HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!
A Christmas Message for those who Love Justice
"We are not seeking a handout, we are making sure our hands are no longer tied!"
WE ARE 50 DAYS AWAY FROM HKONJ(6)
THE 6TH ANNUAL HISTORIC THOUSANDS ON JONES STREET PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY COALITION (HKonJPAC) MASS MOBILIZATION
As We Reflect Upon Jesus The Christ, "Wise Men", And Other Religious Principles, There Is One Gift Which All "Wise" Individuals Desire Without Regard To Creed, Gender, Race, Nationality, Or Faith... We All Desire The Gift Of Justice.
IN THE DARKNESS OF EVIL, WHERE THE DARK CLOUDS OF CONFUSION, RACIAL POLITICS, AND HATE IMPEDE OUR MORAL VISION, ALL "WISE" MEN, WOMEN, and YOUTH OF THIS GENERATION MUST MARCH TOGETHER IN SEARCH OF THE STARLIGHT OF JUSTICE.
YOUR SUPPORT, PARTNERSHIP, AND OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS TO HKonJPAC HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE! NEVERTHELESS, WE MUST UNITE LIKE NEVER BEFORE, CONTINUE UTTERLY DEFEATING NEW TACTICS OF INJUSTICE, AND ALLOW OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES TO DROWN OUT THE REGRESSIVE VOICE OF VOTER SUPPRESSION THAT SEEKS TO ROB US OF OUR VOTES AND DIGNITY IN 2012.
IN JUST 50 DAYS, ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2012, WE THE PEOPLE WILL ASSEMBLE AT 9:30 A.M. ON SOUTH STREET (NEAR SHAW UNIVERSITY IN RALEIGH, NC) TO RETURN TO OUR HOUSE AND SAY "NO" TO SOME OF THE SAME TEA-PARTY-EXTREMIST-POLITICIANS WHO HAVE DONE NOTHING TO CREATE JOBS, AND HAVE SAID "NO" TO EVERY POSSIBLE PROPOSAL THAT WOULD ASSIST THE WORKING POOR, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND LOW-MIDDLE CLASS POPULATIONS SINCE BEING ELECTED!
IN JUST 50 DAYS, WE THE PEOPLE WILL GATHER LIKE A MIGHTY RIGHTEOUS CHORUS AND SING SONGS OF JUSTICE WHICH HARMONIZE WITH THE NEEDS OF STRUGGLING AFRICAN-AMERICANS, HISPANICS, NATIVE AMERICANS, WHITES, AND "THE 99 %" OF US WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS OF RACIAL POLITICS AND THE TYPE OF "CLASS WARFARE" THAT CONTINUOUSLY REDISTRIBUTES MONEY FROM THE POOR AND MIDDLECLASS INTO THE POCKETS OF THE WEALTHY AND SUPERRICH.
IN JUST 50 DAYS, WE THE PEOPLE WILL AGAIN RISE TO SAY "NO" TO REDUCTIONS IN SAME DAY VOTING; "NO" TO RACIST VOTER I.D. LAWS; "NO" TO EFFORTS TO RACIALLY PROFILE HISPANICS; "NO" TO INCREASES IN DEFENSE SPENDING WHILE CUTTING FINANCIAL AID AND OTHER FUNDING THAT WOULD ENSURE STUDENTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND EVERY SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE ACADEMICALLY AND GO TO COLLEGE. WE ARE NOT SEEKING A "HANDOUT", WE ARE MAKING SURE OUR "HANDS" ARE NO LONGER TIED!
