By Michelle Lyons, Columnist
John Robert Lewis also known as “The Conscience of Congress” passed away the same weekend as Minister CT Vivian, another extraordinary civil rights leader, on what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 102nd birthday. In this politically charged year, John Lewis’s death felt like a martyr whose death passed the torch of the civil rights movement to the next generation. Who will be the next John Lewis? There will never be another John Lewis, but their will be thousands inspired to continue his legacy of GOOD TROUBLE.
I, myself, have been wondering, “Am I getting into enough Good Trouble”? John Lewis said, “If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you HAVE to speak up .You have to say something; you have to do something.” There is stuff all around us and all around this country that is not right. I speak up all the time about homelessness, children services, and education; in fact, I’m getting into politics so my voice can be louder. But, I must admit over the years I have learned that you have to be good crazy to get into good trouble. Because it is not easy bucking the system of oppression. In fact, Alexandria Ocasia Ortez said she was called crazy when she ran for office. But that’s just it people would much rather sit around and watch oppression than oppose it… until they are the victim or their child, and some people are so narcissist they won’t even buck the system for their children, but yet they will call you crazy for seeking justice. We live in a day and age that narcissism is at an all time high; it’s capitalism on steroids. How do we put love, respect and honor into a society where there are children sleeping on the streets. The problem with America is not the government, The problem with America is the fact that the government reflects our values. When we as a people start to care more about each other than money then our government will reflect that because we will demand it. I believe when we as a people have love, respect and honor at the top of our priority list then their will be no way systemic racism or any other inequality can exist. But when I see a mother, tell a 18 year old child she has to move out because that child doesn’t have rent money then I know we as a country have a long way to go because we as a people have along way to go. Reagan believed in trickle down theory, I believe in trickle up or better yet…. Let’s get into Good Trouble and ALL RISE TOGETHER!
