We owe it to our ancestors, our families, our communities and future generations to continue fighting for just causes, writes Nina Turner. We will overcome too.
Demonstrators march on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on August 26, 2023.
(Mostafa Basim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
On Monday, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States of America. Many people feel deep pain, sadness and fear. These emotions are understandable, as we do not know for sure what the future holds, and the present looks increasingly dire. In just a few days, Trump has created countless difficulties for people in the US and around the world. But we must not despair. We cannot allow fear to take over and control us.
Looking back at the history of our country, I feel optimistic not because our history is positive and not because our present is good, but because I see the mountains we have climbed and overcome. I believe we can come together and face our challenges because they didn’t start with Donald Trump and they won’t end with his presidency.
Today we wake up in a familiar America, an America where the leading cause of bankruptcy is medical debt, where 68,000 people die each year due to lack of health care, where the leading cause of death for children is gun violence, where the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, where the number of rough sleepers is growing at record numbers every year, where the voice of the people is politically silenced ruling class.
Our mission hasn’t changed. Our struggle to ensure that working-class Americans of all backgrounds have their basic needs met and have the opportunity to live a good life has not changed. The ruling class that buys elected officials has not changed. Thus, our drive and dedication to righteous causes has not changed. Our mission remains the same.
Moving forward is key. We must not allow ourselves to be overcome by contempt for any individual. We must love those we fight for more than we dislike him with whom we fight against. President Donald Trump was sworn in on the same day our country recognized the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Some found the convergence of these two events ironic. I saw this as a searing omen for those of us who are willing to take up the mantle of Dr. King’s work to create the community we love. Despite the venom and anti-black hatred that was directed at him and the civil rights movement, he never lost sight of his purpose. He once stated, “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
We must live by these words. Collectively, our love for our humanity and the humanity of those around us is a far more powerful force than our collective hatred of one person.
Our elected officials and political institutions that stand on the right side of justice and freedom must take it upon themselves to represent us, not the ruling class. Our demand has not changed. Our love for humanity has not changed. We must not hesitate.
I remain hopeful for the future. We all should.
As a black woman in America, I think about how our ancestors were freed from slavery. Our ancestors defeated Jim Crow laws. We will overcome too.
Harriet Tubman’s words are hard for me at this point: “If you hear dogs, keep going. If you see torches in the woods, keep going. If you are yelled at, keep going. Never stop.”
We owe it to our ancestors, our families, our communities and future generations not to stop.
We must continue.
