The Long Struggle

Dear John Lewis,

In these pages, you showed just how much needed to be done by African Americans in their constant battle for voting rights. Their many non-violent protests as well as their days upon days of waiting just for the chance to vote. Even with you and other heads of the SNCC taking many business trips (though frowned upon for doing so) to spread your experiences between yourselves and the youth. That paired with your constant efforts to keep the movement going, regardless of what your political advisors said, showed me just how serious this movement was for you, and how strongly you felt about your home. You weren’t going to wait around for the politicians to decide things for you since it means nothing if you yourselves aren’t being truly represented. It instilled confidence in me with how bold you and the remainder of the SNCC were in your persistent actions. One thing that did get to me a little (though in a different way) was your various out of town trips to spread the knowledge of your movement. It struck me as a little odd and almost had me agreeing with the general members of the SNCC as it sounds very expensive to do with seemingly little results to it. Did you ever feel as if you were doing the wrong thing? Or did the stress ever bother with you and ever make you want to quit?

 

As far as dealing with these issues currently, social media is the way. Once posted to social media, twitter would have picked this up and your persistence would have kept your struggle relevant. This would have forced the government’s hand and it would have saved you the effort of flying out to spread your experience with the youth.

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