alternatehistory.com
Walking on Sunshine
Walking on Sunshine
The date of April 10th is today well known as Hubert Humphrey day, or perhaps, Hube day to many of the newest generation. It's a day of celebration and relaxation, as children and adults alike enjoy a work free monday. The first april 10th following the infamous Morehouse Shooting however, was anything but a celebration. In the wake of a national tragedy, in a day where a nation placed a beloved figure to rest, to be "Free at last", more violence had taken yet another great man.
Now, after a night of tension and fear, after looting and violence had sparked once again in cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, the nation prepared to see the outcome of the hatred. For the second time in less than a week, LBJ would announce a day of National Mourning. News reports would continue to cover the site of the attack and the ongoing police investigation. It seemed clear, however, that the culprit was dead. That did not stop all news networks from interviewing every possible witness on site, and from showing images of the funeral on a continuous loop. Then it was announced that President Johnson would speak in front of congress, to both the government, and the american people.
The famous " Peaceful Warrior" Speech is generally regarded as LBG's greatest discourse during his presidency. If not his most grandiose action, certainly the most appealing to both ends of the spectrum. Democrat and Republican, black and white, young and old, all sought re-assurance in that tumultuous day. Had it been any other moment in american history, and such a speech might have been seen as one of the greatest in Democratic Party history. But the period being what it was, it isn't even regarded as the most famous of the week. The speech was televised to a massive audience. Most television sets had not been turned of since the coverage of the funeral and shooting. People wanted to see the government response.
Being over 25 minutes long, it was meant to heal the wounds of such a catastrophe, the second one in a week. Although the entire speech itself carried great importance to that moment, it was the "Peaceful Warrior" section that gave the speech it's nickname, and it's spot in history
"Hubert Horatio Humphrey was a warrior. A warrior like few others ever seen in these halls of government. He stood for liberty, he stood for justice, and he stood for equality. When so many chose to look the other way to injustice, when my own party looked the other way, Humphrey was there, showing the errors of Segregation. When prejudice and ignorance ruled, Humphrey was there to push for a better future. A future were the rights of all were respected, not based on their color, but on their humanity. The Civil Rights act might have been signed by me, but it was the creation, and the acomplishment of Humphrey. It was inside these walls that he fought his greatest battles. Not violently, for he knew violence in the end cannot bring us victory. He fought with peace. In this dark days of violence and hatred, let us not walk into the shadows of division and inequality. Instead let us follow the example of this peaceful warrior, and all the others that came before him. Let us walk into the sunshine."
The speech succeded in it's main goal. It kept the nation together, it even brought on hope that the future might be brighter than the last days. It seemed like a fitting eulogy for the legacy of Hubert Humphrey, and to many it rejuvenated the image and spirit of the LBJ In the days following the speech there was much speculation about Johnson possibly deciding to run for a second term after all. His successor, after all, was gone.
The next day Bobby Kennedy left his hospital room and gave us his second Aeschylus. And just like that, to many, the future seemed clearer.
Johnson during his "Peaceful Warrior" speech before Congress, April 10th, 1968
HhH- Epilogue, Bobby lewinson
..............
Got some free time today and couldn't wait for the weekend. Short, but the next one will be longer, and will only arrive on saturday or sunday, ok maybe this friday but no promisses.
The date of April 10th is today well known as Hubert Humphrey day, or perhaps, Hube day to many of the newest generation. It's a day of celebration and relaxation, as children and adults alike enjoy a work free monday. The first april 10th following the infamous Morehouse Shooting however, was anything but a celebration. In the wake of a national tragedy, in a day where a nation placed a beloved figure to rest, to be "Free at last", more violence had taken yet another great man.
Now, after a night of tension and fear, after looting and violence had sparked once again in cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, the nation prepared to see the outcome of the hatred. For the second time in less than a week, LBJ would announce a day of National Mourning. News reports would continue to cover the site of the attack and the ongoing police investigation. It seemed clear, however, that the culprit was dead. That did not stop all news networks from interviewing every possible witness on site, and from showing images of the funeral on a continuous loop. Then it was announced that President Johnson would speak in front of congress, to both the government, and the american people.
The famous " Peaceful Warrior" Speech is generally regarded as LBG's greatest discourse during his presidency. If not his most grandiose action, certainly the most appealing to both ends of the spectrum. Democrat and Republican, black and white, young and old, all sought re-assurance in that tumultuous day. Had it been any other moment in american history, and such a speech might have been seen as one of the greatest in Democratic Party history. But the period being what it was, it isn't even regarded as the most famous of the week. The speech was televised to a massive audience. Most television sets had not been turned of since the coverage of the funeral and shooting. People wanted to see the government response.
Being over 25 minutes long, it was meant to heal the wounds of such a catastrophe, the second one in a week. Although the entire speech itself carried great importance to that moment, it was the "Peaceful Warrior" section that gave the speech it's nickname, and it's spot in history
"Hubert Horatio Humphrey was a warrior. A warrior like few others ever seen in these halls of government. He stood for liberty, he stood for justice, and he stood for equality. When so many chose to look the other way to injustice, when my own party looked the other way, Humphrey was there, showing the errors of Segregation. When prejudice and ignorance ruled, Humphrey was there to push for a better future. A future were the rights of all were respected, not based on their color, but on their humanity. The Civil Rights act might have been signed by me, but it was the creation, and the acomplishment of Humphrey. It was inside these walls that he fought his greatest battles. Not violently, for he knew violence in the end cannot bring us victory. He fought with peace. In this dark days of violence and hatred, let us not walk into the shadows of division and inequality. Instead let us follow the example of this peaceful warrior, and all the others that came before him. Let us walk into the sunshine."
The speech succeded in it's main goal. It kept the nation together, it even brought on hope that the future might be brighter than the last days. It seemed like a fitting eulogy for the legacy of Hubert Humphrey, and to many it rejuvenated the image and spirit of the LBJ In the days following the speech there was much speculation about Johnson possibly deciding to run for a second term after all. His successor, after all, was gone.
The next day Bobby Kennedy left his hospital room and gave us his second Aeschylus. And just like that, to many, the future seemed clearer.
Johnson during his "Peaceful Warrior" speech before Congress, April 10th, 1968
HhH- Epilogue, Bobby lewinson
..............
Got some free time today and couldn't wait for the weekend. Short, but the next one will be longer, and will only arrive on saturday or sunday, ok maybe this friday but no promisses.