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Dangerously Close to Falling Back
Gains on equality
and justice are under
attack
by R ev . A l S harpton
This year marks the
50th anniversary of the
great "March on Wash­
ington for Jobs and Free­
dom". It was there, at one
of the largest rallies for human rights, that Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous
'I Have a Dream' speech.
On Aug. 28,1963, Dr. King and all those
gathered in Washington, D.C., addressed
the notion of greater equality and justice in
America in a way which could no longer be
ignored. Thanks to Dr. King's unyielding
work, and the work of countless others be­
fore and after him, laws like the Voting Rights
Act of 1965 were eventually passed, and
victories were achieved in the struggle for
civil rights.
In the time since, we've watched people of
color break down barriers across the board -
including into the highest office of the land.
Progress over the last five decades is unde­
niable. But now 50 years after the "March on
Washington", we are dangerously close to
regressing on some of the most fundamental
advancements in our society.
The Supreme Court of the United States is
set to rule on several key items this year that
are at the core of justice and equality in
America. Shelby v. Holder challenges Sec­
tion 5 of the Voting Rights Act itself. A key
aspect of the Act, Section 5 requires jurisdic­
tions that have a history of discriminatory
voting practices to obtain advanced approval
from the federal government before they can
alter election laws.
Without Section 5, the basic foundation
of the V oting Rights Act would be destroyed.
The floodgates of biased and disenfranchis­
ing practices like harsh new voter ID laws
would open and the protection of our partici­
pation in the voting process would be elimi­
nated.
Voting rights for all American citizens was
a basic principle of Dr. King and all those who
sacrificed during the civil rights struggle and
in subsequent years. Ironically, half a cen­
tury after Dr. King's speech, voter equality is
under attack all over again.
In addition to the Voting Rights Act, one
of the greatest advancements toward equal­
ity we achieved in this nation was the ability
of those who were traditionally excluded
from higher learning to attend our great col­
leges and universities.
Well, in 2013, affirmative action hangs in
the balance. Two cases, Fisher v. University
of Texas and a Michigan law banning affirma­
tive action in public college admissions, have
reached the Supreme Court.
The outcome of these two cases will have
serious ramifications for the admission prac­
tices of schools throughout the country. At
a time when our educational system is se­
verely leaving minority and poor students
behind, some are attempting to eliminate
laws designed to create a more even playing
field.
Our society is growing ever diverse, and
our institutions of higher learning need to
reflect that diversity. Affirmative action
doesn't mean preferential treatment; it means
equalizing an imbalanced scale. The future of
so many students remains in limbo as the
high court weighs in this year on these cru­
cial cases.
This year marks another milestone in this
nation's history: the 150th anniversary of the
Emancipation Proclamation.
In the last 150 years, we've witnessed
momentous progress that was achieved only
because of the selfless acts of many. Folks
have marched, rallied, organized, boycotted,
withstood beatings, bombings, water hoses,
dogs and some even died for the cause of
justice.
In a post-civil rights era, laws such as the
Voting Rights Act and affirmative action
appeared etched in stone permanently. But
now the state of justice and equality in
America remains to be determined because
of these renewed attempts to repeal such
laws.
We can either continue on a path toward
greater freedom for all, or regress back to the
wrong side of history.
The generation of Dr. King, and the gen­
eration immediately behind him continued
fighting until they got voting rights and
affirmative action on the books. We must not
become the generation that couldn't sustain
and maintain it.
Rev. Al Sharpton is president and chief
executive officer o f the National Action Net­
work and host of Politic sNation on MSNBC.
It Does Take a Village to Grow Our Best
We are called to
share our gifts
Sure, there were instances when
I lost my way or fell prey to the hype
about my achievements. Yet I rec­
ognize that I would not be who I am
without having been loved and
guided by individuals inside and
outside of my home. Each believed
not only in my potential but also in
their responsibility to shape me.
At such times when infants, chil­
dren and adults are baptized into a
religious community the congrega­
tion is asked to promise to provide
love, support and care as the one
being baptized grows in faith. The
community responds in affirmation.
Recently, President Obama de­
livered a commencement address to
the 2013 graduating class attending
Morehouse College.
As I read his manuscript, I was
reminded of how important the no­
tion of “Ora na azu nwa” is to me. No
matter how many times I hear people
say that they “accomplished all of
their success on their own or pulled
themselves up by their own boot­
by B entley de B ardelaben
Despite cur­
rent ideology in
some groups, it
does take a vil­
lage to help us
grow into our
best selves. The
Nigerian prov­
erb “Ora na azu nwa” translates “it
takes the community to raise a child.”
I totally agree.
At several stages of my devel­
opment from boyhood to adulthood,
I recall being fed, loved, scolded,
encouraged and forgiven by people
in my community. They all saw it to
be their duty to shape me into be­
coming the man la m — a man of
humility, integrity, service, and ac­
countability while reminding me to
assist others in their development
as I matured.
®lf* Fort lattò (Dhstruer
P u blisher :
E d ito r :
Established 1970
Mark Washington
M ich a el L eig h to n
E xecutive D irector :
Rakeem Washington
C reative D irector :
P aul N e u fe ld t
O ffice M anager /C lassifieds :
A dvertising M anager :
Lucinda Baldwin
Leonard Latin
straps,” I cringe. The truth is we all
receive assistance at differing points
along the way.
Parents, siblings, teachers, min-
isters, business leaders, even poli-
ticians have inspired us. Each has
been a role model whether they knew
stood my plight, though in actuality injustices of society and who are
the specifics didn ’ t matter. The man willing to accept responsibility for
they educated, along with the wis- correcting [those] ills.”
dom of their collective experiences,
Obama continued, “There are
was enough for them to trust that some things... that you are obliged
the right outcome would eventually to do for those still left behind. As
manifest.
graduates... you now wield some­
thing even more powerful than the
There are some things... that you are obliged diploma you are about to collect.
And that’s the power of your ex­
to do for those still left behind. As graduates... am
ple... use that power for some­
you now wield something even more powerful thing larger than yourself.” That’s
na azu nwa.”
than the diploma you are about to collect. And “Ora
“Ora na azu nwa” encompasses
that's the power o f your example... use that all aspects o f communal life. To
this ideology invites us to
power fo r something larger thany ourself. " That's embrace
understand that we are called to
share our gifts of time, treasure and
“Ora na azu nwa. "
-President Obama
talents with all, especially the young.
This ensures success for the chil­
it or not.
President Obama reminded the dren, the elders and community as
T hose who knew me often college graduates that as products together we grow in service to one
wouldn’t let me quit when things of Morehouse they weren’t to be another.
were toughest. Communally they clever, “but rather honest men, men
Bentley de Bardelaben is execu­
would remind me that, “trouble who can be trusted in public and tive for administration and com­
doesn’t last always.” Certainly, I private life - men who are sensitive munications fo r Justice Ministries
didn’t always believe they under- to the wrongs, the sufferings, and in the United Church o f Christ.
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