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Tuesday, June 16, 2020

We Are Marching


We Are Marching
By Carrie Law Morgan Figgs

                     1.
We are marching, truly marching  
   Can’t you hear the sound of feet? 
We are fearing no impediment  
   We have never known defeat.  

                     2.  
Like Job of old we have had patience,  
  Like Joshua, dangerous roads we’ve trod  
Like Solomon we have built out temples.  
   Like Abraham we’ve had faith in God. 

                     3.  
Up the streets of wealth and commerce,  
   We are marching one by one 
We are marching, making history,  
  For ourselves and those to come.  

                     4.  
We have planted schools and churches, 
   We have answered duty’s call.  
We have marched from slavery’s cabin  
   To the legislative hall. 

                     5.  
Brethren can’t you catch the spirit?  
  You who are out just get in line 
Because we are marching, yes we are marching  
   To the music of the time.  

                     6. 
We are marching, steady marching  
   Bridging chasms, crossing streams 
Marching up the hill of progress  
  Realizing our fondest dreams.  

                       7.  
We are marching, truly marching  
   Can’t you hear the sound of feet? 
We are fearing no impediment 
   We shall never know defeat. 


Yesterday, in the landmark decision Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. The ruling was met with widespread praise among LGBTQ rights groups, which have long argued against such employment discrimination. While this year, the LGBTQ community cannot physically march in Pride parades around the country, we are symbolically marching closer to equality through the courts, and if Joe Biden wins the presidency in November, we will be making even greater strides.

Carrie Law Morgan Figgs was born in 1878. A teacher, community leader, playwright, and poet, Figgs was the author of Poetic Pearls (Edward Waters College Press, 1920) and Nuggets of Gold (Jaxon Printing Company, 1921), as well as several plays. She died in 1968.

5 comments:

  1. I saw the news yesterday and I was sure you would speak about it and more because the ultra right Republican judge Gorsuch (excuse me for not writing his name well) named by «45».

    This is surely a milestone, one more, to the real equality in USA.

    One battle more LGBTQ did win after so many years.

    Now the racial equality battle has a long road to go after the awakening of the American conscience of those too much years of mistreatment of black and colored people in USA.

    HOPE is at the horizon of November 3.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations Joe, that you are now protected by the law! I don't know if you have ever been at risk. I think that, if this decision had been in place then, that private ("whites only" founded) school would have thought twice before their dismissal of you - although the outcome was probably for the best. Roderick

    ReplyDelete
  3. JiEL, I may write more about the SCOTUS ruling tomorrow. I haven't decided yet. I'm kind of having a busy day at work, so I don't know if I will be able to write a lot on tomorrow's post.

    Roderick, I think you are right. I all likelihood that school would have through twice before dismissing me if this had been in place then. You are right though, I am better off with my current job. While it may not be where I would like it to be geographically, it is a lot better on my health and mental wellbeing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Franklin Graham is still trying to pass that brick stuck in his rectum. Perhaps we should send him a case of ID Lube.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good landmark for all LGBTQ of USA..

    We don't need our Supreme Court here in Canada because ALL our civil and religious rights are in our Canadian Constitution since 1982.

    I was a high school teacher and NEVER had issues about my sexual orientation.
    The Montreal Board of Education (CSDM in French) was protecting us from any discrimination. In my last high school I was teaching there was 5 gay men me included and 3 lesbians.

    USA has a long way to go and now racism is the next milestone to go over.

    ReplyDelete

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