50th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’

Alabama Police Attacking Protestors, March 7, 1965

Today is the 50th anniversary of an event known as ‘Bloody Sunday’:

March 7, 2015

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the “Bloody Sunday” assault in Alabama, where on March 7, 1965, police violently assaulted hundreds of demonstrators attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery to protest the fatal police shooting of 26-year-old Jimmie Lee Jackson.

Hurling clubs and tear-gas cannisters, state and local police viciously attacked more than 500 people that day. Images and footage capturing the violence shocked the nation and left an indelible mark on the civil rights movement. The march forced a new level of public awareness of the struggles shouldered by civil rights activists and African Americans, and is credited for helping pave the way for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. …

President Obama and many other dignitaries are scheduled to visit Selma this weekend to commemorate the anniversary. http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2015/03/today-50th-anniversary-selma

March 7, 2015

Fifty years ago it would have been hard to believe, if not impossible to imagine, that an African American would someday be the U.S. president, as civil rights workers seeking full rights for the country’s black citizens were routinely beaten.

Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura are set to attend the commemorative events in Selma. …

Obama’s election led many Americans to believe the country had slipped into a post-racial age where race no longer matter. However, the Selma celebrations come after the announcement this past week by the U.S. Justice Department that the police department in Ferguson, Missouri routinely has violated the constitutional rights of its black citizens by using excessive force against them and often making arrests without probable cause. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-first-family-marks-civil-rights-milestones/2671280.html

Many things have improved in the USA, but racial prejudice still exists.

That being said, I do not believe that that this is all one-sided. When I was younger I had roommates who were African-American, Asian, and Hispanic. I have heard first hand a variety of racially-biased statements from ‘persons of color.’ I also have heard politicians, both Republican and Democratic ones, play ‘the race card’ in different ways and at different times: this includes the current USA president as well as some Republican presidential hopefuls.

While ‘people of color’ now face less blatant discrimination than they did 50 years ago, most still are aware of more subtle discrimination. Sadly, however, in an effort to deal with this, certain laws and regulations have had the effect of discriminating against those not considered to be ‘persons of color.’

As far as the Selma protests go, the Los Angeles Times has the following op-ed piece:

Could a Selma-like protest happen today? Probably not

March 7, 2015

Could a march like Selma happen today?

The 52-mile march down U.S. Highway 80 on March 21-25 required more than determination; it required a court order. After Alabama State Troopers and local sheriff’s deputies attacked the 600 people crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge on “Bloody Sunday,” March 7, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference went to federal court on Monday. They asked for an immediate injunction ordering Alabama’s state officials to permit the march to proceed. They didn’t get it, but U.S. District Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. scheduled a hearing for later that week. In the meantime, he ordered the SCLC not to march from Selma to Montgomery. King was under tremendous pressure to proceed, even if doing so might land him in contempt of court. In the end, King respected the court’s order and so on Tuesday marchers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge — but then returned to Selma.

After a four-day hearing, in a groundbreaking ruling Johnson held that the march could proceed. The protest march on Bloody Sunday, he wrote, represented the exercise of the rights of assembly, petition and speech. “It seems basic to our constitutional principles that the extent of the right to assemble, demonstrate, and march peaceably along the highways and streets in an orderly manner should be commensurate with the enormity of the wrongs that are being protested and petitioned against,” he reasoned. “This is particularly true when the usual, basic and constitutionally-provided means of protesting in our American way — voting — have been deprived.”

The ruling opened the way for hundreds to march down U.S. 80, culminating with a 25,000-person protest in front of the Alabama State Capitol. Speaking there, King famously asked, “How long?” and answered “Not long. Because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” Selma still represents the pinnacle of the use of peaceful protests to secure civil rights and reform the government.

Today, it would be impossible to obtain a federal court order permitting a five-day protest march on a 52-mile stretch of a major U.S. highway. Under contemporary legal doctrine, the Selma protests would have ended March 8, 1965.

The shift happened over time. …

One need look no further than Ferguson, Mo., to see how far we have curtailed the use of public property for “petition by protest” since Selma.

The protests following the shooting of Michael Brown were initially peaceful, but faced heavy-handed police tactics, including tear gas, rubber bullets, Tasers, flash grenades and snipers. Moreover, local officials imposed a requirement that the protests be “respectful” and police implemented a “five second rule” that protesters keep moving and not congregate.

A federal district court ultimately intervened, finding that local and state officials had violated the 1st Amendment — but not until many weeks after the violations had taken place. And even then most other protest restrictions and police tactics were allowed to stand. http://www.latimes.com/newsletters/topofthetimes/la-oe-0308-krotoszynski-selma-march-protest-doctrine-20150308-story.html#page=1

While some racial and other matters have improved in the USA, not all matters have. Over time, those in the USA have not only lost certain rights of protest, but also rights to speech, religion, privacy, unwarranted search and detention, and a whole host of other rights.

It should be pointed out that some who believe that they are Christian have problems with racial issues. Yet, the Bible is clear that salvation is not race dependent and that God plans to save people of all races:

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:9-11)

11 For there is no partiality with God. (Romans 2:11)

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. (Romans 2:28-29)

9…I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)

9…You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9-10)

We are to love our neighbors, and that includes those of different races.

It is not just enough to not overtly call people of other races derogatory names. Notice something from Luke’s Gospel:

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

27 So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.'”

28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)

The Samaritans were essentially a people of mixed ethnicity. Back in Jesus’ time, it was reported by Luke that the “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (John 4:9). The Jews tended to considered the Samaritans as inferior. Yet, Jesus taught that the love a Samaritan showed should be an example to those who tended to despise Samaritans. Jesus taught more than not discriminating against those of other ethnic groups, He taught to love them–even if they are considered to be enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Related to love and race, here is something from the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God:

LOVE AND SALVATION FOR ALL RACES AND PEOPLES

Racial hatred is wrong. While there can be racial differences, the Bible does not teach that one race is superior in His eyes to any other. The Bible commands all humankind to love their neighbors as themselves (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39; Acts 17:24-29). Jesus came to bring joy to all peoples (Luke 2:10). The Bible shows that salvation is now freely offered to both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 10:34-35; Romans 10:12-13; cf. Joel 2:32) and that God intends to save people “of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues” (Revelation 7:9). Christian love should be shown to people of all ethnicities (Romans 13:10; Luke 10:30-37). “Our God is the God of salvation” (Psalm 68:20) “And all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6).

God has a plan so that all can be saved, irrespective of race. God is NOT a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, KJV).

While all should understand this in this age, it will be understood in the age to come. We all should pray for God’s kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does?
Can those in the USA/UK see the Handwriting on the Wall? Is everything fine in the USA/UK or is it like the days of Noah? Can we learn from the handwriting that appeared on a wall thousands of years ago? Here is a link to a related YouTube video Can you see the ‘Handwriting on the Wall’?
The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA Can what happened with the leaks of what the NSA has done help the USA to be taken over? What does the Bible teach that seems to be related to this? Here is a related YouTube video titled Are the Snowden NSA leaks leading to the destruction of the USA?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? A related sermon is titled The Millennium.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2022 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?