Oxfam Tour Blog: 18 May 2009

From WikiColdplay

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice EVERYWHERE

Hi folks!

We rolled in to Atlanta on Saturday where we had a day off and a chance to poke around the great ATL. Last night’s show at Lakewood Amphitheater was electrified by the overwhelming energy of the audience, most of whom watched the show in the cold rain! On a cold and soggy day like yesterday where one would expect fans to be moody, I was heartened by the overwhelming support for Oxfam as well.

This morning, I woke up in Birmingham, Alabama. We’ve been in the south for a few days now and the weight of the historical importance of cities like Atlanta and Birmingham is inescapable. These cities were home to key players in the non-violent civil rights movement , namely, Dr. Martin Luther King who was jailed in Birmingham for his role in the protests against racial segregation. It was from his jail cell that he wrote: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

On that note, I want you to Meet Jerry. He was one of the Oxfam volunteers last night and his story truly invigorated my passion for social justice.

Jerry learned about the trafficking of children in the US through a conversation with a new acquaintance and he quickly took action starting Second Life. His involvement with Second Life and Oxfam America embodies King’s idea. It just goes to show that the South is still an important place in the human rights movement.

Stay tuned for sign-up totals from West Palm Beach, Atlanta, and tonight and more news from the road, including how I fell in to the Oxfam road-case! Remember, if you want to join us, you can simply text VIVA to 30644.

Bye for now!

s

p.s. sorry for the bad video quality! This roadie learned two otherwise obvious things yesterday: 1. buy a raincoat! and 2. lighting is key when filming.

http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=167