Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.- My Connection

Post by Stephanie Molina

Photo from the Oberlin College Archives

Today, the United States officially celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. I like to take this day as an opportunity to reflect on his life and impact, as well as learn more about him and his mission in life besides what is commonly taught.

Today, I stumbled on a commencement address that Martin Luther King Jr. gave at my alma mater, Oberlin College in 1965. I have always been very proud of the legacy of Oberlin College related to progressing human rights  and working against discrimination (first college to accept African-Americans, first to accept women to college, and also a stop on the Underground Railroad). However, I was not aware of that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at Oberlin College several times between 1957 and 1965.

Today, his address, titled, “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution”, still carries important messages. I have included the full address below from the Oberlin College archives.

“Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution”

Commencement Address for Oberlin College

By Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

June 1965, Oberlin Ohio

“[Oberlin College] President Carr, members of the faculty, and members of the graduating class of this great institution of learning, ladies and gentlemen:

I can never come to this campus without a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for all that this great institution has done for the cultural, political, and social life of our nation and the world. By all standards of measurement, Oberlin is one of the great colleges, not only of our nation, but of the world. I am also deeply honored to share the platform today with so many distinguished citizens of our nation – particularly our great secretary of state who, through dedicated and brilliant service, has carved for himself a niche in the annals of our nation’s history.

Now to the members of the graduating class: today you bid farewell to the safe security of the academic environment. You prepare to continue your journey on the clamorous highways of life. And I would like to have you think with me on this significant occasion on the subject, “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution”.

I’m sure that you have read that arresting little story from the pen of Washington Irving entitled Rip Van Winkle. The thing that we usually remember about this story is that Rip Van Winkle slept 20 years. But there is another point in that story that is almost always completely overlooked: it was a sign on the inn in the little town on the Hudson from which Rip went up into the mountain for his long sleep. When he went up, the sign had a picture of King George III of England. When he came down, years later, the sign had a picture of George Washington, the first president of the United States. When Rip looked up at the picture of George Washington, he was completely lost; he knew not who he was. This reveals to us that the most striking fact about the story of Rip Van Winkle is not that he slept 20 years, but that he slept through a revolution. While he was peacefully snoring up on the mountain, a great revolution was taking place in the world – indeed, a revolution which would, at points, change the course of history. And Rip Van Winkle knew nothing about it; he was asleep.

There are all too many people who, in some great period of social change, fail to achieve the new mental outlooks that the new situation demands. There is nothing more tragic than to sleep through a revolution. There can be no gainsaying of the fact that a great revolution is taking place in our world today. It is a social revolution, sweeping away the old order of colonialism. And in our own nation it is sweeping away the old order of slavery and racial segregation. The wind of change is blowing, and we see in our day and our age a significant development. Victor Hugo said on one occasion that there is nothing more powerful in all the world than an idea whose time has come. In a real sense, the idea whose time has come today is the idea of freedom and human dignity. Wherever men are assembled today, the cry is always the same, “We want to be free.” And so we see in our own world a revolution of rising expectations. The great challenge facing every individual graduating today is to remain awake through this social revolution.

Book Hangover and “The Help”

By Roxanne Felix

It’s in the urban dictionary – “book hangover” – when you read into the wee hours of the night, and suffer for it the next day. That’s what I have ….

I read “The Help” last night. I wanted to read it – and I was scared to read it. It had so much controversy and hullabaloo around it – black women’s voices and experiences written by a white woman.  Would it be shameful? Would it be empathetic?

But the movie had come out and I knew I would end up watching it. As a writer – I am always pulled to movies based on books. And I always need to read the book *first*.

So, I started in on it last night.

Why These Race Riots? Examining a long history of race-based violence

By Charlene Hay

Race riots are not a new phenomenon. They have occurred numerous times throughout our history.

In the United States, race riots occurred in 1897, at sugar plantations in Louisiana; 1891, Omaha, Nebraska; 1906, Little Rock, Arkansas; and 1917, East St Louis. The Chicago, 1919 were the worst of 25 race riots across the US that summer. More riots took place in Tulsa, Alabama, 1921; 1935 in Harlem; 1943: Detroit, Harlem and Los Angeles. The Selma, Alabama riots of 1965 were led by Martin Luther King when peaceful protest failed, after King’s assassination, rioting took place in 125 cities in the US. Watts and Los Angeles saw riots in 1965; Gordon Lightfoot’s Black Day in July was written about Watts. Take a listen to it – it’s a dark and gloomy but poignant piece. In 1992, Los Angeles, race riots erupted after police were acquitted of physically assaulting Rodney King. And in more 2009, Oakland, California. And there have been more.

We have had our very own riots in Canada.  Toronto, 1933 – Christie Pits Race Riot; Vancouver, 1907, anti-Asian riot; and in 1992, the Rodney King riots spread to our own country, to Toronto, Yonge Street.

