..When we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr
Washington DC, August 28 1963 [1]
What were you doing on New Years eve?
Perhaps you were spending time with family and friends, reflecting on the year past, and making plans and resolutions for the one ahead, or letting your hair down and indulging a bit too much.
Meanwhile, President Obama – who had promised to shut down Guantanamo Bay [2] – instead signed the National Defense Authorization Act – the law which now makes it possible to indefinitely detain suspected terrorists without trial, under the usual spin of national security.
But unless you’ve really not been paying attention, you know that anyone bold enough to critise or revolt against America’s corporate and military interests is quickly labeled a terrorist.
Case in point, there are already documented instances of the Occupy movement being labeled as terrorists by America and its allies [3]. Not forgetting the violent crackdown by police all over the world against people peacefully protesting against corruption and inequality. Terrorists?
People protesting against crimes against humanity. Against those profiteering from war, inflicting pain and misery onto billions of people. Terrorists?
People protesting against the plundering of the earth’s resources and the irreversible effects of carbon emissions spiraling out of control. Terrorists?
People standing up against US/Europe-backed brutal dictatorial regimes all over the world… and in the case of Palestine, nothing less than apartheid. Terrorists?
We are not terrorists. We have a dream, where people and the environment come before profit. Where our brothers and sisters all over the world unite as one, demanding peace and equality.
The great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. His strength, courage and charisma inspired a nation, and the world, to demand change. His efforts succeeded, he but paid the ultimate price.
The passing of the NDAA is a blow to the vision that MLK, and all the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement worked so hard to achieve, so that we may have the freedom to live without oppression, irrespective of our beliefs or background.
[1] Transcript of the “I Have a Dream” speech
[2] Obama and Guantanamo: A chronology of his broken promise
[3] Occupy London and Occupy Wall Street on the Terror List
Leïla la Très Sage 