Justice, compassion, courage, mercy

On July 18, 1967, Dr. King said: "There's nothing more dangerous than to build a society who feel they have no stake in it, who feel they have nothing to lose." (We've done that.) "What I'm getting at is this: A riot is the language of the unheard ... America has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and equality have not been met." Today Dr. King might say that a riot, mass looting, gun violence is the language of the poorly schooled, the unemployed, the broken, the uncared for, the discarded, the fatherless, the motherless and those driving, standing, living, walking while Black.

The government wants us to believe that the unemployment rate for Black men and women is about 14%. That doesn't tell the true story. Dr. King said that this rate " ... doesn't deal with what we refer to as the discouraged, people who have just lost hope, who have lost motivation to even look for jobs, who have come to feel that life is a long and desolate corridor with no Exit sign and they have been defeated so many times, so many doors have closed in their faces, that they've given up."

It's easy to blame the recent looting and violence on Mayor Lightfoot and Chicago police but, for a change, let's blame ourselves. Although Dr. King said the above words more than 50 years ago, what has any of us done to ensure that justice, equality and freedom is the reality for everyone throughout our cities? Almost nothing. Nevertheless, John Lewis said: "Do not get lost in a sea of despair ... make some noise, get in good trouble, necessary trouble."

As Americans, it is our calling and our task to find equitable laws and solutions that protect, because it is justice that redeems, compassion that heals, courage that inspires and mercy that forgives.

Bernard Kleina

Wheaton