Forty-Four years after
the assignation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the nation came together again
to celebrate his life and ligancy. Dr.
King was not only a national recognized civil rights activist. His life’s achievements are celebrated all
over the world. Our national holiday to honor Dr. King was not easily achieved.
This is only a fact after a long congressional fight to make his birthday a
national holiday. The holiday is legal
and it is federal, but the law is not compelling everyone to comply. A law never solves a problem or resolve
conflict or opposition for which it was established. Black Black codes, Jim Crow and
laws separating races, although strictly enforced, never completely fulfilled
the objective. Even some, who voted for
and supported these laws, violated their own ethos by slipping around and
engaging with the minority class for whom the law was intended to control. Such
action was practiced when it was pleasurable and beneficial to them. It is acknowledged
that a strong Southern segregationist, a United States Senator, at the time he
was fighting in congress to separate the races, was at the same time fathering
a daughter by a Negro woman. Every act to separate the races has met resistance
and manipulation. Even the plantation
slave masters could have his way with his female property who was obliged to
serve him. Where do you think the rainbow colors in the Negro race come from? This did not come from Africa!
The master could have his fun and at the same time increase his slave
population. The mistress also had her time with an attractive slave, but any
baby conceived in a mistress/slave union did not survive, and perhaps neither
did the mistress.
The reports of Reverend Nat Turner, John Brown
and other rebellious leaders of slave uprising and revolts are examples of the
Africans struggle for complete acceptance in this new land. There was then and
always have been individuals, not members of the oppressed class, willing to
put their personal welfare and life on the line fighting for Negro rights.
Our nation is pre-occupied
with the threat of global terrorism, but the American Negro has experienced
terrorist in his own yard. The KKK, although not as open in their action, is still organized and their
objectives have not changed. Added to
the Negro target are all immigrants not considered pure Caucasian? They operate
under cover now… no white robes and hoods. They hold respectable positions in
society but their agenda is the same. Their hate is even deeper now that a
Negro is in the White House and America
is turning brown. That’s the real focus of all these laws suddenly debated by
state legislatures. The focus is to reduce or eliminate the power of colored people.
I want to believe the
Christian church is the answer to the race problem in America, but the church
may be part of the problem. Many white congregations in the South did not
support the liberation of slaves. And besides denominational division, we are
further divided into camps of liberal and conservative Christians. The church
can’t help the race problem because there is a division in our own ranks. We
must also recognize that there were many
Negro pastors who did not support Dr. King’s march to justice. Some of us preach against “liberation
theology” but Jesus practiced it (Luke 4:18-19). Recent media reported a white congregation
ex-communicating a white member who was engaged to marry a Negro who was also a
member of the church.
The NAACP King
worship-Sunday and on Monday presented Adult
forums, students classes and the march. Monday evening CLARKSVILLE AREA
MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION (CAMA) sponsored the King Unity Service. Notice the participation: Sunday-Fifth
Ward Bapt. Church-Negro audience. Monday-
Burt School-Negro audience...maybe one Caucasian. March-a few Caucasians in the march. Monday
evening First Presbyterian Church (sponsored by CAMA) Well attended, mixed
audience of various cultures.
According to Pastor
Charles Boyd (keynote speaker), this is what the church will look like in
heaven. Pastor Boyd, the main preacher,
suggested we can’t accept the status-quo. We cannot accept what is but must
work on what ought to be. He suggested it is not enough for the church to look
like this once a year. At one time, there were two ministerial
associations...one white...one black.
The decision to merge created the CAMA and was based on the desire to
bring the religious community together. However there are still many who refuse to participate in this goal.
I close with an appeal to
the minority community. Fifth Ward
Church was less than full. The audience at Burt School
and the march was estimated to be 300. Total participation did not represent a
satisfactory percentage of even the Negro participation. Our parents were absent and so were their children. Our pastors were absent and so were
their members. We are satisfied with the status-quo. We complain about what IS
but won’t work toward what OUGHT to be. The Fifth Ward message was delivered by
Dr. David Summerville. He challenged the men to take their place in the home
and urged each of us to work towards making our community better. Paul Carter
Harrison in his 1974 book “Kuntu Drama,”
reminds us of the need to work with the “hustler
mode” which include pushers, junkies, dealers and prostitutes. He is suggesting
that our elders and priests are closed in our own houses of worship while
children of hustlers becomes hustlers, and many are lost in the house because
there is no one working in the community where the problems are. Could he be
right? Do we spend more time in our church buildings discussing the problems
rather than providing programs dealing with community problems where they are?
What prospective does the
celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream present for our future? How do we
relate to our responsibilities as to the
“isness” and beyond to the “oughtness” as we move from the
forty-four celebration to the forty-fifth? Dr King was a preacher. King was
concerned about war. King was concerned about poverty. King was concerned about the least of these.
What dominates our concern following the 44th observance of Dr. Martin
Luther King’s death? Social justice has
always been associated with the liberation struggle of African Americans and
the underdogs. If Jesus came to set the captives free, what then is our
responsibility in the church today? Will
we make our community better while we are here or will it only be better after
we are gone?
What
will be the difference in our 2013 celebration than the one this year 2012?
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