Collective Power and the London Riots: Why Do People Take to the Streets?

By Ashima Sumaru

(Image from newsinn.com)

The recent rioting in London is not the first time that Britons have taken to the streets in the past few years but, chances are, that you have forgotten the meaning and significance of the last few mass protests. Why? Because they didn’t receive a reaction.

In 2003, it was estimated that between 750,000 – 2 million people peacefully marched in London, opposing military intervention in the Iraq war. What was the result? The U.K. Government supported and participated in the war anyway.

On March 26, 2011, it was estimated that 250,000-400,000 people took to the streets of London to protest the government’s plan to deeply cut spending on social programs. What was the result? The government went ahead with its cuts anyway and the media focused on a small group of violent protesters (maybe 1000 out of 250,000) that used the opportunity to smash windows and set fire to buildings.

In a democracy, we are told that the people hold the power – that our elected representatives are there to listen to the people whom they represent – but what message does it send to people when their peaceful protests are rendered impotent and powerless?

TV Ad Pulled for Offensive Depiction of Native People

“Citizen journalist and Mohawk from Kanehsatake, Clifton Nicholas, discusses his reaction to a new advertising campaign by Eska Water, a Canadian bottled water company. Nicholas is leading a boycott of Eska water because of a culturally insensitive ad called ‘Eskan Warriors’ which has three non-aboriginal men, dressed as natives, with menacing faces, trying to protect the water’s purity.”

“Colonial” Themed Wedding Sparks Disbelief

“Because when I get married, I not only want to live happily ever after, I want to relive systems of oppression.” Might this have been what the bride was thinking? Let’s hope not.

According to Jezebel, a bride in South Africa wanted a Colonial Africa themed wedding and hired an all black wait staff to fit the theme. This wedding has sparked not only disbelief and outrage but also questions of whether or not the bride and groom had malicious intent when they planned their special day.

Read the original post and see pictures here. (Picture at left taken from Jezebel)

The venue for the wedding has issued a press release.

By Stephanie Molina

 

The Numbers Game: Discrimination and Immigration

By Ian Mathieson

According to a recent report by  the Fraser Institute immigration is costing Canada over 23 billion a year and the often touted benefits of immigration to Canada and Canadians doesn’t match the cost.

Many have already commented on the problematic nature of how the numbers may have been calculated – and there has also been interesting arguments made that immigrants are reducing the overall crime rate in Canada. I, however,  want to consider how the systemic discrimination that newcomers and immigrants face may impact how we consider the net cost or benefits of folks coming to Canada to make a new life.

Another recent report released in May by the Fraser Institute’s ideological counterpoint, the Centre for Policy Alternatives, uses the same economic data from the 2006 Statscan census. The report titled: “Canada’s Colour Coded Labour Market” tells a story of the economic situation in Canada as it relates to people of colour. According to one of the reports authors, Grace-Edward Galabuzi, “We found that during the heyday of Canada’s pre-recession economic boom, racialized Canadians were more willing to work, but experienced higher levels of unemployment and earned less income than non-racialized Canadians. The distribution of work tells a disturbing story: Equal access to opportunity eludes many racialized Canadians.”

So why do we need to look at these two documents side by side?  The answer is people of colour. 

Music that helps ease the impact of stereotypes

Last week I had the privilege of watching Shad, an immensely talented African Canadian rapper, in concert. While checking-out some of his songs on YouTube later in the week,  I was really struck by one of the comments posted in response to Shad’s “Brother” music video:

“i’m so glad that i just heard this song. i’m victim to many stereotypical comments and racist jokes just because i’m black so its great to hear a song that makes me feel slightly liberated from it. even if its just a little bit, i’m glad to be a little bit mentally free.“

Why was I left a bit breathless after reading this comment? Well, I think it was because those words spoke so clearly to the debilitating impact racism can have on our lives. The person who wrote this comment expressed feeling victimized and imprisoned by racism. As someone who does not experience racism often, the thought of someone being constantly subjected to it is very painful and impacts me deeply.

I am glad that Shad is sharing his words with the world and offering a fresh and honest perspective in which some can find solace from racism. Take a couple of minutes and have a listen. Does this song resonate with you?

Two different T.V. takes on Race according to Racialicious

What The Office Does Right That 30 Rock Does Not [TV Correspondent Tryout]

Racialicious has a fabulicious post (excuse the made-up word) for those who are fans of the shows 30 Rock or The Office. For those unfamiliar with the Racialicious blog, it is ” blog about the intersection of race and pop culture. ” And so this post by Guest Contributor, Joi Foley, is an interesting post comparing the shows two different takes on dealing with issues of race.

“Elements of Diversity” post on Racialicious

“Elements of Diversity: How Change Agents, Activists, Advocates, and Other Do-Gooders Seem to Not Get It Right After 40 Years of Trying”

Read this interesting article here.