“Keep Hope Alive”: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

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chicago, civil rights, Colonialism Han and the Tranformative Spirit, grace ji-sun kim, Keep Hope Alive, Privacy, Radio, rev. jesse jackson, Santita Jackson

This morning I was a guest on the radio show, “Keep Hope Alive” with Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. I was in the studio with Santita Jackson who is the producer of the show while Rev. Jackson was hosting the show from L.A.

This is a repost of Santita Jackson Fan Page Facebook post of today’s show.

This week, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties took center stage. The nation has been reeling with the news that VERIZON has turned over their—actually, YOUR—phone records to the NSA.

And, we were shaken to the core to know that nine of the leading internet service providers provided emails, photos, audio, video, documents and connection logs, from the central servers of the nine leading internet companies for the past six years to the NSA, as well.

DO WE HAVE ANY PRIVACY—ANY CIVIL LIBERTIES LEFT? But, as God would have it, these seismic events occurred as we commemorated two momentous, dark days in our country’s history—compelling us to examine our Civil Rights history, as well—the assassinations of Civil Rights Martyr Medgar Evers and Senator Robert Kennedy.

Today, we are especially honored to have Medgar Evers’s elder Brother, Former Fayette Mississippi Mayor Charles Evers—the first African American since Reconstruction to have been elected mayor of a Mississippi city.

Indeed, these anniversaries and revelations are not happening accidentally; they are happening Providentially, for the struggle continues for the seizing, securing and saving of our Civil Right and Civil Liberties…Truth be told, you cannot have one without the other.

President Johnson said that equality had to be more than a theory or right, equality had to become “a fact” with “equality as a result.” But, nearly 50 years later, where are we?

In Urban America, Black Male unemployment is at least 30%.

This morning, more than 50 million Americans are “food insecure”—and 17 million of them are children.

More 46 million Americans are in poverty—more than at any other time since the “War on Poverty” was launched. Women still make less money than men—White Women 77%—Black Women 69%—Hispanic Women 59%. The US Supreme Court is debating the legitimacy of the most crucial elements of the Voting Rights Act and Affirmative Action.

Real wages have not moved in more than 30 years… The minimum wage is $7.25; while Senator Elizabeth Warren asserts that it should be at least $22.

Our drug laws are draconian—to say the least… Blacks are 3.7 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession—although Whites and Blacks smoke marijuana at the same rate. Are we losing or gaining our Civil Rights and Liberties? If we are not mindful, we will lose ground…Dr. King put it this way: “Evil men plot, therefore good men must plan.”

Let’s talk with…

Rev. Dr. Grace Ji Sun Kim/Moravian Seminary/Author of “Colonialism, Han, and the Transformative Spirit”

Atty. Terry O’Neil/President of NOW.

Atty. Barbara Arnwine/Executive Director, LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE for CIVIL RIGHTS UNDER LAW

Dr. Ron Daniels/President, Institute of the Black World 21st Century.

Danny Schechter/Producer, Director, Author…Media Channel.org.

Please call us at 1.866.594.HOPE…1.866.594.4673… Or, visit us online at KEEP HOPE ALIVE RADIO.com.. National Conference: July 6-10, 2013/Chicago

[read also: Mother’s Day & Easter Morning]

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