Florida Social Justice Network
Florida Social Justice Network - a community involved in social justice advocacy
WWND? VOP - Orlando
WWMD? VOP – Orlando
Acronyms make us think sometimes.
No the WMD in this one are not Weapons of Mass Destruction.
WWMD came to me as I was contemplating the 45th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. I was considering what Dr. King would say if he were to give his speech today, in Orlando.
You see bumper stickers and T-shirts and mugs and you name it that has WWJD emblazoned on them, posing and proclaiming the questions: What Would Jesus Do? Unfortunately, way too many folks who claim to be Christians see that acronym and wear it as a symbol of piety and privilege. They have forgotten the far more important question to a follower of Christ, What Would Jesus Have Us Do?
So back to the WWMD – What Would Martin Do? And What Would Martin Have Us Do? Congressman John Lewis, who spoke last evening in Denver, gave me an idea, as the sole surviving speaker of that day in Washington 45 years ago.
I believe that now, just as on August 28, 1963 King would say, “I have a dream today, a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. He would say again that “when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,” they issued a call for justice…they founded our democracy on a mandate for freedom and equality and human dignity.
I believe that Martin Luther King would call on the City of Orlando to lay down the burden of discrimination against the poor and homeless; and to move toward the creation of a more perfect union.
45 years ago, Dr. King’s words and his example inspired an entire generation of young and old, the rich and poor – people of all faiths, races, cultures and backgrounds – to believe that they had the power, they have the ability, and have the capacity to make that dream a reality.
45 years later, a movement has sprung forth in Orlando that is still consumed by that dream. Congressman Lewis warned, as a participant in the civil rights movement, the road to victory was not easy. Some were beaten, arrested, taken to jail, and some were even killed trying to register to vote. Members of Orlando Food Not Bombs have been arrested and jailed and harassed for sharing food with the poor.
The 45th Anniversary of March on Washington finds us not at the end of the struggle nor the beginning. Congressman Lewis proclaimed, “It is the continuation of a struggle that began centuries ago in Lexington and Concord, in Gettysburg and Appomattox, in Farmville, Virginia, and Topeka, Kansas, in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Selma, Alabama,” and now in Orlando, Florida.
WWM (Have Us) D?
Lewis said, “Democracy is not a state (nor a City). It is an act. It is a series of actions we must take to build upon what Martin Luther King Jr. called the beloved community – a society based on simple justice that values the dignity and the worth of every human being. We’ve come a long way, but we still have a distance to go. “ He continued, “On November 4th, we must march… to the ballot box.”
WWMD? He would have us VOP – Vote Out Poverty! He would have us take into account a candidate’s position and actions on developing plans and dealing with the crisis of poverty when we cast our hard won votes!
Acronyms make us think sometimes.
No the WMD in this one are not Weapons of Mass Destruction.
WWMD came to me as I was contemplating the 45th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. I was considering what Dr. King would say if he were to give his speech today, in Orlando.
You see bumper stickers and T-shirts and mugs and you name it that has WWJD emblazoned on them, posing and proclaiming the questions: What Would Jesus Do? Unfortunately, way too many folks who claim to be Christians see that acronym and wear it as a symbol of piety and privilege. They have forgotten the far more important question to a follower of Christ, What Would Jesus Have Us Do?
So back to the WWMD – What Would Martin Do? And What Would Martin Have Us Do? Congressman John Lewis, who spoke last evening in Denver, gave me an idea, as the sole surviving speaker of that day in Washington 45 years ago.
I believe that now, just as on August 28, 1963 King would say, “I have a dream today, a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. He would say again that “when the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,” they issued a call for justice…they founded our democracy on a mandate for freedom and equality and human dignity.
I believe that Martin Luther King would call on the City of Orlando to lay down the burden of discrimination against the poor and homeless; and to move toward the creation of a more perfect union.
45 years ago, Dr. King’s words and his example inspired an entire generation of young and old, the rich and poor – people of all faiths, races, cultures and backgrounds – to believe that they had the power, they have the ability, and have the capacity to make that dream a reality.
45 years later, a movement has sprung forth in Orlando that is still consumed by that dream. Congressman Lewis warned, as a participant in the civil rights movement, the road to victory was not easy. Some were beaten, arrested, taken to jail, and some were even killed trying to register to vote. Members of Orlando Food Not Bombs have been arrested and jailed and harassed for sharing food with the poor.
The 45th Anniversary of March on Washington finds us not at the end of the struggle nor the beginning. Congressman Lewis proclaimed, “It is the continuation of a struggle that began centuries ago in Lexington and Concord, in Gettysburg and Appomattox, in Farmville, Virginia, and Topeka, Kansas, in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and Selma, Alabama,” and now in Orlando, Florida.
WWM (Have Us) D?
Lewis said, “Democracy is not a state (nor a City). It is an act. It is a series of actions we must take to build upon what Martin Luther King Jr. called the beloved community – a society based on simple justice that values the dignity and the worth of every human being. We’ve come a long way, but we still have a distance to go. “ He continued, “On November 4th, we must march… to the ballot box.”
WWMD? He would have us VOP – Vote Out Poverty! He would have us take into account a candidate’s position and actions on developing plans and dealing with the crisis of poverty when we cast our hard won votes!
About
Badge
© 2009 Created by Alan Clapsaddle on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
