Bombing MLK Day and the Fight Against Racism
Posted by Kathryn Henderson on Thu, Jan 20, 2011 @ 03:50 PM
Upon returning to work following the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, I received a link to the following headline “FBI: Bomb Found on MLK March Route.”
The article reports that a explosive device intended to send shrapnel into a crowd was found and detonated along the route of a planned MLK march in Spokane, Washington. Thankfully, the device was discovered and the march was able to proceed as scheduled. The article was a reminder for me of the importance of our mission of eliminating racism.
Several times that day, I mentioned the story to friends and colleagues. Overwhelmingly, the response was, “Now? This happened now?” Each person thought I was referring to a march during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
I can understand why. Racism has taken on new forms, some of them quieter and more insidious.The tactic used in Spokane underscores this: An individual or group anonymously placed the bomb instead of wearing their hate openly.
But whatever form racism takes, it does not diminish its impact or make it less painful or costly to individuals or our communities. The more individuals speak up and acknowledge racism’s continued damaging role, the harder it will be for hate to flourish. To learn more about YWCA Boston’s racial justice efforts, please visit our Community Dialogues and Stand Against Racism pages.
Kathryn Henderson is Programs Group Leader for YWCA Boston's interracial dialogues program.