Latest news with #FreedomRiders
Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
‘Good Trouble' Protests Against Trump Being Held Across U.S.
Demonstrators have taken to the streets across multiple states on Thursday to protest President Donald Trump's Administration in a day of action honoring the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, with more events planned across the country in the evening. 'We are facing the most brazen rollback of civil rights in generations,' reads the movement's website. 'Whether you're outraged by attacks on voting rights, the gutting of essential services, disappearances of our neighbors, or the assault on free speech and our right to protest—this movement is for you. Trump is trying to divide us, but we know the power of coming together.' 'Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration,' the website continues. 'Together, we'll remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.' The phrase 'Good Trouble,' coined by Lewis, refers to 'the action of coming together to take peaceful, non-violent action to challenge injustice and create meaningful change,' according to the website. Lewis was a leader in the civil rights movement, traveling between states to challenge segregation as one of 13 original Freedom Riders and serving as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which he helped found. He went on to represent Georgia's 5th district in Congress for more than 30 years and became an outspoken Trump opponent during the President's first term. The day of action was set for Thursday, July 17—five years after Lewis died, at the age of 80, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The events on Thursday included block parties, candlelight vigils, and peaceful protests in cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago. The movement's website said that a 'core principle' behind the events is 'a commitment to nonviolent action,' adding that no weapons should be brought to the events. The 'Good Trouble' protests follow more than 1,500 'No Kings Day' demonstrations that were held across the country last month to protest the Trump Administration on the same day that the President held a military parade in Washington, D.C. They also come after Trump earlier in June mobilized the National Guard—against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom—to quell immigration-related protests in Los Angeles. Trump's actions sparked outrage from Democratic politicians, advocacy organizations, and legal experts, and protests spread across the country amid the outcry.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Rallies over alleged human and civil rights violations to be held across North Texas on "Good Trouble Day of Action"
Several rallies will take place across North Texas Thursday night over alleged civil and human rights violations. Titled "Good Trouble Lives On," organizers said the rallies will take place all over the country on National John Lewis Day of Action. According to organizers, the rallies are also in honor of the legacy of the late Congressman, who often called on his supporters to make "good trouble, necessary trouble." According to the news release, rallies will be held in Garland, Dallas, Fort Worth, Southlake and Rockwall. "Participants will gather to demand an end to racist gerrymandering and the authoritarian attacks on our freedom to vote, protest, and organize — and to stand united against efforts to criminalize our communities, roll back our rights, and slash vital public programs," the news release states. Organizers said the events will be peaceful and include a candlelight vigil to honor Lewis. Lewis died July 17, 2020, at the age of 80. He was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in December. His death sent shock waves across the country and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called Lewis the "boy from Troy" when the two first met in 1958, according to the Associated Press, and their meeting kicked off Lewis' lifetime of activism. In 1961, Lewis was just 21 years old when he joined the Freedom Riders who rode public transportation to Alabama in an effort to integrate bus travel. Lewis was beaten and arrested multiple times due to his activism. He was elected as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was the youngest speaker at the 1963 March on Washington. He was also a leader of the march in Selma, Alabama, across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965, that became known as "Bloody Sunday" as police beat the marchers. Lewis' skull was fractured. The events of "Bloody Sunday" helped lead Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act, and President Johnson signed it into law on August 6, 1965. He served Georgia's Fifth Congressional District in Congress from 1987 until his death.
