Obama to Speak at 50th Anniversity of Bloody Sunday

[KimberlyD]

This was a pivotal moment in American History right up there with the Civil and Revolutionary wars. Thousands of protesters gathered in Selma Alabama to protest their right to vote and were attacked by police officers. This peaceful demonstration turned into a blood bath, hence its name "Bloody Sunday".

Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and about 100 members of Congress are converging on the town of roughly 20,000 to commemorate "Bloody Sunday," the day in 1965 when police attacked marchers demonstrating for voting rights.

Thousands Gather for 50th Anniversary of 'Bloody Sunday'

 

[thegrey]

OK! Great! It's over! Been over for 50 years! Can we just move on and stop the constant race-baiting? As usual, Obama found the perfect photo-op. Pretty shabby the way the former president and his family were omitted!

 

[vegito12]

That was a sad day, as the police attacked the protestors when there was no need to and the conflict could have been avoided and handled with peace talks as the protestors were not acting violent. Some will remember that day if they survived it, and still have the pain and feel the loss that happened that day and lost loved one or friends in the conflict that occured. It, is a good thing that the celebration or the memorial of that day has been peaceful and people have behaved well which shows that more rights and awareness has occured.

 

[jeremy2]

Such a memorable event where innocent lives were lost agitating for their rights is worth remembering. They changed the course of history and they deserve to be remembered for what they did as the future generation owes a lot to them.

 

[wahmed]

OK! Great! It's over! Been over for 50 years! Can we just move on and stop the constant race-baiting? As usual, Obama found the perfect photo-op. Pretty shabby the way the former president and his family were omitted!

I think these kind of things need to be celebrated as much as possible. So many people were injured and hurt for a cause. It is important to remind people that what they have is and always will be something that others gave to them via sactifce

 

[KimberlyD]

Events such as these are great reminders of what happens when we allow for these kinds of hatred to exist. It reminds us that there is a better way to do things and also helps us to learn from our mistakes. Of course it is not 100% in preventing events such as these from occurring again, it does give us something to think about.

 

[gmckee1985]

I think we need to get past race in this country. Some people are constantly harping on it and that's disappointing. We should have progressed to a point where it's irrelevant in 2015. While the civil rights struggle was important, and it's good to commemorate historic events, the way some people play the victim card and act like no progress has been made is pathetic.

 

[kana_marie]

I agree that it's an important reminder of what CAN happen when anyone is considered 2nd class citizens. People can become calloused to the pain and suffering of others when they are hearing about it constantly and told they are better. It isn't just about race anymore. The racism does not to end, but so do the prejudices against homosexuals or the homeless

 

[gmckee1985]

I dont think homosexuals are treated nearly as badly as blacks were. They arent forced to drink at seperate water fountains and Ttend seperate schools. There will always be judgement and suspicion of gays because homosexuality in looked down upon in the major world religions. I dont think gays have it that bad in America, though.

 

[KimberlyD]

@gmckee1985 My cousin was gay (he passed away, hence past tense reference) he liven in Houston TX. There were a string of beatings and murders of gay individuals back in the 90's there. There is still incidences of it all over the US. They have not been denied many of the rights and privileges that the African Americans were denied, but they are still denied a lot of other rights and privileges such as the right to marriage in most of the US. Many have been denied jobs because of their sexual orientation.

It may not seem as bad here as it is in other places, but it is pretty bad. I have a lot of gay friends and I seen and heard of the things they go through being gay.

 

[Nate]

The word racism is so casually used these days, that it seems it has lost any meaning other than to restrain honest debate.

 

[gmckee1985]

There's definitely way too many accusations of racism these days. It does nothing more than delegitimize the word. Also makes it hard to take those that throw the word around seriously. As far as gays go there are always going to be people who don't like them because Homosexuality is a sin in all of the major religions.