We feared that the sacredness of Bloody Sunday would be forever diminished. The looming threat was a second march in Selma on Saturday, March 7th and another march in Montgomery on Sunday, March 8th. These marches would have adversely impacted the sacred Bloody Sunday March and all of the Bloody Sunday events in many minds. But Bloody Sunday has triumphed.
We feared that the sacredness of Bloody Sunday would be forever diminished. If the march on Saturday in Selma and the march in Montgomery on Sunday succeeded, then they would likely continue next year and thereafter in spite of the 40-plus years of commemorating Bloody Sunday on Sunday. In many minds, it would have diminished the sacredness of Bloody Sunday. However, Bloody Sunday has triumphed.
The sacredness of Bloody Sunday is powerful. It will live on no matter what. However, marches on Saturday with big-name personalities would have diminished the importance of Bloody Sunday in many minds. Marches in Montgomery on Sunday with big-name personalities would have diminished the importance of Bloody Sunday in many minds. We cannot diminish that which is sacred, but we can diminish the perception of its importance in many minds. I am thankful that a group of ten organizations, institutions and/or other entities came together and forged a unified position. In that coming together, the sacredness of Bloody Sunday triumphed.
The coming together also strengthened efforts to protect and expand voting rights. We can see the attacks moving from every direction, resulting in deep erosion of voting rights. The evidence is in the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Shelby County v. Holder, which gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The evidence is in the numerous state laws requiring photo ID to vote (modern day poll tax) or proof of citizenship to register (modern day literacy test). The evidence is in the legislative redistricting in Alabama and throughout the country that relegate the voting power of African Americans to majority Black districts. The evidence is in the dramatic reduction of the power of African Americans in legislatures across the South. The evidence is in the numerous other strategies and tactics being deployed across the country. Bloody Sunday has triumphed.
Bloody Sunday was a low point on Sunday, March 7, 1965. However, it rose from that low point to a high, high point with the Selma-to-Montgomery March and the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. What appeared to be a great defeat became a great victory. Bloody Sunday triumphed in 1965.
I am so thankful that these entities came together so that we have just one Bloody Sunday March. The long-term results would have been a less effective struggle to fully restore the Voting Rights Act. The long-term results would have reduced efforts to counter strategies and tactics that suppress and deny voting rights. I am thankful they came together to forge one Bloody Sunday March, just as we have had for 40-plus years. Bloody Sunday has triumphed again in 2015.
The sponsors of the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, which encompasses Bloody Sunday, came together with others who participate in the Jubilee and hammered out a unified position and a unified statement. Like many agreements forged between a multitude of interested parties, it is not perfect. However, the bottom line is the sacredness of Bloody Sunday. The bottom line is the opportunity to work effectively to fully restore the Voting Rights Act. Bloody Sunday has triumphed again.
I did not participate in a single one of the meetings considering a compromise. I stayed clear so I could fight effectively. I was in my warrior mode. I did have a bottom line: The sacredness of Bloody Sunday. However, I respect and support the efforts of those who came together across strong differences. If that many entities can come together on a unified position and a unified statement, we must respect and support both the efforts and the end product. As long as the sacredness of Bloody Sunday is preserved, I am alright. Bloody Sunday has triumphed again.
The Bridge Crossing Jubilee and related activities involve approximately 50 events. The Bloody Sunday March is just one. However, the beating heart of this and every commemoration is the Bloody Sunday March. It pumps the lifeblood to all the other events and efforts to commemorate years of struggle. It also pumps lifeblood to efforts to restore and expand voting rights. It is critical that the sacredness of Bloody Sunday is preserved. I am thankful that we will have just one Bloody Sunday March. The sacredness of Bloody Sunday is preserved. Bloody Sunday has triumphed again.
EPILOGUE – Sometimes we forget how important something is until it is being taken away or diminished in some way. This is true even of sacred things. So many said to me, “You are right. Bloody Sunday is sacred. We must protect it.”
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