Debbie's Blog
My thoughts on America today
Washington,
May 29, 2020
Dr. Martin Luther King observed “a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear?.....many in moments of anger, many in moments of deep bitterness engage in riots.” He continued “I will always say that riots are socially destructive and self-defeating....But what is it that America has failed to hear? .....it has failed to hear that large segments.......are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality and humanity....”
The nuns taught me about the need to study, understand and most importantly act on the root issues of conflict and anger. They made us study and listen to understand the roots of a long hot summer throughout the US in 1967 where there was deep-seated anger and hopelessness in urban communities across this nation; where poverty, joblessness, disenfranchisement, lack of civil rights, lack of opportunity for a decent education, families worried about how to put food on the table or access health care if they needed it was very real. The nuns taught me very early in my life you need to understand other perspectives and see how others live. And that you have a responsibility to act and not sit on the sidelines in times of trouble. We cannot ignore this. We cannot wish it away. As a nation, we need to address it. |
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