In 2007 I was asked by a Board Member of Metro DC PFLAG to speak to his temple for their Martin Luther King Day celebration. The following is an abridged version of that speech.
I thought I would begin today by sharing my earliest recollections of Dr. King’s vision as it pertains to my upbringing. My father, Linwood Corbett, Sr. was a Civil Rights activist in my hometown of Richmond, VA. He became a follower of Dr. King, before I was born in 1966. And although he never actually marched with Dr. King, he led marches and protests in Richmond. He was known as a ‘street preacher’ because he worked for Greyhound Bus Lines and after work and on his days off he would preach on the downtown streets. Before I was old enough to comprehend the magnitude of who Dr. King was my father began teaching me and my three siblings his vision for African Americans and his children. And although I have no recollection of the shroud of sadness that covered my father and many other Americans after his assassination, my father continued to impress upon us that all people deserved to be treated with fairness and respect and that he wanted that same equality for each of us.
I spent a lot of time watching my father read books about Dr. King and playing records of his speeches. He told me that while at that point in my life I was a little black girl, who may be treated unfairly because of the color of my skin, eventually Dr. King’s dream would be realized and I would have the same opportunities as little white children. My father also told me that education was the key to bettering myself, and with knowledge I would attain freedom. I was taught that freedom begins in the mind and no laws would ever be able to stop the process of thoughts and dreams. Thus, my father worked two jobs, as a baggage handler for Greyhound and as a janitor at Virginia Union University earning his bachelors degree and subsequently put my mom through college and sent all four of his children to college by scrubbing floors. He labored to fulfill his dream of his entire family being educated. My father also told me something that I have taken everywhere I go, always remember that it is my duty to strengthen my community and to give back by uplifting someone else. I tell you this story because my father was my Martin Luther King. And once I became an adult, I began to understand my father’s position on civil rights and his belief in giving back to the community. It is my father's and Dr. King's concept of community that I bring to you today.
Although I have a southern Baptist upbringing, I consider myself to be a member of the universal faith community. Dr. King once said, “All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.” In other words, we are all connected. And although I am by no means a theologian, prior to my relocating to Maryland, I was on the path to becoming a minister. Thus, I studied the teachings of many religious leaders and scholars. What I discovered on my spiritual journey is that religion divides us, but spirituality binds us. I say this because on Sundays millions of people who work with persons who have myriad differences enter separate houses of worship. But once inside, it is the human spirit that courses through us that seeks affirmation, love and acceptance regardless of what religion we practice. Dr. King challenged the religious establishment by simply bringing to their attention that while we may all practice different faiths, the separation of people based on physical differences was contrary to the very teachings that emanated from their pulpits. Many religious leaders embraced his assertions, but there were still many who continued their discriminatory practices, often in the name of God.
During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King established many relationships with religious leaders, scholars and philosophers crucial to our communities. As you know, Dr. Abraham Heschel was among the many religious leaders who subscribed to Dr. Kings beliefs and became a prominent supporter of Dr. King’s vision. Until about a year ago, I had never heard of Dr. Heschel. A friend of mine from Somalia, who was aware of my spiritual journey, loaned me a book entitled, ‘I Asked for Wonder; A Spiritual Anthology, Abraham Joshua Heschel”. I became fascinated with Dr. Heschel and often mediated on many of his words and utilized them in my classroom. Dr. Heschel once said, ‘To Be is to stand for”. And all that I read about Dr. Heschel and his writings leads me to believe that his heart was pricked when Dr. King raised the issues of the injustices against African Americans. He recognized the symmetry to his own spiritual walk to Dr. King’s and knew that by supporting him, he was taking a stand. I would like to point out that my receiving this book was also divinely ordered because two years ago I wouldn’t have dreamed that I would be standing before you today. I do believe that Dr. Heschel’s book was given to me because this occasion would arise and I would be asked who I am and how I demonstrate what I stand for.