LIKEWISE, WE WILL AGAIN SAY "NO" TO RESEGREGATION WHICH LEADS TO SUBSTANDARD SCHOOLS AND UNEQUAL EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR - "YES" TO PROVIDING ALL CHILDREN HIGH QUALITY, WELL FUNDED, and DIVERSE SCHOOLS;
WE WILL SAY "NO" TO CORPORATE GREED AND GROWING INCOME/WEALTH DISPARITIES - "YES" TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, LIVABLE WAGES AND SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME BROTHERS AND SISTERS;
"NO" TO THE ATTACKS ON HEALTH CARE FOR STRUGGLING FAMILIES AND THOSE UNCONSCIOUS EFFORTS TO REPEAL HEALTH CARE REFORM - "YES" TO EXPANDING HEALTH CARE FOR ALL, INCLUDING MORE HEALTH CARE FOR THOSE WHO ARE PLAGUED BY SOCIAL DISEASES SUCH AS HIV/AIDS, AND THOSE DISEASES CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM, AND DISEASES CAUSED BY OPPRESSION RELATED STRESS;
"NO" TO ATTEMPTS TO WRITE DISCRIMINATION INTO THE CONSTITUTION THAT NOT ONLY SENDS THE ONGOING MESSAGE OF HATRED AND BULLYING TOWARD THE LGBT (LESBIAN, GAYS, BI-SEXUAL, TRANSGENDER) COMMUNITY, BUT EVEN MORE DANGEROUSLY SETS THE UGLY PRECEDENT OF USING THE STATE AND U.S. CONSTITUTION TO TAKE AWAY RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS RATHER THAN ADDING THEM.
IT IS MY PERSONAL BELIEF THAT WE MUST ONCE AND FOR ALL, SEND A MORAL MESSAGE WHICH SAYS, BEING "STRAIGHT" IS NOT DETERMINED BY YOUR SEXUAL PERFORMANCE, BUT IS BASED UPON CHARACTER PERFORMANCE; BEING "STRAIGHT" REQUIRES TRUTH AND INTEGRITY.
I ALSO BELIEVE, OUR "STRAIGHTNESS" OR "CHRISTIAN-DEDICATION" WILL NOT BE DETERMINED BASED UPON HOW HARD OR HOW QUICK WE ARE WILLING TO THROW STONES AT OTHERS, BUT ACCORDING TO CHRIST JESUS, OUR FITNESS TO ENTER THE KINGDOM WILL BE BASED UPON OUR WILLINGNESS TO FEED THOSE WHO ARE HUNGRY; GIVE DRINK TO THOSE WHO ARE THIRSTY; GIVE TIME TO THOSE WHO ARE SICK; VISIT AND ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO ARE IN PRISON. AS MUCH AS YOU HAVE DONE IT UNTO THE LEAST OF THESE, YOU HAVE DONE IT ALSO UNTO ME [CHRIST JESUS]. THE EMPIRICAL DATA SPEAKS FOR ITSELF IN HOW WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE ABANDONED THESE CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES. GOING FORWARD, THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE CHRIST'S BIRTH IS TO HONOR HIS WORDS AS WELL AS HIS WORK.
THE AFOREMENTIONED WORDS, ALONG WITH JESUS' MINISTRIAL MISSION AS HE OUTLINED IT IN LUKE 4:18-19, PROVES JESUS DID NOT ONLY COME TO SAVE SOULS SPIRITUALLY, HE CAME TO LITERALLY SHARE WITH THOSE OF US ON EARTH WHILE SERVING AS OUR ULTIMATE ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE. HIS ACTIONS EXEMPLIFIED OUR NEED AS A SOCIETY TO STRENGTHEN THOSE WHO ARE WEAK; SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NO VOICE; AND RICHLY SHARE WITH THOSE (I.E. "THE RICH MAN") WHO ARE POOR.
WITH THIS IN MIND, AS WE REFLECT UPON THE TRUE REASON FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON, DOING ALL YOU CAN TO STRENGTHEN SUPPORT FOR OUR HKonJ 14 POINT PEOPLE'S AGENDA IS AN ACT TOWARD JUSTICE. WE MUST DO MORE THAN PREACH ABOUT THE 'GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST', WE MUST ALLOW THE GOSPEL TO MANIFEST ITSELF IN OUR ACTIONS. THEREFORE WE MUST STAND TO ENSURE THOSE WHO STRUGGLE ARE BETTER SERVED - WE MUST DO OUR PART IN HELPING EACH OF US, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED AMONGST THE LEAST, TO SECURE THE GIFT OF JUSTICE. THEREFORE WE THANK YOU AND THANK GOD FOR YOUR SUPPORT. IN THESE FINAL 50 DAYS LET'S DO THE FOLLOWING:
1. MAKE CALLS AND DOCUMENT PLEDGES. CALL EVERY SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS AND CARING INDIVIDUAL YOU KNOW and HAVE THEM TO COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THE MARCH on SATURDAY, 02/11/12. RECEIVE THEIR COMMITMENT IN WRITING WITH ANSWERS TO THE FEW QUESTIONS AS SHOWN ON OUR HKonJ PLEDGE FORM (SEE ATTACHED AND OUR WEBSITEwww.hkonj.com). REPORT PLEDGES TO OUR OFFICE AT 919 682-4700.
