A day of reflection. Southern Poverty Law Center.

David, 

Thanksgiving is a day to reflect and show gratitude for how far we’ve come in the search for liberation. The SPLC honors the civil rights leaders and martyrs who fought diligently to advance the rights of all people. While their legacies have shaped our history, we are still fighting for justice on their behalf and for the many who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom.

Below are some of the martyrs who were targeted for death because of their civil rights work; random victims of vigilantes determined to halt the movement; or people who, in the sacrifice of their own lives, brought new awareness to the struggle. Also featured are two prominent civil rights leaders who dedicated their entire lives to the liberation of all people.

September 25, 1961 · Liberty, Mississippi
Herbert Lee, who worked with civil rights leader Bob Moses to help register Black voters, was killed by a state legislator who claimed self-defense and was never arrested. Louis Allen, a Black man who witnessed the murder, was later also killed.

September 15, 1963 · Birmingham, Alabama
Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley were getting ready for church services when a bomb exploded at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, killing all four school-age girls and wounding others. The church had been a center for civil rights meetings and marches.

June 21, 1964 · Philadelphia, Mississippi
James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Henry Schwerner, young civil rights workers, were arrested by a deputy sheriff and then released into the hands of Klansmen who had plotted their murders. They were shot, and their bodies were buried in an earthen dam.

January 10, 1966 · Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Vernon Ferdinand Dahmer, a wealthy businessman, offered to pay poll taxes for those who couldn’t afford the fee required to vote. The night after a radio station broadcast Dahmer’s offer, his home was firebombed. Dahmer died later from severe burns.

John Lewis
Civil rights icon and one of the original 13 Freedom Riders, John Lewis nearly died when law enforcement attacked him and other protestors while attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge during his long quest to secure freedom and civil rights for Black people. Also known as “Bloody Sunday,” the brutal attacks were photographed and published in newspapers, sending shockwaves throughout the country. Lewis was a man of action who always stood for justice in the face of violence. He served 17 terms in Congress and passed away from cancer at 80 in 2020.

Ella Josephine Baker
Serving in leadership roles for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Baker organized communities across the country. She spent most of the 1940s knocking door to door, encouraging Black people to get involved in the Civil Rights Movement. Her sharp organizing skills, dedication and strategic thinking led her to implement campaigns with local organizations for causes such as anti-lynching, job training, equal pay for Black teachers and voter registration drives. She died at 92 in 2005.

The legacy of these figures helped shape the fate of the country. These martyrs and civil rights leaders serve as a reminder of the immense sacrifices made in light of the liberation of all people which we are still fighting for today. Today and every day, we honor them with action.

In solidarity,

The Southern Poverty Law Center

---

Donate

WILL THE REAL CHRISTIAN PLEASE STAND UP? HOLIDAY FICTION. FULL STORY.

 PART 1.

Many years ago there lived a man who traveled about the countryside. He was a Peddler, and made his living selling merchandise to local villages.  As time went on, he realized that he must expand his customer base, or go out of business.

This worried him, for it meant conducting trade with people he did not know, and who did not know him.  Nonetheless he set out, planning to call on towns and villages that were beyond his normal territory.

However, as fate would have it, he ran into immediate bad luck. As he approached the first village, a great storm erupted. Wind, rain, and lightning made travel most difficult. Even worse, he carried his wares upon his back, for he could not afford a pack animal.

As he approached the first home, he thought to himself, " I just need shelter, and will ask no more." The Peddler arrived at the front door of a small, but well-maintained cottage. Shivering, he knocked feebly on the front door.  After a few moments it opened and a stout and formidable looking man of no more than thirty years answered.

"What do you want?", asked the figure in the doorway.

" Kind sir,"  replied the Peddler,  "I seek shelter from the storm. I am new to this Township, but hope to find new friends and customers from the good people who live here."

The Man frowned slightly, and with a sneer asked; "Do you accept Jesus as you lord and Savior?"

The Peddler was taken aback. No one had ever asked such a question.

"I am not a religious man,"  he stammered, "but I believe there is good in all of us, regardless of how we find it."  

