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Day 4: Tuesday, June 16 (by Allan Mathew)
June 17th, 2015
Today we traveled to Selma, Ala. Selma is a broken city and it still seems to be stuck in history. We spent most of our day with Joanne Bland, the youngest member of the march we call today “Bloody Sunday.” If you haven’t seen clips of Bloody Sunday, I suggest that you watch them to give you a picture of what she survived. Joanne gave us a wonderful tour of Selma but she spoke of the activism we still need to do today. She spoke fondly of the younger generations and the need to educate them of the past. She said, “If they forget where we have been, they can’t take us anywhere.”
We walked over the Edmund Pettus Bridge, named after a Confederate General, just as Joanne did 50 years ago. I did not have to fear the policemen with billy clubs or the horses or the tear gas as I passed over the peak of the bridge. But I do fear what would happen if we ignored the injustice in our world today. I do fear we will keep history in its place and not learn from our mistakes. I do fear we will accept how far we have come, but lose sight of how much further we must go.
Let us not assume because it is “history” it is relevant today. Just because the movement birthed into law the rights that were wrongly denied to African Americans, does not mean the hate has been left in history. The nation turned a blind eye to the hate, violence, and vile acts of its citizens to the black citizens of our nation for hundreds of years. We have to consider the reality that the hate still exists and thrives in America today. We have to consider our institution and our students who must take us to where we need to be. We have to consider what we can do to help bring reconciliation. We have to start acting like Christ, and not lose sight, hope, or resolve to seek change.
