President Obama led a ceremony today marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma, Ala. “Bloody Sunday” march, remembering the brave men and women who fought for civil rights in the 1960s. The events that took place at Selma are significant not only as a moment in American history, but as a symbol for all who fight for freedom, justice and equality.
One which many Iranian-Americans fighting for equality in their home country can relate to. Joining President Obama in Selma was U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who recalled being beaten by police on Edmund Pettus Bridge, 50 years ago. Lewis has served a leader for civil rights in the United States, carrying on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and has also stood with the Iranian people in their fight for freedom.
Iranian-American’s throughout the United States join Rep. Lewis in remembering the events that took place in Selma, and look to those events as a symbol of hope and persevere in the face of inequality and injustice. The events that took place in Selma, and the struggle for civil rights is applicable to the Iranian people, as this past week saw a number of executions carried out in Iran against ethnic and religious minorities within the country. These minority groups are routinely denied basic human rights and face political, economic and social discrimination.
OIAC honors the memory of all the brave men and women who fought for their rights in Selma, and hope that through the leadership of individuals Rep. John Lewis, we can continue our solidarity for freedom and justice and from Selma to Tehran.
Iranian police attack demonstrators Police attack demonstrators in Selma