The man shook his head and with a sly smile closed the door. His last words, as the door was closing, chilled the already cold and frightened Peddler to the bone.

''We don't want your type around, you are godless."

End of PT 1.

PT 2.

The Peddler was left standing at the front door as the rain continued to come down.

"I don't understand," he thought as he walked to the next cottage.  "I have never harmed this man, why would he turn me away?"

Unfortunately, it was only the beginning.  Despite the storm, the Peddler was denied sanctuary time and time again.

In each case he was asked if he accepted Jesus as his savior.  Being a man of principle, he told the truth.  "I respect what you believe," he would say, "but I am a man who has not studied such things.  I only seek refuge from the storm."

This honesty only seemed to doom the Peddler, for he reached the last cottage in despair.  He thought, "If they do not offer me shelter, where am I to go?"

As he approached the front door his heart sank.  The dwelling was small, compared to the others in the village.  Further, it had seen better days, for it was in a general state of disrepair.  In addition, the garden surrounding the cottage looked not to have been tended or cared for in quite some time.  The Peddler, however, was desperate.  He arrived at the front door, and with a heavy sigh, began to knock in earnest.  After a few moments the door started to open slowly...

PT 3.

As the door opened, the Peddler began to shake. "This is my last chance", he thought,  "I will say anything, for I cannot go on."

To his relief the figure in the doorway soon presented itself.  A small woman, perhaps half his size, looked up at him.  The Peddler was taken aback.  His possible benefactor was advanced in age and seemed to be on the edge of physical collapse.

The Peddler collected his wits, and with a sense of desperation began to speak.  "Good woman," he began, "I have traveled far, but I am in need of the hospitality of a person like you who would not turn away one in need." The Peddler braced himself for the expected interrogation, but it did not come.

"You poor man,"  was the reply, "come in and warm yourself by my humble fire.  I cannot offer much, but what I have is yours."  With that the woman turned and gestured for the Peddler to follow.

The Peddler entered, following the small figure.  The room he beheld was even more Spartan than he had imagined.  Very few pieces of furniture were present, and he watched as his host sat herself upon a rocking chair located near a large brick fireplace.  The fireplace seemed to dominate the room, for it provided the only illumination.  The Peddler sat down on a small ottoman and rubbed his hands together.

Confused by this sudden change of fortune, he stammered, "I have no wish to cause you harm, but your neighbors rejected me because I am not a Christian.  Why do you offer me aid.  Will they not turn against you?"

The old woman began to laugh, and with a sigh turned to the peddler and replied:"Stranger, you are new to this place.  It was not always so, at one time all were welcome.  Unfortunately, the leaders of our community became convinced of their importance, which included controlling the spiritual life of all its' citizens.  This control would not tolerate dissension, so all those who opposed were either ostracized or banished.  They use Christianity as a tool to justify their personal prejudices.  In this manner, they subvert the true teachings of our lord."

(Look for PT.4)

PT 4.

Being a simple man with no illusions, I tried to grasp the meaning of what was being said. "Good Woman," I asked in earnest, "Why would your neighbors condemn honest people who act with great Charity, even though they are not Christian?"

My host stared into the fire and shuddered. "It is well that you came upon me," she answered, "for you can leave this accursed township with your head held high. Those who govern this community rule by fear."

I stood up, and rubbing my hands together, approached the fireplace.  However, I still had questions.

"You are a woman in torment," I declared, "however, you seem to hold fast that Christianity is a system of belief that will not exploit others.  Why do you remain among those who proclaim Christian beliefs, but who violate the essential tenets set forth in scripture?"

My host stood up from her position by the fire and very slowly came over to me. She stood before me and with moistening eyes said, "They are not evil, but have lost their way.  If our savior sacrificed everything to redeem humanity, do I not have an obligation to continue his work? Maybe the Adults will always hate, but the children need to see that there is a choice, and I will not forsake them."

The next day I left.  However, I provided my benefactor with a quantity of worldly goods free of charge.  I may be a great trader, but she is dealing in higher stakes.

God help us all if she, and others like her, fail.

THE END.

