calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/apr/23
John Lewis remarked in his magnificent book, Across That Bridge, that when, later in life, he would talk to youngsters of whatever skin tone, the kids were often incredulous that conditions were “that bad” in the south.
William Moore was one of hundreds of people who died to change America. John Lewis marveled at changes that had been made but near the end of life he reminded all of us that there is still a lot to be done before America can be truly free.
Americans no longer murder people who fight for justice, equality and love–well not in the numbers of an earlier era. But America continues to persecute. We still have victims of oppression. We tend to deny the fact and in recent years too many people, too many elected people tell us that bad things did not happen and even if evil existed in the land let us agree to ignore unpleasant history. In particular we should not tell the children. Treat it as if it were a polite divorce. Pretend that we are among polite people, people like us.
Were William marching today he might wear a placard declaring that all those terrible things happened. Most likely he would not be murdered. But many would join in murdering the truth.
Waiting For Charlemagne 