Insiders take Youll have the privilege of learning from someone who knows her or his topic inside-out. You just travel to some other part. With vivid details and a front-row perspective, Lewis, who died July 18, 2020, provides more than a memoir about the early civil rights movement and its leaders. What are some things that you are planning to do? LEWISWell, I think it's important for those of us who support marriage equality to continue to talk with these ministers, continue to educate them, to inform them. WAYNEGood morning. John Lewis grasps that if not acted, the gloominess just becomes more powerful. The reason for the success of this movement was partly this gift. Call us on 800-433-8850. I listened to the audiobook, and if I were reading this as a book, I would not have put it down. Here's a question for you from Brian, who says, "The right to vote is so critically important in our nation. Nobody could hurt him. People shouldn't judge individuals on the basis of race or color. Your highlights will appear here. Reading this book has given me hope and has renewed my resolve to keep working. Lewis is no pie-in-the-sky hippie. I was hit in the head by a state trooper with a billy club and had a concussion there on the bridge. A man's there, a Major John Cloud of the Alabama State Troopers, this is an unlawful march, you will not be allowed to continue, I give you three minutes to disperse and return to your church. Good morning, Congressman Lewis. We prepared ourselves. I learned so much about the Civil Rights movement, and what's more, the lessons he provides are timely today for the desire for change we see percolating in our society. APA format Lewis, John. REHMAnd welcome back. I'm Diane Rehm. By offering a spiritual and practical discussion about bigotry, discrimination and the quest for truth, Lewis provides a map for change. 800-433-8850. A helpful and/or enlightening book that combines two or more noteworthy strengths, e.g. Reading this on the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington was fitting. I thought we would be arrested and jailed. Thus, nothing could undermine your belief that your convictions are correct. Ironically, rush and more usually mean less. Mother Theresa, Study: Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Civil rights activists transformed the ongoing unjust situations for African Americans in the strongest country of the world in just 12 years. The obvious being his crossing of the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday (you can look here to see the John Lewis Bridge Project which seeks to rename this bridge after him), but the title is also very fitting because core to Lewis's belief system is the fact that to make progress with . Getting to know how life should be and constructing a plan for executing it. A contrast is called to mind between the aimless rioting and looting seen in present day, and the studied, planned, non-violent approaches of the earlier era, that led to an end of segregation and other injustices in the American South. Just like John Lewis and his counterparts inspired from the previous battles, activists in current times can take the civil rights movement as a template to influence the conditions in their world favorably. This book is a must read. REHMThanks for calling, Wayne. At its best, the book provides a testament to the power of nonviolence in social movements, with moving personal accounts of the Freedom Rides, such as when Lewis describes being physically beaten in South Carolina or sitting out a 40-day sentence in the unrelenting Parchman Farm prison in Mississippi. We will see less. To Fort Worth, Texas. Owning faith is being sure about your dreams like you are about the water is being liquid and the sky is being blue. I see some truth in his ideas, but his core beliefs are so liberal that it causes me to be a little skeptical about his practical advice. I was at Harvard. Thank you so much. In Across That Bridge, Congressman John Lewis draws from his experience as a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless wisdom, poignant recollections, and powerful principles for anyone interested in challenging injustices and inspiring real change toward a freer, more peaceful society. It's the most -- it is the thing that controls everything that we do from the time that we're born until the time that we die in democratic society. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Yet, even fifty years later, it is rare to find anyone who would use the word love to describe what we did. John Lewis was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th Congressional District. Students, fans and supporters of the civil rights movement repeatedly ask Congressman John Lewis the same question: How did you do it?Some wonder how Lewis and his peers pursued civil rights goals when they faced racism, police violence and jail sentences.Others ask how activists remained faithful to their lofty goals in the face of brutal hypocrisy. I highly recommend this book to readers who want to develop more meaning in their lives, advocates of social justice, or those who love to read about history. The late Congressman John Lewis takes you to a famous bridge where civil rights activists changed history. This is the strongest testament of Lewis for the strength of love in the face of brutal hate. But he says there is a unique hostility today that almost seems worse than what he experienced. This clause let anybody vote without any obstacle if their grandfathers had the right to vote. For beginners Youll find this to be a good primer if youre a learner with little or no prior experience/knowledge. Do join us by phone, by email. LEWISMore than three million people showed up at the polls at the last national election, and they were turned away. Does the risk for a prize that you might not see with your eyes pay off? How does one bring them along? When Lewis encountered hundreds of fully armed cops while standing up in the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, he did not even feel a tiny bit of fright of injury or death. I just have this strange feeling -- and one reason for writing this book "Across That Bridge" is to say to this generation of young people and people not so young that you too can be out there. LEWISWell, I think, first of