Shall We Perish Unjust ... ?

The Impressions - This Is My Country

Sometimes the sounds of soul covered much more than "do the funky chicken" or "baby, I love you"; instead they painted a picture of the world as it existed for black Americans, and expressed hope for a brighter day. In many respects, the better day did come: legal segregation was abolished as a matter of law, and changing social attitudes curtailed much of the outright racial animosity that was common in the U.S. prior to the Civil Rights Era, especially in the South. Recent events, however, remind us all that there are many miles left to trod before the dream of racial equality is fulfilled. Please take time to visit the Free The Jena 6 website to learn about the events that have taken place in Jena, Louisiana, and the movement for fair judicial treatment of the young black men involved in the situation. To think that in 2007 a "harmless prank" of hanging nooses in a tree (that was a "whites only" hangout spot on a high school campus) could even occur, and that the DA has the nerve to say that race is not a factor in the situation, is disheartening. Fortunately, however, the continued movement for justice, coupled with the successful march in Jena this week, reminds us all that the fire still burns for freedom and justice. Today's selection has appeared on the blog before, but Curtis Mayfield's words still have value today.