City Councilmember Birdseye delivers a rousing and personal speech at “Good Trouble Lives On” rally in Benicia – honoring the late John R. Lewis and protesting the Trump administration
By Kari Birdseye, July 17, 2025
Friends and neighbors from Benica, Vallejo and beyond…
We gather today to honor a giant of the American conscience, a moral compass who guided us through turbulent waters: Congressman John Lewis. He famously said, “If you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have a moral obligation to do something about it.” These are not merely words; they are a call to action, a blueprint for a life lived with purpose and courage.
John Lewis understood that the fight for civil rights was not a single battle, but an ongoing struggle, a relay race where each generation must carry the torch forward. He bore witness to unspeakable brutality, yet he never succumbed to bitterness or despair. His life was a testament to the power of persistent advocacy, to the belief that “We are one people, one family. And we cannot turn against each other. We have to turn to each other.”
Today, as we reflect on his legacy, we must also confront the echoes of past injustices in our present reality. The civil rights we hold dear, the very foundations of equality, are once again under assault. We have seen a systematic dismantling of protections, particularly impacting reproductive rights and the broader spectrum of equality for all.
Under the current administration, we have witnessed a relentless chipping away at reproductive freedom. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was a devastating blow, stripping away a fundamental right that had been enshrined for decades. We see efforts to restrict access to essential healthcare, to dictate personal medical decisions, and to deny individuals autonomy over their own bodies.
John Lewis was my Congressman when I was compelled to take my first volunteer job in Atlanta Georgia for NARAL, the National Abortion Rights Action League, now called Reproduction Freedom for All.
Now this was in the early to mid-1990’s when anti-abortion zealots were bombing clinics and pro-choice activists were combating increased restrictions on abortion access and defending the Roe v. Wade decision. In 1992 March for Women’s Lives drew hundreds of thousands to Washington D.C. to protest a Supreme Court case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, that was perceived as potentially overturning Roe v. Wade.
Well here we are, set back even farther today. This is not merely a legal debate; it is a profound civil rights issue, deeply connected to a woman’s right to control her destiny, her health, and her future.
As John Lewis said, “Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.”
Beyond reproductive rights, the principles of equality for all have also faced significant challenges. We’ve seen attempts to roll back protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, to undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and to create an environment where certain communities feel marginalized and threatened.
The very concept of “equal application” has been weaponized to justify discrimination, rather than to eradicate it. This is a betrayal of the ideals John Lewis fought so valiantly for. He believed in a beloved community, where “We must respect the dignity and worth of every human being.”
I had the honor and pleasure of shaking Congressman Lewis’ hand at an anti-gun violence rally in Vallejo in 2018, two years before we lost him. He was just as committed to good trouble then as he was when he was a key organizer and speaker at the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
So, what would John Lewis say to us today? I believe he would urge us to get into “good trouble, necessary trouble.” He would remind us that our “vote is precious, almost sacred,” – every single one of us. He would tell us not to be silent in the face of injustice, but to speak up, speak out, and make some noise.
The fight for civil rights is far from over. Let us carry his torch forward, ensuring that the promise of liberty and justice for all is not just a dream, but a lived reality for every single person in this nation.
Let us continue to strive for that more perfect union, where true equality reigns supreme. Let’s make some good trouble and some great noise. Thank you.
You must be logged in to post a comment.