all, the president, the congressional black caucus and many other members of the Congress, especially (unintelligible), have always been supportive of trade relations with Africa, countries in Africa and other parts of the world. Feel free to join us on Facebook or Twitter. We will hear less. John Lewis is an amazing human being, a true leader & has an unbelievable outlook on life today in America & the world which I find even more incredible because of the things he has lived through & endured. Barack Obama praised John Lewis at his funeral: Like many US citizens, I am greatly indebted to John Lewis and his powerful vision of freedom.. This exemplifies the potential of activism even in current days. However, a greater success of him was that he went beyond the pulpit to convey his message through action. Lots of pacifist protestors were ruthlessly battered, and hospitalization was needed for some of them. I thought I was going to die. REHMAnd just to follow up on that, Doug in New York wants to know how you would detail a plan to significantly shrink the gap between the wealthy and the middle and the lower classes of our country. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., the civil rights leader stands beneath a bust of Rev. We studied what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was all about in Montgomery and Rosa Park was all about. So you have to be prepared. LEWISMy brother, I appreciate your concern. Furthermore, he realized that apartheid was something fundamentally wrong because of wrong logic. Lewis talks in detail about how he was able, mentally and emotionally, to put himself into situations over and over where he faced hatred, incarceration, and violence. He appeared for Atlanta as a US Congressman for more than 30 years before his death in July 2020. The overall goal of CPN is to further develop a Our first son was born on Saturday, he came two months early and he is AMAZING. In Across That Bridge, Congressman John Lewis draws from his experience as a prominent leader of the civil rights movement to offer timeless wisdom, poignant recollections, and powerful principles for anyone interested in challenging injustices and inspiring real change toward a freer, more peaceful society. When the police intervened, he refused to sue. For the past year,Carole Martinand I have been co-facilitating a network leadership program supported by the Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund called theCommunity Practitioners Network(CPN). Eloquent Youll enjoy a masterfully written or presented text. He successfully guided activists along the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama where they encountered armed state soldiers. WAYNEAnd also when speaking of the congressional black caucus in reference to Treyvon Martin, they said nothing during the whole episode or when it first hit the papers of let's let the legal system work, let's see where the evidence comes down. A book from 2012 that is so appropriate at this time in our country. In the final book published before his passing, Across That Bridge, Congressman John Lewis draws from his experience as a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement to offer timeless wisdom, poignant recollections, and powerful principles for anyone interested in challenging injustices and inspiring real change toward a freer, more peaceful . I have always admired John Lewis. You can reach it just by being attentive to the environment that surrounds you. But still today not receiving the proper education to help them mold our new vision of ourselves and the way the country can be. They were hit, disparaged with words, and imprisoned. Whatever we select for our library has to excel in one or the other of these two core criteria: Enlightening Youll learn things that will inform and improve your decisions. King could use this money to establish a safe and sound living outside the hazardous South. from John Lewiss Across That BridgeAuthor: Lewis, John Publisher: Hyperion Illustration: N Language: ENG . He was actually born in Alabama. After three days, your trial will expire automatically. We learned how to go to the Moon, but why could not we learn how to live peacefully together? And let's go back to the march through the middle of the Tea Party rally in 2010 where the accusations were that they had racial slurs thrown at them, but in this digital age, there was not a single picture, not a single recording of any racial slurs during that entire time. Published in 1993, it is narrated by Sylvie Castelli, who remembers a time when she went on a walk with her mother near the Parisian Place de la Concorde. LEWIShave used the filibuster, but it's time for us to say that it should be no more. We don't know how to say I'm sorry, excuse me, pardon me. For his audience, Lewis targets Occupy protestors, and members of the movement will draw lessons from the anecdotes that are the heart of the book. The way to reach the truth is not only studying academically. Yes, it is particularly applicable in activism. The trouble with reviewing an audio book, especially one that I took 6 months to list/read, is it is hard to remember things. drpodcast@wamu.org, 4401 Connecticut Avenue NW|Washington, D.C. 20008|(202) 885-1200. He thought that the eventual aim of Americas developers was alike: Making it easy, not challenging for every citizen to follow their dreams. Although it has been decades since the historic social upheavals of the 1960s, Americans continue to look to the Civil Rights Movement as the apotheosis of political expression. We must respect the dignity and the worth of every human being and everybody must be included. Individuals, members of the caucus, like other members of Congress and other black leaders took position, but I don't think the black caucus took a position. We're better people than that. I've long held this position and I attend a lot of churches in my district in Georgia. People believe she was a legend because she rejected handing over her place on the bus to a white person. Instead, such violence would conceal Wilsons fault and it would be much harder for him to realize his guilt and accept it boldly. Not in the aftermath of trials to wreck the presidents heritage, the militarization of police, and arming the government to make it a representative to persecute. Our guest is Congressman John Lewis, Democrat from Georgia's 5th congressional district and author of a newly released historical narrative titled, "Across T. