Monday, January 21, 2008

Sikukuu ya Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


Watu weusi wote nchini Marekani, waSpanish, waChina, waHindi yaani na watu wasio wazungu wamshukuru marehemu Dr. Martin Luther Jr., kwa mchango wake mkubwa wa kupigania haki zao!

Leo tunasherekea sikukuu ya kuzaliwa kwake. Dr. King aliuliwa na mbaguzi, James Earl Ray, mwaka 1968 huko Lorranine Hotel, mjini Memphis, Tennessee.

Wazungu walimchukia kwa vile alikuwa anatetea haki za weusi. Walikuwa wanamwita Martin Lucifer (shetani) Coon (jina la kukashifu weusi)! Waliunguza nyumba na kumpiga na kumfunga jela mara kadhaa! Wazungu walishangalia siku ya kifo chake, lakini kumbe ndo walimfanya shujaa!

Kabla ya Civil Rights Movement, (yaani weusi kupigania haki zao), mtu mweusi alikuwa haruhusiwi kusoma shule za wazungu, akipanda basi, lazima akae nyuma, alikuwa haruhusiwi kula katika restaurants na wazungu. Kila mahala kulikuwa na mabango ' Whites Only' (wazungu tu) na 'Colored Section' (Sehemu ya weusi). Kulikuwa na majumba ya sinema na klabu za wazungu na weusi! Weusi walikuwa wana sehemu zao za kukaaa kulikuwa hakuna kukaa na wazungu. Hata kama walikuwa na hela ya kununua nyumba sehemu za wazungu ilikuwa ni mwiko!

Hata kulikuwa na hopitali za weusi. Wewe mweusi ukienda hospitali ya mzungu kutibiki! Ni weusi wangapi walikufa shauri ya kunyimwa huduma? Kulikuwa na ubaguzi mpaka kaburini, maana weusi walikuwa na sehemu zao za kuzikwa na wazungu sehemu zao! Nchi hii ina historia chafu kuliko hata Afrika Kusini na Apartheid!

Weusi walikuwa wanafanya kazi duni! Hata mtu na digrii yake alikuwa anaishia kupata kazi ya kuchimba mitaro au kuzoa takataka! Kweli tumetoka mbali.

Kwa wasiojua Dr, King alipata tuzo la Nobel kwa ajili ya bidii yake ya kupigani haki za weusi kwa njia za amani.

Hebu fikiria kama ubaguzi ungekuwepo bado Marekani. Kungekuaje? Je, Barack Obama angeweza kupigania urais leo?

Asante Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! We Thank-you!

Lakini nasikitika kusema kuwa vijana wengi weusi hawajui kuwa maisha wanaoishi leo yasingewezekana miaka arobaini yaliyopita. Na ni kwa sababu ya Civil Rights hata waSpanish na wahindi wana haki saw na mzungu Marekani. Kwa kweli ni vizuri kuwa na sikukuu ya kumkumbuka Dr. King! Watu wasisahau historia ya kibaguzi ya nchi hii.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Man,whenever i read his letter from birmingham jail i get chills,truly one of the most influential and revolutionary leaders in history

How you enjoying your holiday Chemi

Chemi Che-Mponda said...

It's been Good. Went to a neighborhood breakfast in his honor. The rest of the day I spent watching ROOTS on TVOne and stories about Martin Luther King Jr..

Anonymous said...

Sounds nice,my neighbors been playing 50's jazz songs all day,they're Asian so yeah,lol

Don't know if you watched Oprah today,but she covered Dr.Kings legacy and it was cool

Anywhooo,back to the democratic debate!

Anonymous said...

I made a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day video that I think EVERYONE will enjoy. It’s really short, and should put a smile on your face.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AtugYg42mmc

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day everybody

David Spates

http://www.youtube.com/davidspates

Anonymous said...

Ni nakunuu Chemi-che-Mponda'Nchi hii ina historia chafu kuliko hata Afrika Kusini na Apartheid!Na uhakika hauko sahihi Afrika kusini ilikuwa zaidi au sawa na Marekani,hakuna unafuu.Weusi wa Afrika kusini wameuwawa,kubadaguliwa na kuteswa sana.Ni daima vizuri kuielewa vizuri historia ya Afrika kusini kabla na kutoa maoni yako.Kinyume na hivyo itakuwa ni kupotosha watu na kuandika tu kupitia hisia zako ambazo haziambatani na ukweli halisi.

Chemi Che-Mponda said...

Anonymous wa 5:24pm, asante kwa maoni.

Hata Marekani weusi wameuawa wengi sana. Ila kwa vile maisha ya mweusi haikuwa na thamani hakuna takwimu. Weusi walibaguliwa kwenye shule, sehemu za kukaa sehemu za kufanya shopping, majumba ya sinema, yaani walibaguliwa kila mahala. Tuseme kwa vile hali imekuwa nafasi tangu Civil Rights Act, watu wamesahau.