Once again, the venomous
tentacles of racism have risen, this time in the small town
of Jena, Louisiana. With the nation and the world focused on
Louisiana and its justice system, the reality of systemic racism
in the United States has become, again, a personification of
our daily reality. What is now happening in Jena, Louisiana
is symbolic of what goes on day in and day out across our country,
along the lines of Black and white as well as rich as poor.
The situation in Louisiana that has festered now for more than
a year, has ignited a passion and a new-found fury among people
who, historically, have been marginalized and victimized. It
is now giving a voice to those who have, as a matter of reality,
had no voice. Every movement throughout the world that has created
meaningful change has been born out of such an environment as
is now present in Jena. There comes a time when the masses arise,
declaring in one united voice that business as usual is no longer
acceptable.
William Shakespeare,
in the tragedy, Hamlet, profoundly states, “not that I love
Caesar less, but I love Rome more.” Such a case can be applied
to these United States of America. While we traverse the globe
in the name of freedom, justice and equality, singing the chorus
of “My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty” there is
a counterpoint footnote of history that resounds as a prayer,
“God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has
brought us thus far on the way.” There is a strange dichotomy
created by our culture; while freedom bells toll in lands far
off, there is suffering and poverty at home. Jena, Louisiana
is representative of so many issues to which the country now
speaks. The people are saying that we are tired of a failing
war against terrorism that is costing exorbitant amounts of
money, not to mention lives! The people are saying that we are
tired of the religious right and their hypocritical message
that is the antithesis of truth, justice and equality. The people
are saying that we are tired of the tremendous socio-economic
disparities at every level of society. The people are saying
we need wages and health care costs in line with the cost of
living. And lastly, the people are saying that we want a fair
and open government.
The series of tragic
developments abroad reveals the selfishness and corruption of
man while illustrating, with frightening clarity, the truth
of Lord Acton’s dictum, “power tends to corrupt and absolute
power corrupts absolutely.”
One must never forget
that while some joyously ring the closing bell on Wall Street,
other less conspicuous crowds are wondering what ever happened
to the trickle of the “Trickle Down Theory.” What ever happen
to the “Thousand Points of Light?” What ever happened to all
the rhetoric of a kinder, gentler nation? Why has the long-awaited
birth of our hope been aborted so soon, in a country full of
potential and promise? In the coming days, as we look, with
an abundance of caution, to Jena, Louisiana, it is with a hope
that events there will give birth to a new, socially conscientious
America, where “justice does run down like water, and righteousness
an ever flowing stream.”
Reverend Douglas Demetrius Prather, noted civil/human rights activist
is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Click
here to contact Rev. Prather.
Denisha M. Delane is President/CEO and founder of Revive the Vote, a grass-roots
nonprofit advocacy organization based in Berkeley, California.