I was nine years old when President Kennedy was shot and we were all sent home at 1pm. I lived through the asasinatiion of Martin Luther king and Bonnie Kennedy in my graduation day from 8th grade. By then, at 14, I had lost hope for my country. At that point, I became an activist. I canvassed door to door for Eugene McCarthy. I was at the first Earrh Day in NYC. I volunteered for NARAL(National Abortion RightsAction League.) I spent years on the phone trying to convince people that a woman’s body was her own. I was an actress, so of course I marched in the beginning of the gay movement’s marches. I fought for Civil Rights and addressed envelopes for Equal Pay for Equal Work. We made tremendous progress in those years and I am proud to have been a small part of that change.
Yet, these days, at 68 years old, I am watching what we built crumbling.
The best hope I have now are the very young. I have been actively befriending GenZ’s. They are so cool! I recognize in them the same fire that I felt at their age. And they’re even better. They are fearless. Whether Republican or Democrat, they hold firm to the rights of everyone to be who they want to be.
I have been learning a lot from them, and they give me hope that long after I’m gone, this dream that is America, this dream that is equity for everyone across the planet, will continue. If people work it, it happens.
Marianne, I share your view. The elites like things just as they are: lots of PR and distractions but no true attempts at needed systems change regarding social, environmental or economic justice. Policy that's not creating a thrivable planet is failure for our country. We must collaborate on a collective scale to sustain all sentient beings with reverence for life and Earth. The madness of money, power and control must end or we all end. I think the Z Generation is our greatest leverage out of this mess since they are more inclusive and unimpressed by the status quo. They need our support so they can survive well. I am glad you wrote about the disenchantment of this day.
I wasn't a year old when MLK was killed. I have lived in a world of his legacy. We have made steps in in improvements in society. Multiple culture marriages are common and are just a part normal society. No big deal. Lesbian and Gays are out in society and have a voice in the community. Again No big deal. This is a far different world that the world MLK lived in, but yet it still the same in some respects. We are still fighting over the rights for women to make decisions about her own body and the life she will bring in to the world. We still face oppression for people that don't look like us, whatever us is. We are dealing with a growing income gap between the top and bottom of the income divide. As Marianne has pointed out we as a society need to do more, reflect less and get the job done. It is important to teach the youth the messages of MLK , but also important to have a call to action to improve the world around us. The world need people to pick up and carry the torch further down the track. Just my thoughts. Be with Love.
After all this time, one would think that peaceful conflict resolution would be taught in our schools and practiced in our homes. Our sixth sense of spiritual connection goes unrecognized by the majority of the citizens of this planet.
The people who killed the Kennedys and King had much bigger aspirations than just murdering those three individuals_They were trying to murder the vision of a just America,
What would Dr. King say about a $858 billion defense budget_Or eliminating a tax credit that cut child poverty in half_Or the failure to raise the min wage_Or the failure to pass meaningful Police Reform_Or a President who calls himself a union guy and fails to support sick pay for Railroad workers
Private charity can’t compensate for a lack of Social Justice-The message of this day should be_To remember HOW MUCH THERE IS STILL TO DO! … Wonderful writing … Thank You!
Outstanding column. What Dr. King said is for all of us, to continue to push justice forward and to treat each other with kindness, dignity and respect. All of us. It is essential to speak and act with courage and love, for we all are indeed One. Thank you, Ms. Williamson.
Marianne, it is one thing to call for people to ‘speak up’. It’s quite another thing to provide effective communication tools. And then think through how leaders and groups can collaborate to turn this into a truly transformative movement. Again, I suggest we talk.
"Abraham, Martin and John". First time I heard that song the tearing-up was instantaneous and continued for some while. Why do they kill our heroes ? Is it because those martyred voices reminded us of some qualities such as justice, freedom, equality, a voice that echoes across the land and an understanding that nefarious forces of greed, power-lust and materialistic, consumer values and Hollywood infotainment have smothered a deeper, spiritually connective reality.
I salute you, Marianne, for bringing these realizations to mind of those who follow your offerings. There have been thousands of memorializations reverberating throughout the infosphere, presenting points of view on what "those bastards" did to our unifying dreams. Your "Cri de Coeur" may well stand front and center, in honoring the legacy of the Reverend Doctor King.
Really beautiful piece, Marianne!
I was nine years old when President Kennedy was shot and we were all sent home at 1pm. I lived through the asasinatiion of Martin Luther king and Bonnie Kennedy in my graduation day from 8th grade. By then, at 14, I had lost hope for my country. At that point, I became an activist. I canvassed door to door for Eugene McCarthy. I was at the first Earrh Day in NYC. I volunteered for NARAL(National Abortion RightsAction League.) I spent years on the phone trying to convince people that a woman’s body was her own. I was an actress, so of course I marched in the beginning of the gay movement’s marches. I fought for Civil Rights and addressed envelopes for Equal Pay for Equal Work. We made tremendous progress in those years and I am proud to have been a small part of that change.