The Advertiser
07-07-2025
- General
- The Advertiser
Two generations, one vision: shaping the future with respect for Aboriginal roots
IN order to move forward, Australia has to look back. As the country marks the 50th year of NAIDOC Week celebrations this week, the theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy', speaks both to the future and the deep cultural roots that have guided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since time immemorial. They might be from different generations, but Gumilaroi man Bob Morgan and Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa man Jayden Kitchener-Waters share a determination to protect and pass on cultural knowledge, identity and purpose. University of Newcastle professor Dr Bob Morgan is a highly-respected Aboriginal educator and researcher who grew up on the western plains. "I guess the early years growing up in Walgett ... there was a part of me as a kid that didn't really fully understand what was happening in our community," he said. "As I grew older, I realised living in the shanties on the riverbank and being isolated from the white community, there was something totally wrong with what we were experiencing." Dr Morgan was 16 when the Freedom Riders came to town. University of Sydney students, led by the institution's first Aboriginal student, Charles Perkins, rode through regional NSW highlighting racial segregation and social injustice. The visit triggered something in Dr Morgan, a drive and determination to change conditions for Aboriginal people for the better. "I often look back and reflect on my early years, and even though we lived in very, very difficult circumstances and poverty, there was lots of happiness," he said. "We were surrounded by loved ones, our families, kinship structures and were people of the country and connected to the country." Dr Morgan said that connection to country is pivotal to his identity, just like the songlines, stories and cultural knowledge that were handed down by knowledge keepers and Elders in his community. He said NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate what it truly means to be part of the oldest surviving, continuous culture on the planet - but the work is far from over. "We've been really good at dealing with the symbols of reconciliation, but the structural and systemic changes and the societal changes that need to occur, it's still unfinished business," he said. Dr Morgan said the next generation will play a critical role in carrying the torch. "I'm so excited about some of the potential leaders that are emerging, not just through the academic system at universities, but those that are embedded in culture, practising culture and taking kids out on country," he said. "Leadership is so critical in this space, but it has to combine the wisdom of Elders and knowledge keepers and those young ones that are striving to be a part of the change. "So how do you connect those two critical elements of culture, is what stands before us." Jayden Kitchener-Waters is the next generation. Originally from Tamworth and now living in Newcastle, he's a senior policy and research officer with the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust and a founding director of Gambadul Aboriginal Corporation. Mr Kitchener-Waters leads community consultations across the south coast, supports language revitalisation across the state and recently completed the 2025 NSW Parliament Young Aboriginal Leaders Program. He grew up in a family that was "culturally grounded" and said he has always been proud of his identity. "I always grew up dancing, being encouraged to speak language by my family," he said. "Statewide, there is obviously a massive loss of language, and I use the word 'lost' very lightly; these languages were stolen from us. "I was brought up with the cultural values of respect, humility and love; knowing my story, I'm able to share that with other people, share the truth of our culture." Mr Kitchener-Waters said this year's NAIDOC Week theme is about acknowledging the leadership and values of their ancestors. "Our old people were so staunch, but graceful and humble, and they stood up for what was right," he said. "I think this theme is about continuing that legacy and telling their stories with those values at the forefront." Both Dr Morgan and Mr Kitchener-Waters said truth-telling will be crucial to true reconciliation in Australia. "I think young people are now in a position to be sharing true stories about what happened to our people, and not doing that in a way that throws people off or makes people feel guilty and angry," Mr Kitchener-Waters said. "People were taken from their families, displaced, mass genocides. I think until we properly recognise that, then you can't move forward in reconciliation." Dr Morgan said Aboriginal people are not asking for anything more than others seem to "have as a birthright". "That goes to issues of meaninglessness, alienation and loss of culture and purpose, we can't do this work, the social and restorative justice work, without non-Indigenous people," he said. "I have really enjoyed that journey