I sat. And….sat. And…………………sat. Until the final words of the
credits descended the screen into wherever they go, I sat. The Butler is a powerful, riveting film that touches the heart,
aches the soul, teases the tear ducts, stirs the anger, and strengthens the
resolve; the resolve to continue the fight for racial equality and social
justice.
I sat. And sat. Pondering, thinking, wondering.
I sit now. Word document open. Typing. No particular structure or order to my
whatever…journal entry? Blog? Tweet? Thoughts, that’s it. Just….thoughts! These
are just my thoughts, in no particular order and possibly breaking every
syntactical rule and exception that exists in the English language.
The lyrics to “My Country Tis of Thee” reverberate in my
mind. I don’t know when it was written, so I’m going to pause to look it up.
Just did. A few different websites all suggest that the lyrics were written in
1831.
My country tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty….stop, this part right here! In 1831,
liberty was not experienced by everyone on U.S. soil. It wouldn’t be until 1863
when the Emancipation Proclamation was proclaimed, two years after that with
the passage of the 13th Amendment that slavery became illegal and
nearly ONE HUNDRED years until the passage of the Civil Rights Act.
Land where my fathers died….true
Land of the pilgrims pride….okay??
From every mountain side, let freedom ring….they could only
hope!
It is now 2013. I sit at my small desk in my apartment in
Philadelphia on Saturday, August 31, 2013. Last weekend there was a huge march
in Washington to commemorate the 50th anniversary of THE march on
Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his now most notable
speech later titled, “I Have A Dream”. This past Wednesday, on the 28th,
five hours of festivities marked the actual day on which the march took place,
concluding with this nation’s first African American president, Barack H. Obama
speaking at the exact same time when Dr. King spoke.
It is now 2013. We have come a long way. Every time our
current president, Mr. Obama, gives a press conference, flies overseas, goes on
a bus tour around college campuses, has white people protecting HIM, yes, we
really have come a mighty long way!
It is 2013. Public schools in urban areas are closing by the
dozens in places like Chicago and here in my hometown, Philadelphia. Teachers
are being laid off by the thousands. Governments are holding much need funds
for schools where an overwhelming number of students who poor and who are
African American and Hispanic make up the majority.
History reminds us of the time when it was once illegal to
teach blacks how to read and write. History also reminds us of how many
overcame that obstacle and taught one another anyway. It reminds us of how many
whites risked their lives and livelihoods to assist us in our struggle for
freedom and equality.
The Butler. More than a film, this was the voice of everyone
who lived during the years of slavery and the post slavery century of struggle.
It was the voice of those whose veins carry the blood of true human warriors;
the blood line that still runs warm in the veins of every child of color who
lives in impoverished areas; areas where politicians in the last few years have
metaphorically referred to as a “cesspool”
and “rat
hole”.
See the movie, but listen to the voices!
Lee Daniels’ (from Philadelphia might I add) The Butler
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