The March On Washington ...50 Years Later

A Voice Of Atlantic City/ Philadelphia Editorial.

Words by 

Raymond Tyler

FOCUS ON THE MARCH...
NOT SO MUCH THE SPEECH.

I actually was not going to write about The March On Washington at all.

The sad truth is that if Dr. King were alive today he would be treated pretty badly.

Dr. King would not co-sign many of today's "hip hop artists."

I doubt many of our children would care about his sacrifices unless Dr. King had a reality show or made a surprise appearance with Jay Z at The BET Awards.

I doubt that Dr. king would co-sign President Obama staying in the wars Bush started.

In fact if Dr. King were alive today and if he had even one follower that was between the ages of 30 and 50? I believe Dr. King would be trying his hardest not to March on Washington again for "Jobs" and "Freedom" while President Obama was in office.

Sadder than people of color's apathy toward the great people in our past, is that we have allowed to the media to "castrate" everything about these great people that made them inspirational. The media has effectively been allowed to ignore that the march was about "JOBS and FREEDOM." If you watch today's new you would think the march was about one of Dr. King's speeches which was not no means one of his best. 

Right above that on my "sad critiques of people of color meter" is the fact that we still expect Harry Belafonte and Bill Cosby our moral compass. Two entertainers well into their golden years. We look to Belafonte and his generation to be our as if we were still living in 1973 and not 2013.  We "hate" Jesse Jackson when he discusses anything deeper than President Obama is cool, until Trayvon Martin is killed then we want him to organize and boycott like it's 1973. We have no voices that can come behind Jesse Jackson and hid generation and lead us on. We have voices in our generation but whenever they speak about anything other than TV and Sports we label them a "hater."

We elected a President that could have had a son that looked like Trayvon Martin....it is high time we hold elected officials accountable. It is not "Un Just" that we expect some of the sports stars and entertainers we have today to do more than "pimp" people of color for sneaker and CD sales.

The Bottom Line: is we need less focus on "I HAVE A DREAM" and more serious thoughts and actions with regards to JOBS and FREEDOM.

________________

Advertising

Advertising

                                               Advertising