Community unity is needed
Wake up my people. It’s time to rise from the depths of our souls; we need to recognize the struggles, achievements and visions from the past. We need unity in the community. Throughout our history, as a threat was posed, we gathered our resources and we rose from slavery and segregation to the Emancipation Proclamation with Brown vs. the Board of Education as Rosa Parks would “not” sit on the back of the bus. She didn’t do it for herself; she did it for us.
We rose in 1968 at the Olympics in Mexico when Tommie Smith and John Carlos defeated their foe in their moment of triumph during the ceremonial hour. They raised their fist proclaiming “Black Power” when Stokey Carmichael, Newton, and Seale formed the Black Panthers to make government feel the pain from racism and the neglect. Community riots uncovered agendas and brought about unity to the ballot from the bullets that struck King, Malcolm, and Evers. Their assassinations were certain; so was the progress it would bring.
We rose when Marvin Gaye asked “What’s Goin’ On” as our young brothers were killed. We became a winner with Curtis Mayfield.
James Brown began the phrase “we’re black and we’re proud.”
Jesse Jackson was intent; it wasn’t just a black thing with his Rainbow Coalition. In Los Angeles Rodney King was beaten on tape; a Haitian immigrant in New York was raped and sodomized.
Amadon Diallo, Johnny Gamage and others. It’s time to rise. The police are killing our brothers.
Police brutality, profiling, government drugs on the street – death or life in jail. Their purpose is complete. Cops killing kids. It is time to rise. Lord open our minds, and focus our eyes; in all matters give us a good intention.
Let’s remember our history and put an emphasis on now. Pray for our leaders. Give them strength to show how to take heed my friend, to succeed my friend.
We need to recognize it’s time to rise.
William Peterson
Uniontown
Who is with your children?
Some time ago, we used to hear on a local TV station, “It’s 11 p.m., do you know where your children are?” Remember?
Today while at a local restaurant with a play facility I was totally amazed and, being an adult, somewhat embarrassed. While watching my 6-year-old granddaughter with a smile of being with other youngsters and the noise of their laughter, I overheard a middle-aged lady loudly raising heck and using obscenities with a young girl about 10 years old. It’s a shame that an adult needs to use such words to a child to express her feelings.
As a parent or grandparent our very first question 24-7, do you know who your child is with? Further, do you really know that person’s morality? We owe this to every child.
Rudolph G. Kochis
Uniontown