As thousands ascend upon Washington, DC for a
week of celebration of 50 years since the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom, I am reminded why it is crucial to honor the past and envision the
future. Many of the concerns of 50 years
ago – expansion of jobs for the unemployed and displaced workers; voting rights
for the marginal voter; and freedom to walk our streets without fear of being
negatively profiled – still exist in 2013.
A new energy is being galvanized by a new
generation – one that’s much more visibly diverse in terms of culture,
ethnicity, sexual orientation, and methods of learning. The dot.com generation would benefit from
taking their eyes off of their smartphones sometimes and looking at what is
physically around them. Instead of
creating a virtual world where you create the life and image you want, take a
look around and intently question why the haves and the have nots are further
apart. Technology is helpful, but it
also creates a wider chasm between those who can afford to “upgrade” every time
the newest gadget comes out and those who can’t. Who would have envisioned a world, 50 years
ago, where you never even have to enter a classroom to receive a diploma meant
to improve your prospects in life?
So, let’s honor those who sacrificed 50 years
ago and in these times so that we may have the privilege of marching for a more
just world. Let us march in 2013 for a future that exhibits more patience,
generosity and support for our fellow man.
Sing a
song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.
From Lift
Ev’ry Voice and Sing by James Weldon Johnson
