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The word ‘hero’ is overused but it’s truly fitting for John Lewis

Posted on by Moni Basu
I love driving by this mural that is not too far from my home in Atlanta.

When is the last time I cried over the death of a public figure or a politician? I can’t remember, really. Perhaps it was when Indira Gandhi was assassinated. I was young then and mourned the woman I had idolized in childhood. Beyond politics, she served as a role model for Indian girls of my generation.

Last night, I cried when I heard the news that John Lewis had lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. I grieved the death of a tireless fighter for freedom and justice. Continue readingThe word ‘hero’ is overused but it’s truly fitting for John Lewis

Civil rights leader takes heat for stand on Confederate monuments

Posted on by Moni Basu

I heard Andrew Young say this morning that it’s a waste of time to protest Confederate monuments. That energy, he said on NPR’s Morning Edition, should be reserved to continue the struggle to end poverty and the racial injustice that still exists in America. Young’s position was perhaps unexpected given his vast experience in civil …

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An ugly and jarring reminder

Posted on by Moni Basu

There it was, posted on a light pole outside my house — a flier that made my heart skip a few beats. “The KKK Wants you. The Loyal White Knights Neighborhood Watch.” I’ve seen several of these fliers around in Atlanta intown neighborhoods. Two others were posted in front of homes I know are owned …

Continue reading “An ugly and jarring reminder”

Rest in Peace, Madiba

Posted on by Moni Basu

The world turned dark today. Nelson Mandela flew away. To a better place than this world. My memories take me back to when I was a child in India, to class IV current events class, where I first learned about the cruelty and viscousness of apartheid. And then to my days at Florida State University, …

Continue reading “Rest in Peace, Madiba”

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