don’t know if the climate of the day is the same as it was in the past. I am certain that Black people today do not feel the sense of urgency required to support the continuing “struggle”.
How about this? How about we start with Black people VOTING? People have lived difficult lives and even died to give us the opportunity to vote. How can we ignore that privilege and stay at home on Election Day? What good reason could you possibly have for not going to the polls?
If you are reading this and know anyone that DOES NOT vote, please make every effort to impress upon them the importance of exercising this very important right.
I was lucky enough to catch a documentary outlining the challenges faced by the Freedom Riders and remarked on how driven, focused and aware the young students in the documentary were. They appeared to understand the importance of their role in being responsible and driving change. I then noted the stark contrast in the image of the “typical” young students today. The students in the documentary were dressed professionally, spoke well and were working hard to address significant issues. They were risking their lives, or at least a fairly serious beat down at the hands of southern racists, in an effort to desegregate bus stations in the South.
What are young students or young Black people doing today? What efforts are they addressing that relate to the advancement of the race? What recognition do they have of the sacrifices that have been made on their/our behalf’s?
I don’t know if the climate of the day is the same as it was in the past. I am certain that Black people today do not feel the sense of urgency required to support the continuing “struggle”.
How about this? How about we start with Black people VOTING? People have lived difficult lives and even died to give us the opportunity to vote. How can we ignore that privilege and stay at home on Election Day? What good reason could you possibly have for not going to the polls?
If you are reading this and know anyone that DOES NOT vote, please make every effort to impress upon them the importance of exercising this very important right.
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