Jul31

get in the way.

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The Bloodiest Sunday 

Bloody Sunday was a cruel incident that occurred on March 7, 1965  in Selma, Alabama. Six hundred orderly protesters were ready to march to Selma on a Sunday to support the Voting Rights Movement. They were led by John Lewis, SNCC, and SCLC activists. All six hundred of them crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, but were blocked by Alabama State Troopers. The police commanded them to turn around, but the protesters refused. The police say ‘they had no choice’ other than to start shooting teargas into the crowd, and beating the non-violent protesters. Sadly, they hospitalized over sixty people. To this day, Lewis still has a visible scar on his forehead from Bloody Sunday. This week, I watched as you made one final trip over that bridge, in your casket, with Alabama State Troopers saluting you, and people holding you in their hearts for all you did for them. You will always be remembered as a brave and compassionate leader who truly led by example.

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RIP, John Lewis, thank you for always getting in the way, and showing us how it’s done.

 

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“you must be bold, brave, and courageous and find a way… to get in the way.”

-john lewis

60 responses »

      • all the better….. it couldn’t have been better than having Obama giving an eulogy! 🙂 What an amazing man John Lewis was. I feel good even only have learned about him so recently; a true leader and a man living as per his convictions and beliefs.

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  6. Thanks for reminding me of the incident and Lewis’ role. It’s important that we never forget, so this is something we all need to be doing. Reminding others of what’s gone before.

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  10. Pingback: get in the way. — I didn’t have my glasses on…. | Rethinking Life

  16. I now watched and listened to Obama’s eulogy and John Lewis last words – the mind boggles – so much content, so much to live by….. I hope that there IS enough hope and faith and perseverance to have a better world coming as of Nov. 2020.

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  24. Thank you, Beth, for lifting us up to the high bar of John Lewis (RIP). One edit: “to march to Selma” is a slip. “to march from Selma to Montgomery” but it makes no difference. The sentiment is the same! We saw two dimensions of our humanity yesterday — a congregational celebration of the Superego in in Atlanta, and the power of the Id in Washington, D.C.

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