SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Original Selma Organizer Refused to March Alongside Bush
Civil rights movement leader Diane Nash calls former President George W. Bush's attendance at Selma anniversary "an insult to people who believe in nonviolence"
Mar 09, 2015
Noted civil rights organizer and activist Diane Nash, who had led the initial walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, boycotted the 50th anniversary commemoration march this weekend because of the "insulting" participation of former President George W. Bush.
Nash told NewsOne Now on Saturday that she "refused to march" once it was apparent that the former president "was going to be a part of it."
"I think the Selma Movement was about nonviolence and peace and democracy and George Bush stands for just the opposite--for violence and war and stolen elections," said Nash.
Nash, along with her husband at the time James Bevel and a handful of others, co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and initiated the Alabama Voting Rights Project, which culminated in the infamous Selma to Montgomery marches. During one attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, activists were violently attacked by local police forces, an encounter that was caught on camera by local news sources and broadcasted widely, drawing national attention to the southern civil rights movement.
During the brief interview with NewsOne, Nash also referenced the Bush administration's use of torture, adding that she "thought that this was not an appropriate event for him."
"George Bush's presence is an insult to me and to people who really do believe in nonviolence," Nash continued, voicing concern that the nonviolent legacy of the Selma Movement would now be "confused."
A vocal proponent of the principle of nonviolence, in addition to her role in organizing the Alabama Voting Rights Project, Nash is also credited with helping launch the initial lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville as well as the Freedom Rider bus desegregation efforts. Because of her leadership, Nash was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to a national committee that prepared for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"Back in the 1960's we did not know if nonviolence would work," Nash told NewsOne. "Now we know that it does." Nash said that she thought the Selma March anniversary "should have been a celebration of nonviolence," which she added, was "definitely one of the most significant social inventions of the 20th century."
The entire NewsOne interview with Diane Nash can be viewed below.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Noted civil rights organizer and activist Diane Nash, who had led the initial walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, boycotted the 50th anniversary commemoration march this weekend because of the "insulting" participation of former President George W. Bush.
Nash told NewsOne Now on Saturday that she "refused to march" once it was apparent that the former president "was going to be a part of it."
"I think the Selma Movement was about nonviolence and peace and democracy and George Bush stands for just the opposite--for violence and war and stolen elections," said Nash.
Nash, along with her husband at the time James Bevel and a handful of others, co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and initiated the Alabama Voting Rights Project, which culminated in the infamous Selma to Montgomery marches. During one attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, activists were violently attacked by local police forces, an encounter that was caught on camera by local news sources and broadcasted widely, drawing national attention to the southern civil rights movement.
During the brief interview with NewsOne, Nash also referenced the Bush administration's use of torture, adding that she "thought that this was not an appropriate event for him."
"George Bush's presence is an insult to me and to people who really do believe in nonviolence," Nash continued, voicing concern that the nonviolent legacy of the Selma Movement would now be "confused."
A vocal proponent of the principle of nonviolence, in addition to her role in organizing the Alabama Voting Rights Project, Nash is also credited with helping launch the initial lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville as well as the Freedom Rider bus desegregation efforts. Because of her leadership, Nash was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to a national committee that prepared for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"Back in the 1960's we did not know if nonviolence would work," Nash told NewsOne. "Now we know that it does." Nash said that she thought the Selma March anniversary "should have been a celebration of nonviolence," which she added, was "definitely one of the most significant social inventions of the 20th century."
The entire NewsOne interview with Diane Nash can be viewed below.
Lauren McCauley
Lauren McCauley is a former senior editor for Common Dreams covering national and international politics and progressive news. She is now the Editor of Maine Morning Star. Lauren also helped produce a number of documentary films, including the award-winning Soundtrack for a Revolution and The Hollywood Complex, as well as one currently in production about civil rights icon James Meredith. Her writing has been featured on Newsweek, BillMoyers.com, TruthDig, Truthout, In These Times, and Extra! the newsletter of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. She currently lives in Kennebunk, Maine with her husband, two children, a dog, and several chickens.
Noted civil rights organizer and activist Diane Nash, who had led the initial walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, boycotted the 50th anniversary commemoration march this weekend because of the "insulting" participation of former President George W. Bush.
Nash told NewsOne Now on Saturday that she "refused to march" once it was apparent that the former president "was going to be a part of it."
"I think the Selma Movement was about nonviolence and peace and democracy and George Bush stands for just the opposite--for violence and war and stolen elections," said Nash.
Nash, along with her husband at the time James Bevel and a handful of others, co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and initiated the Alabama Voting Rights Project, which culminated in the infamous Selma to Montgomery marches. During one attempt to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, activists were violently attacked by local police forces, an encounter that was caught on camera by local news sources and broadcasted widely, drawing national attention to the southern civil rights movement.
During the brief interview with NewsOne, Nash also referenced the Bush administration's use of torture, adding that she "thought that this was not an appropriate event for him."
"George Bush's presence is an insult to me and to people who really do believe in nonviolence," Nash continued, voicing concern that the nonviolent legacy of the Selma Movement would now be "confused."
A vocal proponent of the principle of nonviolence, in addition to her role in organizing the Alabama Voting Rights Project, Nash is also credited with helping launch the initial lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville as well as the Freedom Rider bus desegregation efforts. Because of her leadership, Nash was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to a national committee that prepared for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"Back in the 1960's we did not know if nonviolence would work," Nash told NewsOne. "Now we know that it does." Nash said that she thought the Selma March anniversary "should have been a celebration of nonviolence," which she added, was "definitely one of the most significant social inventions of the 20th century."
The entire NewsOne interview with Diane Nash can be viewed below.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy