Wow

We are back in the hotel and I am watching CNN and they are talking about people promoting throwing bricks through the office buildings and homes of democratic congresspeople. This hurts my heart after the day we had today. We started out in Selma spending the morning with Joanne Bland who gave us a tour of the places important in the movement as well telling her story of risking her life in the Selma to Montgomery march.

Then this afternoon, we went to Birmingham to tour the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. At this museum we were able to learn more about many of the places we already visited as well as a whole lot about the bombings and protests in Birmingham, specifically the bombing of 16th Street Baptist where 4 little girls were killed.

After touring the museum, a group of us went and sat on the steps of the church and discussed our thoughts on what we have learned so far and what we can do to continue the movement in our own ways. Someone inside the church saw our small group and invited us in to tour the church. My heart had that uneasy feeling that comes with knowing you are someplace something very awful has happened. We were able to see some of the orginal items including the clock that stopped at 10:22, the moment the bomb went off.

This day was very inspiring and I am so excited to know that the students on this trip are getting ready to find their own way to make the world a better and more fair place. I have no doubt that they will work to stop the hate that is still alive and well here in the USA.