W środę zebraliśmy się ponownie na ceremonii upamiętniającej 23. rocznicę ataków terrorystycznych z 11 września.
"I was joined by the students from the 8th grade, and we opened the ceremony with a performance of Bob Dylan’s song “The Times They Are A-Changin’.” We were accompanied by Mr. Stuart and Ms. Maggie, both of whom played the guitar. After the song, I spoke to the students. I pointed out that as was the case with most of Bob Dylan’s social-consciousness songs, it was directed at young people. After all, we traditionally look to the young for the change that can bring a better world; they are the movers and shakers of tomorrow. It is our job to guide – and inspire – them today. I told them that when I was a kid, I had two heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the inspirational leader of the Civil Rights movement, and Bobby Kennedy, the younger brother of President John Kennedy. Bobby was the senator from the state of New York and was running for president in 1968. Of course, Dr. King had many adult supporters, but he was much admired by young people. We weren’t old enough to vote, but my friends and I loved Bobby Kennedy. His spirit spoke to our idealism and sense of optimism. On April 4th 1968, Dr. King was shot and killed by a racist who didn’t want Dr. King’s vision of a world of equality, fairness, and decency to become a reality, a world, as MLK said, where his children would be judged by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin. The next day, April 5th, Bobby delivered a speech about violence. What did violence ever accomplish, he asked, what did it ever create? The answer, of course, is nothing. Bobby condemned the violence that resulted in the killing of Dr. King. But then he expanded his definition of violence. He talked about the violence of poverty and hunger. About schools without books, and homes without heat in the winter. And he talked about the violence of indifference and inaction in the face of injustice and inequality. I then asked our young people to think about the violence in our own community: the violence of unkindness; the violence of intolerance of others’ opinions and ideas; the violence of excluding people, of forming groups that keep others out... because they’re not “cool” enough. In his speech, Bobby went on to say that those of us who reject violence have a special bond and common bond – a bond of faith, a bond of hope. Sadly, Bobby Kennedy himself was shot and killed, just two months later, June 5, 1968. As sad as these deaths were, these two men are not forgotten, and neither is their message. The new plaque on our memorial oak tree, which we planted as a seedling in 2002 in honor of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks, says “We will never forget.” And in that way, Dr. King and Bobby live on – in their message of fairness, justice, equality, hope, and love. It is up to us to make sure that, with their inspiration, we do what we can to make the world a better place. That is the reason we meet every year and remember."
Mr. John
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