VOICE OF THE TURTLE Online

Editorial Comment:
Civil Rights, Past and Present

by Chris Boisvert

Rosa Parks who in 1955 was a catalyst in the civil rights movement died this week at the age of 92. Parks who refused to give up her seat to a black man on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, was jailed for her action. Her arrest led to a 381 day boycott of the bus system, organized by a then little know American Baptist minister, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the fifty years since Parks action, much has changed in America with regard to racism. Segregation ended in the 1950’s, African American’s were finally guaranteed the right to vote in the 1960’s and rules against interracial marriage were ended in all states by the 1970’s.

Jump to the new millennium, 2005. All of a sudden, when judges rule to protect rights of American citizens who are a minority, or of a minority opinion, they are called “activist judges”. It is good that such packaging of everything by political spin doctors didn’t exist in the 50’s and 60’s or the rights of African Americans might be decades behind where they are now. I’m not implying that total equality had been achieved, far from it. I think there is some inherent racism that exists in many aspects of our society. However, we have made great strides.

Judges are supposed to interpret the rule of law, rule when laws are in conflict with one another and when they are unjust to segments of our citizenry. But the cry from the rightwing whenever a judge makes a ruling that is contrary to what is believed by the far right, or what the far right believes is contrary to the majority of Americans, the judge is called an activist.

Of course on items of race the political machines of both sides of the political isle would never accuse judges of legislating from the bench. But on matters of rights for millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Americans, the right has no problem drawing the line.

It is dangerous to think in a society that the will of the majority should always triumph in decisions of law. It is only when the minority voices are protected that it allows for true democracy. We need to remember this and stop letting the rightwing political machine package court ruling this way. Inequality is inherently unequal under the law.

AWAB Council Meets In Wisconsin

October 27-28, the Executive Director of AWAB, Ken Pennings, and the Council will meet in Madison, Wisconsin for a planning retreat. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we journey to the upper Midwest to strategize and plan the work of AWAB over the coming year. A lot has happened since the ABC/USA biennial meeting in Denver in July. The American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest has voted to withdraw from the denomination. This past week, the West Virginia Baptist Convention narrowly voted to not withdraw from the ABC. The point of contention for those wanting to withdraw is over membership of AWAB churches and acceptance of sexual minority folks, any place within the denominations.

But AWAB has a mission to move beyond this contention, to find places where we can grow and build a community. We are made up of churches, groups and individuals and we are actively seeking to find ways to built and expand our relationship with one another. To this effect, AWAB is participating in a joint gathering June 26-29, 2006 with like programs in the Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ. Look for details soon on Tapestry 2006: Live, Love, Laugh and Learn. Please save the dates on your calendar.