In an address in Atlanta on May 10, 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. said "And we must face the hard fact that many Americans would like to have a nation which is a democracy for white Americans but simultaneously a dictatorship over black Americans. We must face the fact that we still have much to do in the area of race relations." Those words ring as true today as they did in 1967. While the passing of civil rights laws ceased open practices of making voter registration more challenging for black Americans, we see today voter suppression, gerrymandering, and insurrection attempt to disenfranchise black voters and even overturn their votes. On January 5th, the legal system sent a clear message that a black man was such a danger that being shot in the back seven times was justified, while the next day white men were allowed to storm the capital almost unimpeded. Two systems, one for black Americans and one for white Americans.
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As I watch a news story of yet another black man shot and killed by police, I am saddened that we are still here, that these two Americas continue to exist. Patrick Lynn Warren was having a mental health crisis. Footage shows him with his hands up. He was unarmed. He was shot and killed as his family watched. The color of ones skin continues to be the judge, jury, and executioner in this country and our justice system continues over and over to reinforce this standard.
I think back to my years as an elementary educator and the lessons taught on Martin Luther King Jr. Over and over, these lessons revolved around his "I have a dream" speech, a message of hope, of character, of a bright future for children. But, today as I reflect on this day, I think more of his words in 1967. He did not mince words. He did not fear calling out white America for what he saw and he would still be saying these words today. His dream is just as far from reality today as it was in 1967. 2020 into 2021 has made that abundantly clear.
I want to have a message of hope today but instead I feel nothing but the huge weight of an unchanged system. Legal segregation has ended. Legal voter suppression has ended. Yet the two Americas continue - democracy for white America and dictatorship for black America. Because we continue to have an unbalanced level of power, it is white America, white Americans who must take a stand to end this system of two Americas. Today is the day to take a stand against the systemic racism that continues to exist today. Where do you stand?
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