John Lewis: "Across That Bridge: Life Lessons And A Vision For Change"
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-05-30/john-lewis-across-bridge-life-lessons-and-vision-change
The American Civil Rights Movement has inspired people across the world to stand up for social justice. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia was one of the leaders of that movement in the 1960s. He was arrested more than 40 times, physically attacked and jailed in the fight for desegregation. But he says "there is a unique hostility today that almost seems worse" than what he experienced. He calls on the Occupy Movement, the Arab Spring and other grassroots leaders to focus on the nonviolent principles that propelled his generation: Faith, patience, study, truth, peace and love. Lewis offers lessons on freedom and how to bring about change.
Guests
Rep. John Lewis
Democratic Congressman representing Georgia's 5th District and author of "Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of a Movement"
Related Items
Read An Excerpt
Excerpted from the book “Across That Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change” by Congressman John Lewis. Copyright © 2012 John Lewis. Published by Hyperion. Reprinted here by permission of Knopf. All rights reserved.
Comments
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Rep Lewis have so much respect for you and your commitment to justice and civil rights.
Why is it that we see our leaders our MSM host support for human rights issues for the LGBT community. We hear our leaders and MSM host support or express concern about what they keep referring to a "massacre" in Syria over and over again yet do not express that same concern, display images or even report about the hundreds of thousands who died, were injured and were displaced as a direct consequence of the invasion of Iraq.
It is this huge hypocrisy in regard to human rights that cultivates the anger towards the U.S. How can anyone justify or explain these huge contradictions away.
Amazing to witness how Joe Scarborough, Mika, David Ignatius, Dan Senor etc rage about those that the Assad regime has allegedly "slaughtered" How quickly these gruesome images out of Syria make it onto MSM outlets. Yet out of Iraq we saw little to none of those images of the dead. And most Americans have no idea how many people have been killed there due to our invasion. So telling
As one who was (and still IS, no doubt) close to Coretta Scott King, can you speak for her to give us guidance in these times, as a non-violent compassionate society.
I wonder how Rep. Lewis felt to be spat upon in chambers after the Affordable Health Care was passed and the republicans labeled him a liar? It angered me to no end.
Looking at the U.S. from the outside as a canadian who has many family members in the states I feel that the U.S. is being tested these days. If I'm not mistaken it is the conservative party which claims to have all the Christian values. The truth as I see is a country that has lost it's way. Most importantly with the influx of all the money in the political system leads to more and more corruption where too many so called representatives are basically owned by special interest.
Coretta Scott King--04/27/1927-01/30/2006.
Sir you of all people know as a nation we have come a long way in regard to vivil rights. President Carter applies the same human rights standards to Palestinian as he applies to Israeli's. Not many do this. Rep Lewis can you explain how our leaders etc seem so concerned and quick to describe what is going on in Syria as a "massacre" yet have not done the same to what took place in Iraq due to our invasion or when Israel attacked Gaza three years back when thousands were killed. Please address these huge and in my book criminal contradictions.....
I agree that congress is just plain mean these days, zero sum, and lacking collaboration. There used to be honor and statesmanship.
WRT today's interview, was it necessary to start blaming (to paraphrase "Gingrich poisoning the well" ) within the first minutes of the interview?
Seems to me that just perpetuates the problem that Lewis laments.
Congressman Lewis , Do you feel that part of the animosity we're currently seeing amongst White America and the Republican Congress has a lots to do with having a Black President.
Vivian
Generally speaking, conservatives seem to believe in an "every man for himself" ethos. They believe that the purpose of government social programs such as Medicaid is to take money away from hard-working people and give it to people who are too lazy to work to support themselves, and they have a strong hostility towards people who use such social programs. How do we, as a society, move beyond this hostility towards people who are down on their luck? How do we get conservatives to understand that misfortune can happen to anyone, and that we society will be better, healthier if we help one another?
Your guest is so wise, and I challenge him to question his statement that there is separation between us because of race. He mentioned several different races when speaking about young people. What about those of us that are mixed? Including the president. I come from a family of mixed ethnicity, I believe that the separation that you might feel only exists in the mind. If each of us let go of that and truly embrace everyone as our family there wouldn't be that divide. If you can not let go first, how can you expect others to do the same? People look up to you. Lead by example.
Pisces did you make it on? Someone asked a similar question on air. Lewis verified this happened
Rep. Lewis is right in what he says, but even HE has a hard time putting it in practice. When the gentleman from Fort Worth called with his concern about the prevalence of abortion in the black community, the Representative basically blew him off. Congressman Lewis stated his own position on abortion as "Truth", and that was that.
Treating one another with respect includes addressing your proponent's concerns, and working to find what you can agree on. In the example of abortion, two people may not agree on whether or not abortion is murder, but they CAN agree that women who aren't sure shouldn't feel pressured to get one. That can open up a wide variety of discussions on how to help those women be informed and empowered.
None of us - not even the Representative - can practice what Congressman Lewis preaches until we learn to treat as legitimate the views that we deeply dislike. We can't ask that of others until we can do that ourselves.
Medal of freedom, they hand those things out like candy, means nothing these days.
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) believes the Constitution justifies Obamacare’s mandate that people must buy health insurance. According to him, the Constitution’s reference to the “pursuit of happiness” specifically justifies that mandate. There’s just one problem, the pursuit of happiness isn’t in the Constitution.
“Well, when you start off with the Preamble of the Constitution, you talk about the pursuit of happiness,” Lewis told CNS News regarding the mandate’s justification. ”You go to the 14th Amendment–it’s equal protection under the law and we have not repealed the 14th Amendment. People have a right to have health care. It’s not a privilege but a right.”
Diane needs to challenge her guests more. All due respect to Congressman Lewis:
Facts:
President Obama outspent John McCain over 5 to 1. Saying the republicans are desperate and “our election will become an auctioning and will go to the highest bidder” is just wrong and deceptive. Why wouldn’t Diane challenge him on this assertion? Or know this imbalance going into the intervieiw? Now listeners will believe that republicans win by outspending. Once again NPR liberal tilt is showing. (factcheck . o r g)
Mr. Lewis,
I am a high-school U.S. History teacher, I spend a LOT of time teaching about the Civil Rights Movement, and each of my students would tell you that you are one of my personal heroes. My single most striking memory of President Obama's inauguration was the image on TV of you, in attendance, with quiet tears streaming down your cheeks. PLEASE share with us what was going on in your mind at this moment.
Amen! This was exactly what I was thinking listening to him. He fought the great fight and sacrificed so much. I salute him and everyone who made us all equal! He deserved the medals and accolades but in the end that is the key “we are all equal” and you have to let go and forget what color we are. That is the final step. To accept we are all equal.
Listening to Mr. Lewis today brought me to tears as he spoke about President Johnson declaring "We shall overcome" before the Civil Rights Act was passed. I thought he countered eloquently the Fort Worth caller who brought up abortion in the black community and Rep. Lewis invoked women's rights when he said he believed no state or federal government should tell a woman what to do with her body, but it is her decision ultimately. Thank you Congressman Lewis for speaking today