The time has come for us to ‘be the change’

Dear Editor:

As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

We are here, as former President Barack Obama has voiced, “because the uncertainty and hardships of the pandemic have been compounded by tragic reminders that prejudice and inequality still shape so much of American life”.

In going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained and effective action. Then this moment in history can be a pivotal point in our nation’s struggle to achieve our highest ideals.

As Mark Twain said, “The very ink with which all history is written is merely fluid prejudice.”

It’s only been through protests and civil disobedience that any government has paid attention to marginalized communities. Because of the recent sacrifice of young lives, the world is paying attention today.

Also Obama: “If we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between politics and protest. We have to do both”.

And in the words of U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado: “The power of the vote is often maximized when it can tap into the energy that protesters make visible.” (Washington Post, June 2, 2020)

In any given moment, we are faced with two choices: to step forward into growth or backward into safety. Growth and comfort do not coexist.

Gandhi begged us to “be the change you wish to see in the world.”

This is your chance to do just that.

Claudia Andreassen Malden on Hudson