As we transition from one decade to another, from one era to another, as we move to full and equal human rights around the planet, as we move into the "angels of our better nature" I thought I would share a portion of one of my favorite speeches by a President, one given by Lyndon B. Johnson before a joint session of Congress on voting rights, one of our most basic tools of democracy. It is a speech to remember.
"In our time we have come to live with moments of great crisis. Our lives have been marked with debate about great issues; issues of war and peace, issues of prosperity and depression. Rarely in any time does an issue lay bare the secret heart of America itself. Rarely are we met with a challenge, not to our growth or abundance, our welfare or our security, but rather to the values and the purposes and the meaning of our beloved Nation. The issue of equal rights."
Lyndon B. Johnson did not "win" the Presidency, he ascended to the office due to the horrific assassination of President Kennedy. Johnson understood that one man doesn't "make" human rights changes, he merely steps into the space of truth and offers it up for review, so the people, all the people, can move into a higher thought pattern, a space of humanity above the "battlefield" and petty tyrannies of fear.
Compassionate positioning means creating a stance where you are able to be in a space of compassion and Love and look into the eyes of those who are suffering and feel their suffering without losing your center.
No comments:
Post a Comment