MLK: Racism, Inconvenient Time
“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says, “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direct action;” who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” Martin Luther King Jr, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963.
I receive a letter from a friend encouraging me that I am in a position to speak out against racism. I am at a dream retreat and the presenter, also my spiritual director, tells the story several times about Jacob’s dream of a heavenly ladder. Jacob renames the place of his dream Bethel, house of God, God is present. I suddenly thing of Bethel AME Church in Little Rock where I fell in love with that African American congregation as they taught us all about racism and poverty when I was assigned to Trinity Cathedral in Little Rock and we planned a celebration of the anniversary of the 1957 desegregation of Central High School. Later our daughter and soon a granddaughter will be attending that historic school. Last year I attended a prayer breakfast at our sister St. Mark Baptist church on the celebration of MLK’s birthday. Being there was empowering.
Today people all over the world are celebrating the life of Martin Luther King Jr as we approach the 50th anniversary of his death on April 4th,1968. I feel some ownership in his death since I was a senior medical student in Memphis when he was assassinated. At that time, my world centered solely on finishing medical school. His death made it more difficult for me to get to the hospital since Memphis was briefly under a curfew and martial law. I do remember what the dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral did. He carried the processional cross from the cathedral and marched with other clergy to Memphis Mayor Loeb’s office, petitioning him to bring to an end the injustices which brought King to Memphis. I also remember that Dean Dimmick’s speaking out with his feet resulted in consequences for him at the Cathedral.
So here we are fifty years later. How are we to carry the cross with our hands, as so many before us have modeled for us to do, walking out into the streets and homes and schools and hospitals of our cities and country sides speaking and acting the truth with love against the violence and hatred that still lives?
I know I am a story teller. I share my story with you but especially today I share it with my children and grandchildren, surrounding them with love and prayer that they may be empowered to do a better job than we did.
Joanna joannaseibert.com