2. DISTRIBUTE FLYERS AT KING DAY EVENTS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS. COME BY OUR NC NAACP OFFICE LOCATED AT 114 W. PARRISH ST., DURHAM, NC (2nd FLOOR) AND PICK UP SOME FLYERS TO DISTRIBUTE AT KING DAY EVENTS, SERVICES, RALLIES, AND OTHER EVENTS WHERE SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS INDIVIDUALS ARE LIKELY TO ASSEMBLE. YOU MAY ALSO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT THE FLYER ATTACHED (THE ATTACHED FLYER IS AN UPDATE WITH ALL HKonJ PARTNERS LISTED).
3. PROMOTE THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS. IF YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE, USE THE ATTACHED JPEG VERSION OF THE HKONJ6 PROFILE PIC AND HKONJ6 FLYER TO POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGES. ALSO, SHARE IT WITH YOUR OTHER FACEBOOK FRIENDS AND ANY OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKING ACCOUNTS YOU MAY HAVE.
4. REPORT TRANSPORTATION. HAVE YOUR ORGANIZATION/CHURCH TO REPORT ANY BUSES, VANS, AND OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION THAT YOU/YOUR AREA WILL BE PROVIDING FOR THE MARCH. USE OUR PLEDGE FORMS TO ASSIST YOU IN DETERMINING WHO WILL BE GOING AND NEEDING TRANSPORTATION IN YOUR AREA. REPORT YOUR PROGRESS TO OUR DURHAM OFFICE AT919 682-4700 NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, JANUARY 27.
5. ORGANIZE A LOCAL HKONJ6 PLANNING MEETING. GET WITH YOUR LOCAL NAACP, HKONJ LOCAL PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY, AND/OR OTHER HKONJ SUPPORTERS IN YOUR AREA AND PLAN AN HKONJ6 PLANNING MEETING TO DISCUSS LOCAL PLANS ON HOW YOU WILL PROMOTE AND MAKE SURE YOUR AREA WILL BRING OTHERS TO THE 2.11.12. EVENT. FOR HELP CALL OUR OFFICE AT 919 682-4700 AND SPEAK WITH REV. CURTIS E. GATEWOOD, HKONJ COALITION COORDINATOR.
AS A MINISTER, I DO NOT BELIEVE GOD IS ONLY INTERESTED IN MY HELPING TO "SAVE" YOUR SOUL AND PREVENTING YOU FROM GOING TO HELL WHEN YOU DIE. I BELIEVE THE GOD I SERVE IS EQUALLY INTERESTED IN MY HELPING TO SAVE YOU FROM THE HELL YOU ARE CATCHING HERE ON EARTH AS VICTIMS OF INJUSTICE.
LASTLY, WHETHER YOU CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS OR CHOOSE TO HONOR ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS or CULTURAL TRADITIONS THIS SEASON, WE PRAY TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FOREVER THAT THE FLOODGATES OF HEAVEN WILL RAIN DOWN THE BLESSINGS OF JOY, PEACE, AND JUSTICE FOR YOU AND YOURS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Curtis Everette Gatewood
HKonJ Coalition Coordinator
North Carolina NAACP State Conference
919 682-4700 Office
919 939-6311 Cell
WE ARE NOW LESS THAN 50 DAYS AWAY FROM...
THE 6TH ANNUAL
HISTORIC THOUSANDS ON JONES STREET PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY COALITION (HKonJPAC)
MARCH ON JONES STREET
HKonJ6
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2012
BEGIN ASSEMBLING AT 9:30 a.m. on SOUTH ST. (near SHAW UNIVERSITY)
FORWARD TOGETHER, NOT ONE STEP BACK!
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