Yet, these days, at 68 years old, I am watching what we built crumbling.
The best hope I have now are the very young. I have been actively befriending GenZ’s. They are so cool! I recognize in them the same fire that I felt at their age. And they’re even better. They are fearless. Whether Republican or Democrat, they hold firm to the rights of everyone to be who they want to be.
I have been learning a lot from them, and they give me hope that long after I’m gone, this dream that is America, this dream that is equity for everyone across the planet, will continue. If people work it, it happens.
Thanks for this post Marianne. It is on point, and I appreciate your frankness and call to action beyond 'remembering.'
Marianne, I share your view. The elites like things just as they are: lots of PR and distractions but no true attempts at needed systems change regarding social, environmental or economic justice. Policy that's not creating a thrivable planet is failure for our country. We must collaborate on a collective scale to sustain all sentient beings with reverence for life and Earth. The madness of money, power and control must end or we all end. I think the Z Generation is our greatest leverage out of this mess since they are more inclusive and unimpressed by the status quo. They need our support so they can survive well. I am glad you wrote about the disenchantment of this day.
The forces in the institutions that killed him (and JFK/MLK, ) got away with it, and knew they could get away with 9/11.
I wasn't a year old when MLK was killed. I have lived in a world of his legacy. We have made steps in in improvements in society. Multiple culture marriages are common and are just a part normal society. No big deal. Lesbian and Gays are out in society and have a voice in the community. Again No big deal. This is a far different world that the world MLK lived in, but yet it still the same in some respects. We are still fighting over the rights for women to make decisions about her own body and the life she will bring in to the world. We still face oppression for people that don't look like us, whatever us is. We are dealing with a growing income gap between the top and bottom of the income divide. As Marianne has pointed out we as a society need to do more, reflect less and get the job done. It is important to teach the youth the messages of MLK , but also important to have a call to action to improve the world around us. The world need people to pick up and carry the torch further down the track. Just my thoughts. Be with Love.
After all this time, one would think that peaceful conflict resolution would be taught in our schools and practiced in our homes. Our sixth sense of spiritual connection goes unrecognized by the majority of the citizens of this planet.
The forces in the institutions that killed him (and JFK/MLK, ) got away with it, and knew they could get away with 9/11.
The people who killed the Kennedys and King had much bigger aspirations than just murdering those three individuals_They were trying to murder the vision of a just America,
What would Dr. King say about a $858 billion defense budget_Or eliminating a tax credit that cut child poverty in half_Or the failure to raise the min wage_Or the failure to pass meaningful Police Reform_Or a President who calls himself a union guy and fails to support sick pay for Railroad workers
Private charity can’t compensate for a lack of Social Justice-The message of this day should be_To remember HOW MUCH THERE IS STILL TO DO! … Wonderful writing … Thank You!
Amen to that, Marianne!
You are right on, as always. Thank you.
Outstanding column. What Dr. King said is for all of us, to continue to push justice forward and to treat each other with kindness, dignity and respect. All of us. It is essential to speak and act with courage and love, for we all are indeed One. Thank you, Ms. Williamson.
Unfortunately here n the Middle East, as well as Ukraine Mother Earth is spewing Fire.
We also have our troubles.
we missed the mark when the party of Meretz lost her place in the Knesset - Gal-On. with them at least we could have had our Voice heard...
Thanks Marianne I can feel your righteous indignation and I feel the same and u expressed it perfectly
Marianne, it is one thing to call for people to ‘speak up’. It’s quite another thing to provide effective communication tools. And then think through how leaders and groups can collaborate to turn this into a truly transformative movement. Again, I suggest we talk.
Andrew Gaines
Inspiring Transition
andrew.gaines@InspiringTransition.net
www.InspiringTransition.net
Greta Thunberg will have reason to hope when she sees that mainstream society is committed to turning things around.
"Abraham, Martin and John". First time I heard that song the tearing-up was instantaneous and continued for some while. Why do they kill our heroes ? Is it because those martyred voices reminded us of some qualities such as justice, freedom, equality, a voice that echoes across the land and an understanding that nefarious forces of greed, power-lust and materialistic, consumer values and Hollywood infotainment have smothered a deeper, spiritually connective reality.
I salute you, Marianne, for bringing these realizations to mind of those who follow your offerings. There have been thousands of memorializations reverberating throughout the infosphere, presenting points of view on what "those bastards" did to our unifying dreams. Your "Cri de Coeur" may well stand front and center, in honoring the legacy of the Reverend Doctor King.