Friday, January 18, 2013

Thinking About Plainfield and MLK: Conscience and Courage

This is a re-posting from "Confessions of a Bathrobe Blogger" back in January of 2010, before I decided to run for City Council. I made a couple of edits to it, but the sentiments remain the same. I hope to see many of you at the 5th Annual Potluck Celebration of Dr. King's birthday, at the home of Councilman Adrian Mapp and his wife, Amelia--tomorrow, Sat, January 19 at 7:00 pm--at 535 West 8th Street. Bring non-perishables for donation to Shiloh Baptist Church's Food Pantry, and bring a dish to share.

Poor People’s Campaign of 1968-the Mule Train from Marks, Mississippi.

Over the past few days, I have been thinking about some words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They were in a speech he gave less than two months before his assassination. He was speaking about leadership in the context of the Vietnam War, but I think his words are appropriate ones for our elected officials (mayor and city council) to reflect upon as we head into 2013.

I hope that anyone reading these words will challenge our mayor and all of our council representatives to move forward into the "invincible future" (borrowing the words of Oswald Chambers) by truly putting Plainfield (as opposed to self-interest and political expediency) first.

Dr. King:

On some positions cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.

Click below for the link to the whole speech:


All best for 2013,

Rebecca
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1 comment:

  1. RobJanuary 19, 2013 at 5:34 AM

    I would never dare attempt to wrap my mind around what MLK would say about Plainfield and the local political structure.. I would guess appalled would be a polite word.
    The President ( who so many local Democrats like to proudly use as an example of how far this country has come )... I believe he would openly use the words, disgusting, ashamed, reprehensible and astonishing at lack of "for the people" the City of Plainfield and the local political structure.. BOTH FACTIONS... represent.

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