The Butler

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 13^th 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 50^th 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 28^th, 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