On Monday we paused for a federal holiday to honor a man of faith and dignity; one who dared to dream of a more perfect union and worked to make it so. He galvanized people to demand that our forbearer’s promise of equality would be fulfilled. He summoned courage and awakened hope.
He did this in nonviolent ways.
For his efforts he was beaten, imprisoned and killed.
Now nearly sixty years later we must still defend the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the people who rallied with him. We must still attempt to be a beacon of light in a society marred by division and hate. We must ensure, as he did, that the truth of our history, of slave owners, and attempted indigenous genocide be taught. We must fight to preserve the right to vote so that we can ensure that those who lead us are people of justice and goodwill.
It may be too late to help older people afflicted by the ills of racism, it may be too late to help them untangle the web of religious zealotry and power grabbing that seeks to dominate us. But it’s not too late to teach our children the truth. It’s not too late to ensure this great country lives up to its greatness.
Nineteen states have passed restrictive voting laws. Wisconsin is poised to continue with gerrymandering that allows for the dominance of a government with little regard for the needs of the people or the health of our land. But there is still time to get it right.
It is never too late to strive for the clarity to be human and for the decency to be kind. And the time is right to demand that from government. The blueprint was given to us. Let’s use it.
Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice‘s zoom call Fair Maps with Frontline Leaders.
WDRT’s Conversation with Mary Kay Baum on activism and fair maps.
let kindness win 
Senate voted down voting act. We are going backwards. Nice to hear there’s still hope , but where???
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Hey Joan, you know I live in Wisconsin. The land that set new records for how backwards it could go in the shortest time. We were the incubator for the ugly politics that has arrived…but I can tell you there is hope and it is coming from indigenous leaders, Black and LatinX leaders, young people and old who are saying, “Enough is enough”.They are our tribe, Joan. I live in rural white confederate flag, anti-CRT land. I refuse to surrender my humanity. And I work hard to establish my ties and my allegiance with human beings. It is why I write. It is why I will be standing with people today in La Crosse as people are standing all over Wisconsin to demand the gerrymandering ends. You want hope? it is so very alive here in Wisconsin, the embers are stirring. The ones that were never extinguished are flaming. Thank you for reading my piece. If you could take a bit more time, listen to the panel of frontline leaders, listen to my conversation with Mary Kay Baum. They are linked at the end of the piece.I will connect you on FB, too. Hope is coming from the places and the people who have held on through the worst of it and have not forgotten their humanity. I am proud to be among them. I am proud to have you, my keen friend and lover of life on the team. We have always been on the right team, Joan. In the words of Studs Terkel, “Hope Dies Last.”. Best, Dena
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