MLK Day: Racism, Inconvenient Time, January 18th, 2021
“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.’ Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” Martin Luther King Jr, “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963.
I receive letters and emails and blogs from friends encouraging me to speak out against racism. I also remember being at a dream retreat where 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 or God is present. I remember Bethel AME Church in Little Rock where I fall in love with that African American congregation as they taught us about racism and poverty when I was a deacon at Trinity Cathedral in Little Rock. We plan with Bethel a celebration of the anniversary of the 1957 desegregation of Central High School. Later our daughter and soon two grandchildren would attend that historic school. Recently, I attend a prayer breakfast at our sister St. Mark Baptist Church on the celebration of MLK’s birthday with my spiritual director. Being there is empowering for both of us.
Today people all over the world are celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr, celebrated on the third Monday of January. His actual birthday was January 15th, 1929.
In our liturgical calendar we also honor MLK on the date 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 that the dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral carried the processional cross from the cathedral and marched with other clergy in Memphis to 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 great consequences for him at the Cathedral, losing nearly half of its members.
So here we are over fifty years later. How are we to carry that cross, as so many modeled for us, walking out into the streets and homes and schools and hospitals of our cities and countrysides, speaking and acting the truth with love against the violence and hatred and injustices that are still present? The examples of MLK and Dean Dimmick would tell us that nonviolence and love are still the way. The events of this past year, past week, remind us how overcoming violence with violence never is the answer. We are called to pray on our knees but also to pray standing and to pray walking as we listen to so many in our country who are hurting.
I know I am a storyteller. I share my story with you, but especially today I share it with my children and grandchildren, surrounding them with love and prayer that we may empower them to do a better job than we have done.
Joanna joannaseibert.com