Tag Archives: Martin Luther

All choked up…..

January 21, 2013MiscellaneousAlex Haley, BarackObama, Battle Hymn of the Republic, God, Hallelujah, inaugaration, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, President Obama, Roots, United Statesgreeneyesmom

Today is the day we honor a leader of our nation, a man who did more for civil rights in our time than any other, though many other men and women paved the way. He lost his own life for the cause of freedom, Martin Luther King, Jr gave all for his beliefs. Not unlike the original Martin Luther who we can thank for many of our God truths, he stood the gap for religious freedoms and truths.

I am a fan of most civil rights leaders, although raised in the south, I was never “taught” to be a racist, my family had its own troubles but, we weren’t idiots. My heart was forever touched after, as a young girl watching the story of Alex Haley unfold in the movie version of his acclaimed book, ROOTS. Later on after I had married, when visiting a mall in Knoxville, my husband, myself and my first-born was noticed while getting out of our car by Alex Haley. We had not seen him but, later while in the mall he walked by and I knew who he was and introduced myself…….he mentioned he had seen us come in the mall and what a nice family we appeared to be, he bragged on my son…..WOW!!!!!…..I was overwhelmed to say the least. Of course I asked him for his autograph (yes, I am shameless, but THIS WAS ALEX HALEY!!!) for which I still have. This man was the voice of all the people who had been through so much. Definitely a high point for me.

Today also is a day of Honor and the swearing-in of the new President elect, Barak H. Obama. This being his second term it is a little less heroic(well, not really!), the first African- American President elected to lead our country. But, great all the same. No one, whether for or against could ever honestly admit that it is a BIG DEAL! Who’d of thunk it……and it is about time and even more true….come on girls, when is it going to be our turn?

I was not in awe of his politics, I wish I could be fully behind him but, no. And that’s okay too, I have my rights to my opinion. But I am fully behind his office and the honor of being the first and I respect the hard time that he has to get anything done. All presidents struggle with this I am sure and for him I am sure it is even more of a struggle. As long as civil rights is an issue and as long there is people, they will be, it will always be a historic day to have a African-American or a woman or a Latino or which ever minority there is.

I watch this whole process and I can not help but be….all choked up! I is a BIG DEAL when any person is given the office of the President. The pomp and circumstance are pretty cool. Just listening to all the words of The Battle Hymn of the Republic (see below) is a spiritual experience. To think, that all the people in our country fuss and feud about our collective freedoms and rights, at this time of celebration the playing field gets even, we all collectively feel the awe and responsibility of the office and the job before us ALL to work this out.

We only have one America and no matter our ethnic origin (by the way, we all came from the same start!) on days like this we are AMERICANS in the GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! This is why everyone wants to come here. The opportunities are endless and we have the obligation to do our best with our lives. It is such a waste of chances we use up squandering our lives on useless endeavors.

It is time for us all to get about the Fathers business and stop complaining and get on board to change at least our world around us. It starts with ME…..talk about getting all choked up!

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory
of the coming of the lord,
He is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He hath loosed his fateful lightning
of His terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on