ONCE AGAIN THE FASCIST PARTY OF AMERICA/GOP SHOWS ITS TRUE NATURE: HITLERIAN IDEALS THAT ALLOW CORRUPTION TO BE PART OF THE GAMEPLAN.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: EDUCATION

Democrats who swept Moms For Liberty off school board fight superintendent’s $700,000 exit deal.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Pennsylvania school board that banned books, Pride flags and transgender athletes slipped a last-minute item into their final meeting before leaving office, hastily awarding a $700,000 exit package to the superintendent who supported their agenda.

But the Democratic majority that swept the conservative Moms For Liberty slate out of office hopes to block the unusual — they say illegal — payout and bring calm to the Central Bucks School District, whose affluent suburbs and bucolic farms near Philadelphia have been roiled by infighting since the 2020 pandemic.

FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:

https://apnews.com/article/moms-for-liberty-pennsylvania-superintendent-fdd5dcecd0c8649bc73c09c76c769f17

FLAT OUT LIES CONTINUE FROM THE FASCIST PARTY OF AMERICA/ GOP: AP FACT CHECK Newly released Jan. 6 footage does not show a federal agent flashing his badge while undercover.

 ASSOCIATED PRESS.

BY  MELISSA GOLDIN

Published 1:52 PM EST, November 21, 2023

CLAIM: Security camera footage from Jan. 6, 2021, shows a federal agent disguised as a supporter of then-President Donald Trump during the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. The footage shows Kevin James Lyons, a Chicago man who was sentenced in July to more than four years in federal prison for his role in the attack. Multiple images of Lyons at the Capitol, dressed as he is in the footage, appear in court documents.

THE FACTS: After House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday began releasing thousands of hours of footage from the Capitol insurrection, social media users — including members of Congress — seized on a clip they claimed proved that undercover federal agents participated in the riot.

The video, which is 5 minutes and 31 seconds long, shows rioters and law enforcement personnel moving through a hallway in the Capitol. At 21 seconds into the video, a man appears from behind a column wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat, a camouflage scarf covering most of his face, and a dark blue sweatshirt layered over a green sweatshirt. He walks toward the camera, flashing his palms at the 36-second mark with a small object in his right hand.

“And that ladies and gentlemen is a badge… with a red hat and fully disguised,” reads one post on X that shared a screenshot of the footage paused as Lyons is flashing his palms. It had received approximately 17,000 likes and 9,500 shares as of Tuesday.

Another post on X stated: “See the ‘agent’ dressed up as a ‘MAGA’ supporter, flashing his badge at the camera. Proves what we already knew. Jan 6 was an FBI job.”

The claim was shared by lawmakers, including Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah. Lee’s tweet, posted to his personal X account, was still live on Tuesday with more than 20,000 likes and shares.

A spokesperson for Lee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But these claims play on enduring conspiracy theories about federal agents orchestrating the events of Jan. 6.

Lyons was sentenced on July 14 to 51 months in federal prison for the part he played in the riot. Court documents include multiple images of Lyons inside the Capitol, dressed in the same outfit as in the security footage.

For example, one shows Lyons recording himself in a mirror in the office of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In another, he sits in a car holding a framed photograph from Pelosi’s office, which shows her with the late Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights movement icon who died in July 2020.

It is unclear exactly what Lyons is holding in his right hand when he flashes his palms.

Lyons was convicted in April of six charges, including obstruction of an official proceeding. In addition to prison time, he was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol and complete 36 months of supervised release.

Johnson on Friday publicly released about 90 hours of security footage from the Jan. 6 attack. An additional 44,000 hours is expected to be posted online over the next several months, the AP has reported.

More than 1,500 people have been charged with offenses related to the Capitol riot. Of these, more than 800 have been convicted. More than 700 have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from three days to 22 years.
___
This is part of AP’s effort to address widely shared misinformation, including work with outside companies and organizations to add factual context to misleading content that is circulating online. Learn more about fact-checking at AP.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXCXXXXXXXXXXXX

WHEN A PARTY IS RUN BY COWARDS, TRAITORS, AND SOCIOPATHS, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?- DAVID.