Reflections on "Selma"

The movie "Selma" wrenched my soul when I saw the cruelty and hatred many whites in Alabama showed toward the black people who marched to gain voting rights in the early 1960's. Although the marchers practiced non-violence, the white officials either did nothing to protect them or directly opposed them with clubs, guns, and tail pipes. I was a young sister in my 20's at the time and although I heard about the marches, I was not really socially aware. I probably would have been reluctant to march even if our sisters had been encouraged to participate. I admire the sisters who did, but it seemed too dangerous and scary to me at the time. The courage of those marchers was inspiring and I hope black people and whites today appreciate their sacrifices. We still have problems like those in Ferguson and New York City, but we need to believe that non-violent protests work if we are united and unflinching in our efforts to demand justice for all. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the way. We need to make sure their example lives on.