of walking with non-Indigenous people to bring about change and transformation." Both said valuable lessons could be learned from Australia's past, and from the cultural knowledge and ways of their ancestors. Mr Kitchener-Waters said the book The Dreaming Path by Paul Callaghan and Uncle Paul Gordon is a great place to start. "Those old values are still completely relevant and can help everyone in modern-day society," he said. "If everyone starts living with cultural values of respect, love and humility and looking after Mother Earth, I can see nothing but positive things for everyone if we live with those old values." The NAIDOC journey started as a movement for recognition and rights led by Indigenous communities who wanted a future built on justice and equality. Over the last five decades, it has grown into a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, Newcastle will host the first NAIDOC Community Awards for the region on August 2 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Awabakal Country. On Monday, July 7, the Newcastle NAIDOC Community Festival will kick off at Civic Park from 9am with a welcome and flag raising before a march to Foreshore Park for entertainment, stalls, rides, food and drink. The event is free and runs from 10am to 2pm, featuring a main stage, Dreamtime Tent, dancing circle, Elders Tent, rides, a sensory zone and more. IN order to move forward, Australia has to look back. As the country marks the 50th year of NAIDOC Week celebrations this week, the theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy', speaks both to the future and the deep cultural roots that have guided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since time immemorial. They might be from different generations, but Gumilaroi man Bob Morgan and Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa man Jayden Kitchener-Waters share a determination to protect and pass on cultural knowledge, identity and purpose. University of Newcastle professor Dr Bob Morgan is a highly-respected Aboriginal educator and researcher who grew up on the western plains. "I guess the early years growing up in Walgett ... there was a part of me as a kid that didn't really fully understand what was happening in our community," he said. "As I grew older, I realised living in the shanties on the riverbank and being isolated from the white community, there was something totally wrong with what we were experiencing." Dr Morgan was 16 when the Freedom Riders came to town. University of Sydney students, led by the institution's first Aboriginal student, Charles Perkins, rode through regional NSW highlighting racial segregation and social injustice. The visit triggered something in Dr Morgan, a drive and determination to change conditions for Aboriginal people for the better. "I often look back and reflect on my early years, and even though we lived in very, very difficult circumstances and poverty, there was lots of happiness," he said. "We were surrounded by loved ones, our families, kinship structures and were people of the country and connected to the country." Dr Morgan said that connection to country is pivotal to his identity, just like the songlines, stories and cultural knowledge that were handed down by knowledge keepers and Elders in his community. He said NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate what it truly means to be part of the oldest surviving, continuous culture on the planet - but the work is far from over. "We've been really good at dealing with the symbols of reconciliation, but the structural and systemic changes and the societal changes that need to occur, it's still unfinished business," he said. Dr Morgan said the next generation will play a critical role in carrying the torch. "I'm so excited about some of the potential leaders that are emerging, not just through the academic system at universities, but those that are embedded in culture, practising culture and taking kids out on country," he said. "Leadership is so critical in this space, but it has to combine the wisdom of Elders and knowledge keepers and those young ones that are striving to be a part of the change. "So how do you connect those two critical elements of culture, is what stands before us." Jayden Kitchener-Waters is the next generation. Originally from Tamworth and now living in Newcastle, he's a senior policy and research officer with the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust and a founding director of Gambadul Aboriginal Corporation. Mr Kitchener-Waters leads community consultations across the south coast, supports language revitalisation across the state and recently completed the 2025 NSW Parliament Young Aboriginal Leaders Program. He grew up in a family that was "culturally grounded" and said he has always been proud of his identity. "I always grew up dancing, being encouraged to speak language by my family," he said. "Statewide, there is obviously a massive loss of language, and I use the word 'lost' very lightly; these languages were stolen from us. "I was brought up with the cultural values of respect, humility and love; knowing my