Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Talk Is Cheap, Be A Doer

Over the weekend many in our nation celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Many businesses in the private and the public sector closed for the day. The NBA had numerous games on yesterday and used the day as a platform to educate viewers on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I am a twitter fanatic and someone posted an interesting tweet loosely quoted, “don’t just remember Dr. King during this time, do something whatever it is you can do to keep his legacy alive.” A lot of times we forget to be doers. There are many people that talk and reflect about the injustices that happened to African Americans during and after slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, and now.


People assemble in round table discussions, town hall meetings, and even in simple gatherings in the privacy of homes and talk about what needs to be done. Talk, talk, talk, talk, all a lot of people do is talk.




  • The youth these days need direction


  • Music these days doesn’t talk about anything


  • So much is going on in our communities something needs to change;

and other things to that effect. Yes, it is great to talk about these things but action is necessary. I watched a documentary this weekend Crips and Bloods: Made In America. The documentary started back before the Watts riots. A gentleman on the documentary said that it was not a riot, but guerilla warfare, the youth was fed up with how things were in LA. Blacks weren’t allowed to go past certain streets, men/boys pulled over by the police for no reason, and countless other wrongs/injustices that were going on. So they came together and took action. Their weapons, they used the bricks from the dilipated buildings in their neighborhood, they felt that the stench alone would drive the National guard and police insane, their weapons was their own worn down raggedy neighborhood. Now they could’ve just talked amongst themselves about how bad things were but they didn’t. After they talked, they devised a strategy and took action. [Shortly thereafter the Black Panther party arose, then came Malcolm, Martin and other influential leaders. Once these leaders were jailed and or murdered, the Crips arose and then the Bloods formed as a rival gang.]

It is time for us to be doers. Many people say this isn’t the olden days we don’t march any more. It warmed my heart that a group of teachers and people in Chicago marched this weekend to protest the closing of a school in the Marquette area. They were marching against the injustice of the school system and their decision to turn the school over to a private company, fire all of the teachers and administrators and start anew instead of giving the current school the resources it needs to flourish and be successful.

So with the passing of Dr. King’s birthday and holiday, it is important for us to remember his legacy but to also carry it on. Volunteer, mentor, give back (money, resources, time, services), stand for a cause, join the occupy movement (if you agree with it) do whatever you can but whatever you do, don’t be a talker be a doer, do something!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials
http://epiphanyessentials.blogspot.com

No comments:

Post a Comment