"Living the Dream--Co-creating the Beloved Community of Humankind"

Nov. 11-19

A Week of Nonviolence Education and Action

By Judy Collins Cumbee

The song rings out, "Time oh time oh time is winding up. Time oh time oh time is winding up. So much corruption in the land. Why don't the people take a stand? Time is winding up."

Military commission hearings and torturous interrogations affirmed.

Habeas corpus ended.

No end in sight for ongoing wars.

They heed Dr. King's words, "There is such a thing as being too late." "A time comes when silence is betrayal."

The chant rises, "Fired up? Fired up! Ain't gonna take it no more."

"Fired up" and rising up to speak and sing! truth to power, 20 Echoes of Peace choir members from Minnesota and 15 Buddhist pilgrims from Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and even one from Cambodia sign up; 10 folks from Columbus, Georgia; 20 from the Wiregrass area along with individuals from Montgomery, Fredonia, Birmingham, Tuskegee, Auburn, Mobile, Royal, Huntsville; two come from Texas and one Californian represents 1000 Grandmothers converging the following weekend on Ft. Benning for the 17th annual demonstration to close SOA/WHINSEC (www.soaw.org). Most will gather in Alabama Nov. 12, to continue the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery through a 2006 march from Montgomery to Columbus GA, where they too will join the 1000 Grandmothers and about 19,000 other people from throughout the Americas.

But "Living the Dream--Co-creating the Beloved Community of Humankind" actually begins Nov. 11 with a "fired up" nonviolence orientation in Selma led by Rev. Fred Taylor, long time SCLC marcher/activist. This week of nonviolence education and action, Nov. 11-19 is envisioned to bring together veterans of the U.S. military, civil rights, and peace/justice movements along with students, singers, social workers, farmers, poets, professors. . .all "confronted with the fierce urgency of now..[who today]..rededicate [themselves] to the long, bitter but beautiful struggle for a new world" (MLK, 1967). Through the march and mass meetings in local communities every night they shall nonviolently speak truth to power, in turn believing everyone will be further empowered by the stories of people "living the dream" in their communities and around the world and by the Spirit of Love engendered in such a process.

Speakers include honorary co-chairs, SCLC national President Charles Steele and Kathy Kelly, twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (Kathy and The Rev. Kenny Glasgow, S.E. coordinator of the World Social Forum 2007, will be primary speakers in Opelika Nov. 16 at St. James Baptist Church, 7:00 p.m.; Pres. Steele speaks on behalf of the "Dream" at the culminating Nov. 19 vigil in Columbus). Organizers particularly encourage Alabamians--and others--to be in Montgomery for the Sunday, Nov 12, 3:30 rally at the state capitol. Tom Moss <mr.carlson@knology.net>, 256-468-5314, is organizing a group from Huntsville to attend both Nov. 12th rallies, at 1:00 in Selma, then driving to Mtgy for the 3:30 rally and finally walking the first few miles toward Columbus. Helen Hamilton Rivas <hhrivas@earthlink.net>, (205) 320-0490, is organizing a carpool from Birmingham.

Check out www.livingthedream2006.org and Join Us!

Contact Judy Collins Cumbee <judysi@knology.net>,

334-499-2380.