Why We Can Not Wait!
by the Beloved Communities Network
Feb. 1, 2010
[We have chosen to act today because of the deep, shameful and enduring magnitude of injustices in our city. We act because of a long pattern of denial; we act to expose this pattern of injustices layered over and camouflaged by surface civilities and sophisticated public relations campaigns. In the final analysis, we act because we love our city and we love our brothers and sisters, especially those being mistreated, bruised, battered and criminalized.
Read these documents to understand, Why We Can't Wait!]
We want to express our unequivocal support for this International Civil Rights Museum. We convey our fullest gratitude, respect and support to the four courageous pioneers who are being honored, their families and friends, as well as the hundreds of others who joined with them. Over the years, we have given our dimes and dollars to support the Museum. We preached in our churches the value of laying stones so "when your children ask what do these stones mean? Then you shall let your children know" that 301 North Elm Street, in Greensboro, North Carolina is the place where God caused courage, hope, integrity and faith to converge in order to bend the moral arc of the nation. The four freshmen experienced the bitter whip of raw racism and oppression. They were reared within loving communities, while being nurtured and supported by great institutions, including North Carolina A&T State University and their respective churches. The embrace and encouragement of a people, even an oppressed people, empowered them to endure with dignity the abuses and violence of the dominant culture of this city and nation. Fifty years ago, breaking the law and customs by sitting at the lunch counter was not popular and was not warmly received by the leaders of this city. Although under different circumstances, we seek to stand in the best tradition of the Sit-Ins of the 1960’s as we stand for the dignity, worth, and fair and humane treatment of all of God’s children, especially the least among us. Today our support of the spirit of Sit-Ins takes the form of not allowing this historic moment and this magnificent monument to courage, hope, and faith to be misused in an effort to disguise the enduring patterns of injustice and denial, thereby strengthening the injustices meted out upon the very oppressed and poor communities where the spirit of the Sit-Ins was nurtured and for whom the Sit-In Movement has symbolized so much hope. We pray that you will understand. Read more about Why we Can't Wait!










