 Reggie Harris addresses the pilgrims in Medgar Evers carport, the site of Evers's assasination |  Marker at the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial in Ruleville, MS |
Working in many different types of schools w/ many different kids, I have always marveled @ the resilience of kids in awful circumstances to simply carry on. And some do it w/ real grace & panache. Even humor! It is a mystery how they do it!
Today we had examples of people who dedicated their lives to a struggle that was indeed life threatening. But courage is also contagious. And it is sustained by a powerful spiritual community. Fannie Lou had a mother who apparently modeled strong, principled behavior. And she learned it well. Fearlessness is a necessary precondition in Nonviolent Direct Action, and although their roles were a little different, she & Medgar Evers were nonetheless both lightning rods. When Fannie Lou was not allowed to vote she figured out how to work around the rules & when she was savagely beaten she went public with her story.
She did not quit. It was not an option. Her capacity to come back was only exceeded by her fierce sense of righteousness. It was time to STAND UP & TALK BACK. And she showed us how. This is a lesson we all need to learn & relearn! Resilience, after all, is the willingness to get back up, to be strong in the face of daunting odds. Today we face our own daunting odds. May we emulate her strength & courage as we go forward, refusing to be a party to today's political ugliness!
-- by Susan Miller
More about Fannie Lou Hamer
More about Medgar Evers
Today we had examples of people who dedicated their lives to a struggle that was indeed life threatening. But courage is also contagious. And it is sustained by a powerful spiritual community. Fannie Lou had a mother who apparently modeled strong, principled behavior. And she learned it well. Fearlessness is a necessary precondition in Nonviolent Direct Action, and although their roles were a little different, she & Medgar Evers were nonetheless both lightning rods. When Fannie Lou was not allowed to vote she figured out how to work around the rules & when she was savagely beaten she went public with her story.
She did not quit. It was not an option. Her capacity to come back was only exceeded by her fierce sense of righteousness. It was time to STAND UP & TALK BACK. And she showed us how. This is a lesson we all need to learn & relearn! Resilience, after all, is the willingness to get back up, to be strong in the face of daunting odds. Today we face our own daunting odds. May we emulate her strength & courage as we go forward, refusing to be a party to today's political ugliness!
-- by Susan Miller
More about Fannie Lou Hamer
More about Medgar Evers
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