story, I'm able to share that with other people, share the truth of our culture." Mr Kitchener-Waters said this year's NAIDOC Week theme is about acknowledging the leadership and values of their ancestors. "Our old people were so staunch, but graceful and humble, and they stood up for what was right," he said. "I think this theme is about continuing that legacy and telling their stories with those values at the forefront." Both Dr Morgan and Mr Kitchener-Waters said truth-telling will be crucial to true reconciliation in Australia. "I think young people are now in a position to be sharing true stories about what happened to our people, and not doing that in a way that throws people off or makes people feel guilty and angry," Mr Kitchener-Waters said. "People were taken from their families, displaced, mass genocides. I think until we properly recognise that, then you can't move forward in reconciliation." Dr Morgan said Aboriginal people are not asking for anything more than others seem to "have as a birthright". "That goes to issues of meaninglessness, alienation and loss of culture and purpose, we can't do this work, the social and restorative justice work, without non-Indigenous people," he said. "I have really enjoyed that journey of walking with non-Indigenous people to bring about change and transformation." Both said valuable lessons could be learned from Australia's past, and from the cultural knowledge and ways of their ancestors. Mr Kitchener-Waters said the book The Dreaming Path by Paul Callaghan and Uncle Paul Gordon is a great place to start. "Those old values are still completely relevant and can help everyone in modern-day society," he said. "If everyone starts living with cultural values of respect, love and humility and looking after Mother Earth, I can see nothing but positive things for everyone if we live with those old values." The NAIDOC journey started as a movement for recognition and rights led by Indigenous communities who wanted a future built on justice and equality. Over the last five decades, it has grown into a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, Newcastle will host the first NAIDOC Community Awards for the region on August 2 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Awabakal Country. On Monday, July 7, the Newcastle NAIDOC Community Festival will kick off at Civic Park from 9am with a welcome and flag raising before a march to Foreshore Park for entertainment, stalls, rides, food and drink. The event is free and runs from 10am to 2pm, featuring a main stage, Dreamtime Tent, dancing circle, Elders Tent, rides, a sensory zone and more. IN order to move forward, Australia has to look back. As the country marks the 50th year of NAIDOC Week celebrations this week, the theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy', speaks both to the future and the deep cultural roots that have guided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since time immemorial. They might be from different generations, but Gumilaroi man Bob Morgan and Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa man Jayden Kitchener-Waters share a determination to protect and pass on cultural knowledge, identity and purpose. University of Newcastle professor Dr Bob Morgan is a highly-respected Aboriginal educator and researcher who grew up on the western plains. "I guess the early years growing up in Walgett ... there was a part of me as a kid that didn't really fully understand what was happening in our community," he said. "As I grew older, I realised living in the shanties on the riverbank and being isolated from the white community, there was something totally wrong with what we were experiencing." Dr Morgan was 16 when the Freedom Riders came to town. University of Sydney students, led by the institution's first Aboriginal student, Charles Perkins, rode through regional NSW highlighting racial segregation and social injustice. The visit triggered something in Dr Morgan, a drive and determination to change conditions for Aboriginal people for the better. "I often look back and reflect on my early years, and even though we lived in very, very difficult circumstances and poverty, there was lots of happiness," he said. "We were surrounded by loved ones, our families, kinship structures and were people of the country and connected to the country." Dr Morgan said that connection to country is pivotal to his identity, just like the songlines, stories and cultural knowledge that were handed down by knowledge keepers and Elders in his community. He said NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate what it truly means to be part of the oldest surviving, continuous culture on the planet - but the work is far from over. "We've been really good at dealing with the symbols of reconciliation, but the structural and systemic changes and the societal changes that need to occur, it's still unfinished business," he said. Dr Morgan said the next generation will play a critical role in carrying the torch. "I'm so excited about some of the potential leaders that are emerging, not just through the academic system at universities, but