March on Washington 50 years later block party

Folks arrived on the weekend for the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.  They lingered around the steps of the Washington monument lincoln memorial overflowing onto the grass of the World WarII memorial onto the sidewalk and streets leading to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,  jr. Memorial.  

They listened and gave speeches,  they rallied, they protested, they marched,  they walked, they stood, they sat as participates in the events             supporting their issues.

Their agendas were as varied  as the tee-shirts with slogans, from defending the dream, reform of laws, pro life, gay rights, voting rights, rights of education, economy rights, to prison rights.  So diverse that one could wonder aloud was this march ushering in the first collective march for the future?

But for many who were not among the original marchers of 1963, were witnessing the confusion of still not reaching the ears of those who implemented laws or defined how they moved about the world.  So many voices that you grew silence in trying to have your voice heard. Which song would they sing, which chant would they  yell..it required a surrendering to the moment, because  Washington policies makers were planning their anniversary on other days.  they don't want to listen to no more we shall overcome.

Our generation will not usher in a more valued sense of self by standing around demanding issues be addressed with placards or another rendition of we shall overcome.    We must believe it like those who gave u the ghost of the past.  Lives were lost in fighting for the dream, not just picking out a teeshirt with a catchy slogan for the day.  They surrendered their lives so that we could wake up to a changing nation.

So the torch was passed to battle the triple threat of war, jobs, and stratification to this generation as they supported one another with little police presence,

The work is far from over,  especially when leaders fail to address the crisis of youth violence, joblessness, resegregation of schools and neighborhoods, and the racial profiling of our citizens that impact their moral decisions.

Young folks showed up and the elderly needed to promote those voices of the young whispering words of encouragement and wisdom in their Struggle to overcome.  It was Trayvon Martin who mobilized this crew of marchers.  The NAACP, the unions,  were leaded by those who refused to forget Martin or a nine year who spoke about his school closure.  They were men and women believing that it was not only their skin color but other issues that divided them among those in power in  Washington.  Let see what tomorrow brings.