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. Thank you, Diane, and an honor to be with you this morning. Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooksif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'goodbooksummary_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_2',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-goodbooksummary_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); https://goodbooksummary.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Across+That+Bridge+by+John+Lewis+Book+Summary+-+Review.pdf, https://goodbooksummary.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Across+That+Bridge+by+John+Lewis+Book+Summary+-+Review.epub, I'm a software engineer. Now 65, he and Diane revisit his provocative essay. WAYNEI'm gonna go on the opposite side of the aisle for a little bit. I think what the president and others are going through would encounter the whole question of whether there's legal, born here or not born here, you know, it's shameful. I like to play soccer too :) Good Reads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/106467014-sava-ate, Employee to Entrepreneur by Steve Glaveski [Book Summary - Review]. You're welcome to be part of the conversation. I have the feeling you had a particular bridge in mind when you titled that book. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. REHMYou have to, of course, have all the facts. And I've thought more people would be united like, you know, young adults. With her legendary act of nonaggressive rejection, she was aiming to test her new faith in the possibility of integration. RIP John Lewis and THANK YOU! Speak up when you see something that is not fair or just. John Lewis organized the March on Washington with MLK, served on the Atlanta City Council, and was a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. I have tremendous respect for John Lewis as a man of courage, principle, and action so it pains me to give him a mediocre rating. Furthermore, at the time we approve this truth, it will be challenging to turn back to the old thinking and live comfortably with it. Till the 1960s, to prevent African Americans from using their rights, the government of the Alabama State and the Ku Klux Klan tried every way they could. However, he never used violence and not even raised a hand to the assailants to defend himself. Did you have a belief that you know it is true within all of your veins? Lewis, John. In 2014 Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel wrote in The Atlantic that he planned to refuse medical treatment after age 75. You're on the air. Finally, Lewis is too liberal for my political views. He thought that we came to life to perform our abilities completely so that our possibility to glow could be seen by everyone. And these young people, they get the message of the civil rights movement. Representative Lewis spent three decades building bridges, working across the aisle with folks with whom he shared fundamentally different beliefs while never losing sight of his life's mission - civil rights for all. Good morning to you. 8 Very good. United States. LEWISWell, thank you so much. ALEXI just wanted to call in and say that you're an inspiration to me, particularly in my generation. In the end, these guns ruled the nation.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'goodbooksummary_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_18',117,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-goodbooksummary_com-narrow-sky-2-0'); Lewis was among the core 13 Freedom Riders. REHMJohn Lewis, Congressman from Georgia. You also have this chance. We were consciously aware that unity was our ultimate goal, and if that was truly our aim, we had come to grips with the fact that after all the warring was done, reconciliation, love, and forgiveness would have the final say.. Currently, activists of the Arab Spring, Black Lives Matter, and the Occupy Movement are battling the same wars that were battled in the civil rights movement. And you're listening to "The Diane Rehm Show." Across that Bridge: A vision for change and the future for of America. They are again concerned with their responsibilities for the democratic process. He read all the newspapers and history, the theory of politics, and philosophy books . John Bazemore / AP You visit the reservations, the way Native Americans have been treated. 14 day loan required to access EPUB and PDF files. He built the book around several practices that are essential for social justice work: faith, patience, study, truth, peace, love and reconciliation. Winner of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work/Biography. Lewis, John, 1940 February 21-> Philosophy. Hes a national treasure and we need to hear more from him. Even at the highest level of our government, you see members of the Congress putting down other members, putting down the President of the United States. Technological advances have made many things easier, yet trying to concentrate has become considerably more difficult. Lots of people, including politicians and citizens, are not ready for this devotion. He saw obviously that the disparity that governed his world was not correct. Lewis makes frequent references to examples from history, and the words of peaceful leaders of the past, to support his points. LEWISYou know, during the '60s, the late A. Philip Randolph used to say when people talk about where people are from, he say, well, maybe our foremothers and our forefathers all came to this great land in different ships, we all in the same boat now. BILLGood morning, Diane. He bears witness to the ways in which these practices came together in the Civil Rights Movement, and particularly in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, to create a context where the movement was modeling the kind of world it was striving to create. This expression of regret would not have happened if Lewis has sued or defended himself with violence on that day. 237 Previews . It takes time but it can be done. Dr. Martin Luther King, as well as Lewis ministry. 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