Winning Words 1/17/11
“If the Creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant for us to stick it out.” (Arthur Koestler) As I was looking for an appropriate quote to use on MLK, Jr Day, this one seemed just right. I remember the time, if not the day, when I first became aware of his “crusade.” In the beginning, not many were willing to march as he marched and to risk, as he risked. But God had a plan. ;-) Jack

FROM PRJS IN MICHIGAN: History will tell us that the Civil Rights movement began in the 40s and with the reaction to WW II and the economic recovery. It advanced signigicantly in the 50s. I was the first chair of the Civil Rts. Commission at Augustana in the late 50s. My high school was integrated in the 50s and the grade schools shortly thereafter (later 50s). We had a significant number of blacks. The movement reached a crescendo in the 60s and was killed by the liberals in the Vietnam protest movement. All the effort went to the protest. King was a tremendous preacher and leader. He was also a moderate in terms of the way he worked. So many of the present leaders could learn from him if they would only look at him as he really was and not as they would like to see him. FROM JACK: You are one who was willing to "stick out his neck" and to practice what you preached. BTW, you forgot to mention how you were involved in integrating a Swedish church.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: He was a blessing to the USA, but not the man that Booker T. was. FROM JACK:
We are who we are, serving God in the place and time where God has put us. In Sunday School we would sing: " Jesus bids us shine with a clear, pure light, Like a little candle burning in the night;
In this world of darkness, we must shine, You in your small corner, and I in mine."
It's that way for you and me.....&..... for martin and Booker T.

FROM MOLINER CF: Here are a few things a neck is good for. Can you add to the list?
1. A necktie 2. Turning the other cheek 3. Wringing 4. Holding up head 5. Hanging
6. Displaying Adam's Apple (men) 7. 8. 9. 10.
FROM JACK: Sometimes certain people can be "a pain in the neck."

FROM JFISH IN NOVA SCOTIA: Some Buddhist friends of ours here organized some local support for a school for Burmese refugees—-- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcAzGjwLtUk
I was particularly struck by the unattributed quote: “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” FROM JACK: I think that my mind makes this story and quote fit with today's WWs. I particularly appreciated looking at the uTube link which showed the school in action.

FROM MOLINER JT: And he's working hard to repair mine. FROM JACK: Miracles do happen.

FROM MO IN ILLINOIS: Bill, Jan, Hal and I marched with MLK in Chicago., It was ugly! Jan and Hal were serving a South side Lutheran church at the time. We were living in Dixon, IL. We all had the upmost admiration and respect for what he was trying to do! In Elgin, where we served a church of over 1500 members, Bill circulated a petition in the church, for those who would sell, or allow a neighbor to sell their home to a Black family. He was devastated that there were less than a dozen signers. Among the affluent, the Civil rights movement definitely was an uphill battle! However we HAVE come a long way from those times. Like the turtle, one must stick out his neck to go anywhere. :-) FROM JACK: There are still turtles out there. Our community MLK "WALK" had it's 17th anniversary yesterday. I have many. many friends of color. I asked one of my confirmation classes to draw a picture of God. One boy drew a circle face and divided it into four segments. Each segment had a color...red, black, yellow, white.