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SCLC presents 'Stand Up, Selma'
Published Monday, August 18, 2008
The Stand Up Selma rally tried to move Selma one step close to a goal of a “beloved community” Sunday night.
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference sponsored the event at the Performing Arts Center.
Heidi Beirich, director of research and special projects intelligence projects for the Southern Poverty Law Center, served as the keynote speaker.
The night kicked off with Reverend Franklin Fortier, host and president of the Selma SCLC chapter, welcoming the almost 100 attendees.
“We have come to once again stand together in love and stand together against hate,” Fortier said. “We have come here to get facts about hate groups in our area.”
Sheyann Webb-Christburg spoke about meeting people who came to Selma during the Civil Rights Movement and how they affected her life.
“I remember sitting on the front row of the church listening to Martin Luther King Jr.,” she said. “I did not know right away what he was saying, but I knew it was time to stand up.”
Webb-Christburg looked to the future in her speech.
“It’s time, past time, for us to stand up,” she said. “Each one has something to contribute. It is time for change, to be courageous and stand up for what is right. Nothing good comes easy.”
Beirich took the stage next. She advised Selma citizens to be proud of their heritage.
She then told the audience about some alarming numbers.
“In 2000, there were 602 active hate groups in America,” Beirich said. “In 2007, there are 888 active hate groups. That is a 48 percent increase in seven years.”
Montgomery attorneys Morris Dees and Joe Levin began the SPLC in 1971.
They started the center to help ensure racial equality. In 1981, the law center began tracking hate groups. Today they have educational programs in schools, magazines and other resources to inform people of hate groups.
The law center says there are 24 hate groups in Alabama.
“There is a hate group base in Selma,” Beirich said. “It is called the League of the South. They are a neo-confederate group that basically wants to return to a way of life pre-1865.”
Beirich said members of the group believe slavery is God ordained.
She told the horrified audience tips to help stop hate groups.
“What you can do is first educate yourself,” Beirich said. “Then, stand with victims, speak out and lobby leaders.”
She said that there are 190,000 hate crime victims in America. They cross every race, gender, class and sexual orientation, she said.
Reverends Mark Duke and Spicer made a call to action. Spicer said to celebrate and appreciate everyone’s culture.
“My heritage is a part of me,” he said. “I should be who I am, and you should be who you are. We should like each other for who we are.”
Duke spoke of acceptance for everyone.
“People should be tolerant for one another,” he said. “We should respect each other.”
Fortier closed the night saying this would not be the last Selma Stand Up meeting.
“We aren’t just going to talk about racism,” he said. “We are going to speak on sexism and classism, too. The next meeting will deal with sexism.”
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Comments
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on August 19, 2008 at 11:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not foolsh enough to say racists and racism does not exist in Selma,but if you cry wolf too many times you'll be ignored, this event looks like an example of that...and a red herring to boot.
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on August 19, 2008 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder where this white attorney from the SPLC lives in Montgomery? I bet she lives behind a gated community...and she's not securing herself from "White Hate Groups" either. I find it rather ironic the basis of this group.
What Selma needs to be doing is focusing on the accountability of this City Governement rather than pseudo-hate groups here at election time. Let's get real and talk about real, factual, documented fleecing of this city. Selma's problem isn't one of Black and White, rather Right and Wrong. The people ARE trying to stand up for what is right....but YOU choose to ignore them and put up smoke screens such as this to take away from real pressing issues in Selma. This "Hate Group" issue is nothing more than a political ploy to scare people to fuel their agenda.
Posted by saveselma (anonymous) on August 19, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So, if there were 100 people in the audience, I guess the entire audience was the freedom foundation members, since they "claim" to have 100 or so volunteers. Just wondering...
Posted by Rompolokeng (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if League of the South is buying up property in Selma as fast as the Freeedom Foundation. Its a good thing the Freedom Foundation has captured the market, so as not let those rascists have a place to stay.
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on August 20, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is what blows my mind. We have city council/water board members stealing money....yet we have the SPLC here looking for hate groups?? What about the citizens of Selma being fleeced by these fake leaders. Is this not backwards and corrupt? You can't see the forest from the trees.
Posted by jackal (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
eyeonyou .... you stated
I wonder where this white attorney from the SPLC lives in Montgomery? I bet she lives behind a gated community...and she's not securing herself from "White Hate Groups" either...... You would lose that bet, you are right in that she is not securing herself from Hate Groups ' due to the fact she goes after them all over the country . Google the name and do some research , she is a lot more than some white lawyer from Montgomery. The Selma City Council and hate groups are diffrent issues. The topic here is SP
Posted by jackal (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
eyeonyou .... you stated
I wonder where this white attorney from the SPLC lives in Montgomery? I bet she lives behind a gated community...and she's not securing herself from "White Hate Groups" either...... You would lose that bet, you are right in that she is not securing herself from Hate Groups ' due to the fact she goes after them all over the country . Google the name and do some research , she is a lot more than some white lawyer from Montgomery. The Selma City Council and hate groups are diffrent issues. The topic here is SPLC and hate groups. I thought it was " the forest for the trees " not ' from the trees '. '
Posted by jackal (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry for the posting error .
Posted by allmylife (anonymous) on August 22, 2008 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Link to article on SPLC
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?p...
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