those that are embedded in culture, practising culture and taking kids out on country," he said. "Leadership is so critical in this space, but it has to combine the wisdom of Elders and knowledge keepers and those young ones that are striving to be a part of the change. "So how do you connect those two critical elements of culture, is what stands before us." Jayden Kitchener-Waters is the next generation. Originally from Tamworth and now living in Newcastle, he's a senior policy and research officer with the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust and a founding director of Gambadul Aboriginal Corporation. Mr Kitchener-Waters leads community consultations across the south coast, supports language revitalisation across the state and recently completed the 2025 NSW Parliament Young Aboriginal Leaders Program. He grew up in a family that was "culturally grounded" and said he has always been proud of his identity. "I always grew up dancing, being encouraged to speak language by my family," he said. "Statewide, there is obviously a massive loss of language, and I use the word 'lost' very lightly; these languages were stolen from us. "I was brought up with the cultural values of respect, humility and love; knowing my story, I'm able to share that with other people, share the truth of our culture." Mr Kitchener-Waters said this year's NAIDOC Week theme is about acknowledging the leadership and values of their ancestors. "Our old people were so staunch, but graceful and humble, and they stood up for what was right," he said. "I think this theme is about continuing that legacy and telling their stories with those values at the forefront." Both Dr Morgan and Mr Kitchener-Waters said truth-telling will be crucial to true reconciliation in Australia. "I think young people are now in a position to be sharing true stories about what happened to our people, and not doing that in a way that throws people off or makes people feel guilty and angry," Mr Kitchener-Waters said. "People were taken from their families, displaced, mass genocides. I think until we properly recognise that, then you can't move forward in reconciliation." Dr Morgan said Aboriginal people are not asking for anything more than others seem to "have as a birthright". "That goes to issues of meaninglessness, alienation and loss of culture and purpose, we can't do this work, the social and restorative justice work, without non-Indigenous people," he said. "I have really enjoyed that journey of walking with non-Indigenous people to bring about change and transformation." Both said valuable lessons could be learned from Australia's past, and from the cultural knowledge and ways of their ancestors. Mr Kitchener-Waters said the book The Dreaming Path by Paul Callaghan and Uncle Paul Gordon is a great place to start. "Those old values are still completely relevant and can help everyone in modern-day society," he said. "If everyone starts living with cultural values of respect, love and humility and looking after Mother Earth, I can see nothing but positive things for everyone if we live with those old values." The NAIDOC journey started as a movement for recognition and rights led by Indigenous communities who wanted a future built on justice and equality. Over the last five decades, it has grown into a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, Newcastle will host the first NAIDOC Community Awards for the region on August 2 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Awabakal Country. On Monday, July 7, the Newcastle NAIDOC Community Festival will kick off at Civic Park from 9am with a welcome and flag raising before a march to Foreshore Park for entertainment, stalls, rides, food and drink. The event is free and runs from 10am to 2pm, featuring a main stage, Dreamtime Tent, dancing circle, Elders Tent, rides, a sensory zone and more. IN order to move forward, Australia has to look back. As the country marks the 50th year of NAIDOC Week celebrations this week, the theme, 'The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy', speaks both to the future and the deep cultural roots that have guided Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people since time immemorial. They might be from different generations, but Gumilaroi man Bob Morgan and Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa man Jayden Kitchener-Waters share a determination to protect and pass on cultural knowledge, identity and purpose. University of Newcastle professor Dr Bob Morgan is a highly-respected Aboriginal educator and researcher who grew up on the western plains. "I guess the early years growing up in Walgett ... there was a part of me as a kid that didn't really fully understand what was happening in our community," he said. "As I grew older, I realised living in the shanties on the riverbank and being isolated from the white community, there was something totally wrong with what we were experiencing." Dr Morgan was 16 when the Freedom Riders came to town. University of Sydney students, led by the institution's first Aboriginal student, Charles Perkins, rode through regional NSW