#semperlove - Monday, August 26: The Transformation Bonnie and I had a movie date last week; we saw "The Butler." During the next two hours, we were invited to walk not only in the shoes of this courageous man who served for 34 years in the White House under eight US presidents, but also those of his sons and millions of other black Americans who lived during the volatile days of civil rights. Through this film, I found myself on a Freedom Riders bus headed into the midst of the KKK, escaped the fury of a deadly Molotov cocktail, marched in Alabama and Mississippi, sat at a lunch counter in Nashville, TN, got knocked down by high pressure fire hoses, and attacked by club-wielding mobs and German Shepherds. I was spit upon, ridiculed, and forced to drink from separate water fountains, use separate restrooms, and eat only in places where black people were allowed. I was not paid an equal salary, not was I able to be promoted to a leadership role, even though I was qualified. I was not even allowed to attend the school near my home. This movie, a fictionalized account loosely based on the life of Eugene Allen, drew me in and baptized me. I came up out of the water alive, and grateful that Bonnie and I have dedicated our lives to making a difference. For a brief time in that dark theater, though, I made the transformation to being black, scared, angry, and hating the white people who felt prejudice toward me simply because of the color of my skin. This week our nation is recalling the moment in our history - 50 years ago - when Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke so eloquently to the multitudes in Washington, DC. Most of us have heard at least part of his "I Have a Dream" speech/sermon. It was one of the most powerful statements ever made on behalf of civil rights; when hearing it we come to understand the power of words and especially the extraordinary courage of ordinary people. Most churches today welcome people from all walks of life and all colors. How grateful I am to be involved in this powerful movement, so that one day we will be able to see God in each other and welcome one another as brothers and sisters. We can never reach our full potential as a great nation whose light shines for all until we do. Blessings and peace, De Hillyer, battalion chaplain, Semper Fidelis Health & Wellness
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 21:25:35 +0000
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