As an African American, a woman, a mother, and a lesbian I have experienced many forms of painful discrimination. In fact, there are too many to recount to you today. But it is this very adversity coupled with my father’s lessons and those of Dr. King that have advanced my interest in the human rights. Although I never wanted to become a teacher, I was guided, I believe divinely, to enter this field. It wasn’t until after my first year teaching that I recalled my father’s mantra about giving back to my community. Therefore, when I encountered students who were hostile and aggressive toward other students because of their skin color, religious beliefs, economic status, or sexual orientation, I had to take a stand. Not because I identify as a gay woman, but because I experienced discrimination and was the victim of this same cruelty as a high school student. Therefore, in my classroom, I developed a zero tolerance when it came to bullying and harassment. To quote Dr. Heschel,
Everything depends on the person who stands in front of the classroom. To guide the pupil to the promised land, he must have been there himself. When asking himself: Do I stand for what I teach? Do I believe what I say? He must be able to answer in the affirmative.
I believe that all people should be able to live their lives free from discrimination, harassment and fear. Just as Dr. King says, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” I now look upon my father, Dr. King and Dr. Heschel as persons who challenged me spiritually and otherwise to take a stand even when it has been inconvenient and uncomfortable. I taught 9, 10th and 11th grade English and every year I would teach my students the significance of Dr. King’s “The Letter from Birmingham Jail”. This happens to be one of my favorite literary selections because of the message and the intellectual acumen of Dr. King. My students and I studied and interpreted the quotation, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” I feel my experience as an educator was an excellent segue for me to progress and work effectively in my position at Metro DC PFLAG as the Safe Schools Coordinator. I answer calls and concerns about bullying and harassment as it relates to LGBTQ youth, conduct diversity trainings and support groups for these young people in two schools. What I find particularly disturbing is that I graduated from high school 24 years ago and this cruelty continues.
One day in my office I found myself in a reflective mood and I began to examine just how far we have evolved since the civil rights laws were enacted. I must tell you I had also been reading of the numerous incidents of violence against gay people all over the world because of their sexual orientation. While at the same time I conduct diversity groups with teenagers who are victims of bullying and harassment. Somehow my mind reflected on a day when I drove pass a playground of elementary school children. There were children of all ethnicities running around. And based on research we now know that at least one of every 10 children is gay. This means that at some point, he/she will be the victim of some form of harassment and he/she will also be more likely to commit suicide. Bullying can have negative lifelong consequences for some of these young children — both for the bully and for their victims. But it is important to point out that children don’t come into this world hating others, it is learned behavior. They are emulating adults.
So as I was preparing for today, I began to ask myself what Dr. King’s response might be to these threatening behaviors and homophobia. I began to research whether Dr. King had addressed such an issue. It turns out that while he never addressed it publicly, he had been challenged to respond when he was asked to release the publicly ‘out’ Bayard Rustin, one of his most reliable and effective organizers during the Civil Rights movement. Rustin actually organized the March on Washington among other events and was very instrumental in the founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. But Dr. King was asked to remove Rustin because he was openly gay and would perhaps threaten the civil rights movement. After much great consternation he did so, only to ask him to return. According to Rustin, Dr. King was not comfortable with releasing him and expressed it to him personally.
Although there is debate even within in the King family about what Dr. King’s position would be on diversity, Coretta Scott King was very vocal as to what she believed would be her husband’s response based on her relationship with him and her interpretations of his teachings. The late Mrs. King believed that Dr. King would support no form of discrimination and once said, “Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.” Dr. King himself said,
Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true.
We cannot continue to allow the ugliness of hate to permeate our existence and poison the minds of our youth. We as parents model the behaviors and expectations we have for our children. We can teach our children that hate is not acceptable, and that while we may have differences, we share many similarities including the need to be loved and accepted for who we are. This means we are to do more than tolerate someone, but truly accept them. And if we teach our children acceptance, then they will grow up to become adults who accepting. This may take time, but it is possible.
In this the year of 2007, I would like to pose a challenge to each of you. One that I believe my father, Dr. King and Dr. Heschel would approve. Take some time to imagine a world where all children feel loved and affirmed. Ask yourself what does that world look like to you? How can you help to cultivate a community that supports unconditional love for all people? Imagine a climate of love instead of hate. Take a true stand to embrace baring each others burdens. Commit yourself to understanding a person of another color, religion or sexual orientation and in doing so know that the marches that my father, Dr. King and Dr. Heschel participated in are the footprints that have been left for us to follow. It is also my personal hope that we continue to hold up the mirror of acceptance to the face of society until one day the ugly face of discrimination of any kind is no longer the reflection. The reward for the stand you take today to will create a better future for our children and our community. Thank you, Temple Emanuel for having me here today. Shalom.
No comments:
Post a Comment