Cornel West once said, "You can't lead the people if you don't love the people. You can't save the people if you don't serve the people." No two men embodied this love ethic more than Brothers Malcolm and Martin. And as our nation commemorates MLK's (or Martin Lutha the Kang's) birthday it is only right that Brooklyn Sis takes time out to reflect on our hard won rights. Paid in blood and paid in full. The night has been long, but we made it to the other side, we saw the rays of a bright new sun.But the question remains, what have we done to further our journey to real equality?
On my last day on the job as a student-teacher at a NYC public high school, I decided to throw off the kid gloves. I came out swinging, straight kicking the truth to the young black youth, like Wu Tang. But my 12th graders were too busy smoking cess and drinking beer, not really tryna hear what I was kicking in they ear. I was trying to engage them in some conversation over the 2008 election - aka, the most important Presidential race of our generation. Who were they down with and why? But the kids were more interested in talking about which member of the senior class rocked the flyest gear on the regular. There are probably one hundred good reasons for this type of pervasive apathy. Endemic poverty, miseducation, the forsaken promise of the battle for equal rights are but a few. We know this, but it is my prayer that we do not let this golden opportunity pass us by. If we don't inspire a new generation of educated voters we are not only then we are in effect taking the future out of our hands. Apathy is never a good look.
We have the chance to light a fire within a whole generation. We demand change, because it is ours to have. It is our right and our legacy.
Rest in power Brother Martin.
Rest in power Brother Malcolm.
