Today we pack our belongings – enough to last for three days. Not so much meager as essential. Take only what you need. Underwear, shirts, a pair of jeans, portable phone charger, black sharpie, metro pass, ID, gas money.
In the morning we load up the car. We will wipe the sleep from our eyes and suck down coffee as we face early traffic. It will be a long drive. And we will laugh and sing, pray and cry. Mostly we will feel both our connections and our shared fears.
I am not afraid of dying so much. And perhaps I am being over-dramatic but a friend called this morning and asked if I were sure I wanted to go. There could be violence, he warned. And this, too, is new for a seasoned marcher like me. This march may be more like Montgomery and Selma than the peaceful marches for women’s rights, against the war, for civil rights, for gay rights that I have been a part of… this might be different.
I am not so much afraid of dying but it doesn’t mean I do not want to live. The Way in which I follow, the one whose life is my roadmap lets me know there are things worse than dying. Not standing for the disenfranchised, whether or not I am one of that number, is worse than keeping ‘safe’. And what is ‘keeping safe’ any way if I abandon my core principles.
My dad was a soldier. He put his life on the line many days for many years. He, too, taught me that it is important to live in service to something greater than yourself. And he taught me that being brave and being afraid are intricately entwined. He even went so far as to tell me that if I wasn’t afraid then I would not proceed with caution and that was just plain stupid.
No matter the outcome of this testament to the values we hold sacred, the standing together matters. I will stand with you, my friends, and I will stand for you.
There is a song from my younger days that the Staple Singers sang. It keeps running through my head and it is important for our time as well. I’ve posted the lyrics here. It is my invitation to the nation: come go with me. Go to Washington. Go to your local march. We cannot wait to stand and be counted.
If you’re ready come go with me
No hatred
Will be tolerated
Peace love all between the races
Love is the only transportation
To where there’s communications
If you’re ready come go with me
The boat is after
The ever here to there
No wars will ever be declared
No economical exploitation
No political domination
Take your evil
Come go with me
Genocide
Get ready
Troublemaker
You better get ready now
Liars
I’m waiting on ya
Songwriters
BANKS, HOMER / HAMPTON, CARL MITCHELL / JACKSON, RAYMOND E.