highlighting racial segregation and social injustice. The visit triggered something in Dr Morgan, a drive and determination to change conditions for Aboriginal people for the better. "I often look back and reflect on my early years, and even though we lived in very, very difficult circumstances and poverty, there was lots of happiness," he said. "We were surrounded by loved ones, our families, kinship structures and were people of the country and connected to the country." Dr Morgan said that connection to country is pivotal to his identity, just like the songlines, stories and cultural knowledge that were handed down by knowledge keepers and Elders in his community. He said NAIDOC Week is an opportunity to celebrate what it truly means to be part of the oldest surviving, continuous culture on the planet - but the work is far from over. "We've been really good at dealing with the symbols of reconciliation, but the structural and systemic changes and the societal changes that need to occur, it's still unfinished business," he said. Dr Morgan said the next generation will play a critical role in carrying the torch. "I'm so excited about some of the potential leaders that are emerging, not just through the academic system at universities, but those that are embedded in culture, practising culture and taking kids out on country," he said. "Leadership is so critical in this space, but it has to combine the wisdom of Elders and knowledge keepers and those young ones that are striving to be a part of the change. "So how do you connect those two critical elements of culture, is what stands before us." Jayden Kitchener-Waters is the next generation. Originally from Tamworth and now living in Newcastle, he's a senior policy and research officer with the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust and a founding director of Gambadul Aboriginal Corporation. Mr Kitchener-Waters leads community consultations across the south coast, supports language revitalisation across the state and recently completed the 2025 NSW Parliament Young Aboriginal Leaders Program. He grew up in a family that was "culturally grounded" and said he has always been proud of his identity. "I always grew up dancing, being encouraged to speak language by my family," he said. "Statewide, there is obviously a massive loss of language, and I use the word 'lost' very lightly; these languages were stolen from us. "I was brought up with the cultural values of respect, humility and love; knowing my story, I'm able to share that with other people, share the truth of our culture." Mr Kitchener-Waters said this year's NAIDOC Week theme is about acknowledging the leadership and values of their ancestors. "Our old people were so staunch, but graceful and humble, and they stood up for what was right," he said. "I think this theme is about continuing that legacy and telling their stories with those values at the forefront." Both Dr Morgan and Mr Kitchener-Waters said truth-telling will be crucial to true reconciliation in Australia. "I think young people are now in a position to be sharing true stories about what happened to our people, and not doing that in a way that throws people off or makes people feel guilty and angry," Mr Kitchener-Waters said. "People were taken from their families, displaced, mass genocides. I think until we properly recognise that, then you can't move forward in reconciliation." Dr Morgan said Aboriginal people are not asking for anything more than others seem to "have as a birthright". "That goes to issues of meaninglessness, alienation and loss of culture and purpose, we can't do this work, the social and restorative justice work, without non-Indigenous people," he said. "I have really enjoyed that journey of walking with non-Indigenous people to bring about change and transformation." Both said valuable lessons could be learned from Australia's past, and from the cultural knowledge and ways of their ancestors. Mr Kitchener-Waters said the book The Dreaming Path by Paul Callaghan and Uncle Paul Gordon is a great place to start. "Those old values are still completely relevant and can help everyone in modern-day society," he said. "If everyone starts living with cultural values of respect, love and humility and looking after Mother Earth, I can see nothing but positive things for everyone if we live with those old values." The NAIDOC journey started as a movement for recognition and rights led by Indigenous communities who wanted a future built on justice and equality. Over the last five decades, it has grown into a national celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year, Newcastle will host the first NAIDOC Community Awards for the region on August 2 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Awabakal Country. On Monday, July 7, the Newcastle NAIDOC Community Festival will kick off at Civic Park from 9am with a welcome and flag raising before a march to Foreshore Park for entertainment, stalls, rides, food and drink. The event is free and runs from 10am to 2pm, featuring a main stage, Dreamtime Tent, dancing circle, Elders Tent, rides, a sensory zone and more.
