yallerdawg
yallerdawg's JournalSpeaking truth to power!
Morris Dees, founder of Southern Poverty Law Center, iconic watchdog of hate groups and so much:
50 years ago today, Montgomery, Alabama...
"How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
50th Anniversary of Selma-to-Montgomery March to the Capitol, the final day!
This Wednesday, March 25th is the celebration in downtown Montgomery of the arrival of the successful Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights March 50 years ago. The final leg of the march went from the City of Saint Jude campus to the steps of the state capitol, and marchers are joining in the length of the route this Wednesday.
The city has prepared for as many as 10,000 attendees. If you want to see where the Democrats are in Alabama, watch or join the festivities! If you have a message for the Republican governor and legislators, bring it!
It will be another beautiful pleasant southern Spring day, so we'll see you at the barricades!
http://dreammarcheson.com/dream/event_details/honoring-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-selma-to-montgomery-voting-rights-marc
Perspective.
Rachel Maddow had mentioned three television shows recently to remind us of perspective. Two of these shows Ms. Maddow had just heard of, unaware they were a thing.
Bill O'Reilly has the number one cable news show, and brags about it as does Fox News, and all poopoo MSNBC.
So, following Ms. Maddow's suggestion, the most recent ratings of 3 shows (from TVbytheNumbers):
"Bill O'Reilly," the flagship propaganda from Fox News - 2,964,000 viewers.
"Gold Rush," a show on digging for gold on Discovery - 4,964,000 viewers.
"Talking Dead," a talk show following "The Walking Dead" - 5,720,000 viewers - where people talk about the show they just watched (I have never missed an episode, particularly when thoroughly traumatized by previous show, like tonight!).
Just a little perspective.
50th Anniversary Selma to Montgomery March!
Twitter link to embedded reporter. They have marched to the Capital for another voting rights rally - 50 years later!
https://twitter.com/GanucheauAdam
Glorious Selma!
Saturday, March 7, 2015.
My family and I left Montgomery at 8 am for the 50 mile drive to Selma to see President Obama in Alabama for the 50th Anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday.' We were driving west on Highway 80, the route of the historic march to Montgomery; driving back to Selma 50 years later to see the first black President of the United States on this historic occasion.
As we drove on, the traffic grew heavier and then came to a halt. The west bound lanes were now bumper to bumper as road work ahead bottled up for single lane traffic due to construction -- the never ending construction on Selma Highway. An occasional car took a turnaround, but most vehicles patiently and politely slowly moved forward.
As we neared Selma, caravans of state troopers, limousines and black SUVs sped past us in the east bound lanes hurrying on to Selma unimpeded. Throngs of drivers and passengers on our side of the divided highway would jump out of their vehicles, waving and snapshotting in case this was the President motorcading by, and this was our chance to say hello and welcome.
Car by car, we inched forward towards the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the 80 Business route through downtown Selma. The entrance to the secure public viewing area would be on the other side of the city, at Selma and Church Streets. Again, bumper to bumper, everyone patient and polite, we worked our way across the city and parked a few blocks down Selma Street. It was now noon, and the President was scheduled to speak soon, but we were here!
There was a line working its way through the 14 metal detectors and security agents who were checking the tens of thousands of people entering the secure area. This had started at 8:30 that morning, and the line we joined now stretched almost 4 city blocks. Patiently, politely, quietly and reverently, this massive line of people 5 to 25 abreast waited, and inched forward.
It was awe-inspiring how all these people wanted to get in there, wanted to be there. 2 hours later, my family and I passed through the metal detectors and on to Broad Street, finding ourselves about 3 blocks from the Bridge and the stage where the various attendees were to speak. It was now 2 pm and we were unsure if we had missed the President, but in fact, we had arrived just in time! With a raw guttural roar, the crowd welcomed first the children, then the President and First Lady as they bounded to the stage and seated.
The rest is history. Representative Terri Sewell, the first black woman elected to Congress, from Selma, gave a rousing, invigorating speech and introduction to civil rights icon John Lewis. The crowd, now elbow to elbow, but not crowded, as more people poured in behind us, was enthralled and in tears as John Lewis spoke, and then introduced President Barack Obama. Another roar! The rest is history.
What did it all mean? We recognize our history, and love our president. We have seen changes in our lives, unimaginable changes. And the old adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
But my favorite bestest moment, the thing that made this a perfect day, as we arrived before the Bridge and the President, just as we got there. The thing that told me we were in the right place at the right time with the right people, my kind of people, in the midst of all this hope and faith and reverence. Sometimes, you get what you deserve:
Now that's my kind of crowd! We'll see you in Montgomery, Governor Bentley.
President Obama and the 50th Anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday'
Today we are heading to Selma, Alabama to join President Obama on this historic occasion. 50 years ago, 'Bloody Sunday' at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma triggered the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Today, we join the first black president 50 years later.
In Alabama, in the Heart of Dixie, in the Deep Red South. Y'all want to know where the Democratic underground is? Watch the people who gather at the bridge in Selma. There are some of them, hopeful and faithful. Celebrating the improbable!
Proof that “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
See y'all in Selma!
White House link:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/civil-rights/selma
All roads lead to Selma!
Selma 50th Anniversary Jubilee Saturday, March 7.
If you are not familiar, Selma has got to be one of the easiest cities to get to in Alabama! There is virtually nothing (no offense to the surrounding communities!) between Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, the State of Mississippi -- and Selma.
A great way to spend a Saturday, a once-in-a lifetime event! President Obama and guests should be speechifying at the bridge between 12 and 1.
For schedule and events:
http://www.selma50.com/#!
Profile Information
Gender: Do not displayMember since: Fri Apr 4, 2014, 04:21 PM
Number of posts: 16,104