I have asked Christine Haberkorn O'Malley to share with us on the topic of "Liberty and Justice for All". Christine is the Strategic Initiatives and Alliance Manager for Buckner Children and Family Services, Inc.
In the early stages of their education, U.S. school children receive instruction about the birth of this nation. It is a rich tapestry of strategic events, governing principles, and personal accounts. These lessons are layered within my family history as witnessed through the diary of a twenty-two year old ancestor, Israel Litchfield. Eighteen months of his diary survives as a firsthand account of the early months of the American Revolution.
Israel joined the southern militia of the Minutemen in Scituate, Massachusetts and writes about his experience as a keen observer of democracy, a vanguard for spiritual righteousness, and a dogmatic judge for those who fall outside cultural boundaries of decorum and civility. Israel writes a condemnation of the monarchy-favoring Tories, “Let every Tory in Every town, their Sordid bad Principles quickly lay down making humble Confession for their misdemeanor their Character then perhaps will Look Cleaner” (Litchfield, I., 1774). Israel’s strategy for freedom begins with a national character that incorporates the understanding that justice is a pursuit not a past-time.
Israel Litchfield’s narrative contains a prevailing view that is heavily weighted by an unflinching adherence to individual freedom that up until then was bound to a tyrannical monarchy. Israel’s perspective, filtered by a cultural lens, is entrenched in the ideals of freedom and hope that became the genesis for revolution, liberty, and promises for all. This weekend we will celebrate the 233rd anniversary of our independence. As a reminder of where we were, Israel’s diary serves as an imbedded personal narrative of U.S. independence that recalls memories of discarded tea, midnight rides, and musket carrying farmers. Israel’s story is a strategic assessment of how freedom and justice is a fundamental human right fought for by heroes for the glory of all.
In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. retold this history of liberty and democracy in his landmark civil rights speech, “I Have a Dream.” In it, King linked the architects of independence with the emancipator of slavery, Abraham Lincoln, as the early authors of hope for a young nation and its residents. The Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation, in King’s words, “became a note that conveyed a promise and a guarantee.” King’s version of the narrative’s events, however, exposed the nation’s delinquent adherence to the democratic doctrine of “inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” King asked a nation of diverse people to listen and invest itself in the care of the nation by becoming part of the solution. His strategy linked all humanity regardless of color to the cause of human rights and inequality because we all become the beneficiaries of the dream.
Forty six years have passed and we now negotiate a complex world where awareness shifts in a moment and knowledge erupts unceasingly. Technology links humanity in ways that is often immeasurable because there is just too much to know. Strategy in the 21st c. is not merely a plan only to be measured by outcome, but it is a series of actions derived from understanding patterns that are interchangeable and interactive. Outcome is no longer the end game; it is only the beginning of the next step. King knew this because the face of racism was not just about color. He offered a new strategy that embraced the unseen goodness of all without prejudice and invited humanity to confront a subtle realm that is transformative and paradoxical. King called for a strategy of faith and collaboration that will “transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. “ This strategy called for old topics to become framed with new questions about reasons, causes, meaning, and interpretation.
Strategy is a conduit that explores relationships between mission and objective by balancing social need and individuals with responsible management. Buckner’s strategic history is a microcosm for revolutionary values that seek to improve the lives of diverse people. It is no wonder we often talk about building a heritage for future generations through alliances. This weekend we not only celebrate our independence, but we also acknowledge the changes that have been made along an often rocky path. Strategy is not static mandate, but a transitioning force that compels us to move forward. Dr. King called forth a nation to unite, a message that evokes the essence of independence and justice for all so that “all men become equal.” Buckner’s mission devoted to improving the lives of vulnerable children and their families calls for new knowledge and strategic execution. This is the Buckner revolution for justice in the 21st c. that will declare independence on behalf of the “least of these.”
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