Chicago Tribune
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Steve Chapman: Donald Trump's campaign of intimidation echoes the worst of our past
America is supposed to be the land of the brave, but under the second administration of Donald Trump, it's fallen under a climate of fear. Universities and law firms have been punished for their perceived disloyalty. Foreigners have been abducted by masked agents and shipped to foreign gulags without due process. News organizations have been bullied for performing honest journalism. Federal employees have been cashiered by the thousands. Corporations harmed by his trade policies have been vilified for telling the truth about tariffs. Judges find themselves threatened for faithfully following the law. Trump and his allies are doing their best to rule through systematic intimidation. It's a new approach to the presidency. But it has deep roots in American history. Recently, I visited Alabama to tour several sites that recount the horrifying realities of life under authoritarian subjugation and the struggles of African Americans who lived in constant fear of incurring the wrath of their rulers as well as ordinary white citizens. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, a massive outdoor structure, recalls the era of racial terrorism, documenting more than 4,400 lynchings of Black Americans between 1877 and 1950. The Legacy Museum provides a thorough account of the enslavement and oppression of an entire race of people. The Rosa Parks Museum and the National Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham recall the efforts that demolished segregation and won Black people legal and social equality. To visit these places is to be shocked anew by the savagery that was the defining trait of the Jim Crow South — and the astonishing courage of the people who took part in the struggle for freedom and justice. The procession of images sears the mind: mobs of police clubbing peaceful demonstrators. A white mob torching a bus carrying Freedom Riders. The mutilated body of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old murdered for allegedly failing to show proper deference to a white woman. The rubble of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham after the 1963 bombing that killed four Black girls. Rosa Parks, jailed for declining to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Today, we see the Civil Rights Movement as the stirring triumph of America's noblest ideals. And it's easy to assume the outcome was inevitable. But one central fact about those Americans who challenged their oppressors is this: They didn't know they would win. Parks, John Lewis, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and others took enormous risks. Lewis had his skull fractured in a terrible beating by police. King had his house bombed and died from an assassin's bullet. Parks knew she might not leave jail alive. Those who marched or even showed sympathy for the movement put their lives and livelihoods in grave jeopardy. Black people who tried to register to vote lost their jobs or were evicted from homes and farms. Those who demonstrated often went to jail or prison. Some paid the ultimate price, tortured and killed by Klansmen and their allies. It could have all been for nothing. White supremacy had been the unbreakable norm in the South for centuries. Even the Civil War and Reconstruction failed to destroy it. Those who suffered under this regime had no plausible grounds to think they could escape it — and every reason to expect that stepping out of line would make their lives much worse. Yet they acted anyway. Americans are proud of living in a 250-year-old democracy. But, despite the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the rights enshrined in the Constitution, this country didn't come close to being fully free and democratic until the 1960s, when Black people finally gained the right to vote throughout the land. Trump's administration is hardly equivalent to what prevailed in the old South. But what it is doing raises ominous parallels: the contempt for the rule of law, the pardoning of violent insurrectionists, the attacks on civil rights protections, the celebration of cruelty and, of course, the relentless effort to scare people into submission. It's no coincidence that many of the states where Trump is most popular are the states that enforced white supremacy with the greatest ferocity. These Alabama sites are focused on history, not the outrage of the week from the White House. But they serve as an eloquent rebuke to what Trump represents. And it's probably only a matter of time before they become a target of his ire. They're a reminder that American freedom and democracy are not guaranteed. Whether we will be able to preserve our liberal democracy from the MAGA onslaught is not at all certain. But as those in the Civil Rights Movement could have told us, there is only one way to find out.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Vets find freedom, support in group who helps with wheelchair repairs
There are just over 5 million veterans with disabilities in the U.S. it's a staggering number that's only made worse by insurance denials and long waits for mobility devices. But the American Warriors Motorcycle Association is determined to get those vets rolling on their own set of wheels. With the support of the group, dozens of veterans now have the ability to go where they want. Chester Iglinski of Chester's Chairs works with the group and repairs donated chairs. More from Erin: Chicago's puppet-run ice cream shop has locals lining up for laughs and soft serve '(We) Try to show them we do care for what they do and what they did for us,' he said. More informationChester's Chairs Facebook PageAmerican Warriors Motorcycle Association Facebook Page It hits hard for Vietnam vet, Kenneth Kammers. 'Next time you see a veteran walking by, an old man with Vietnam on his head, shake his hand and then see what his face looks like after you do it,' he said. 'Give him a little thanks and you might get a piece of what we all feel when we do something like this.' Because of Iglinski and his group of Freedom Riders, more than 100 local veterans now have wheels of their own. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
