I HAVE A DREAM

The fight for equal rights of all sections of society has been a ceaseless struggle in the national life of the USA. This feature of the national experience is reflected perfectly in the SAMVA USA chart in terms of the natal potential in the horoscope but also in terms of the planetary periods operating and the transit influences involved in the timing of the significant events, both good and bad.

The origins of communal discord may be traced back to the colonial culture of slavery in the 17th century. After the magnanimous founding of the United States, many felt it increasingly hard to reconcile the evil practice of slavery against the God-given rights of all men enshrined in the US Constitution. From the middle of the 19th century, there began a steady push to abolish this cruel and unjust practice in the USA, leading to the Civil War in 1861-1865. The next big push forward was the civil rights movement of the 20th century. Most recently, the issue of race relations has been reflected in the election of a man of African American descent to the position of US President. The following astrological analysis shows the capacity of the SAMVA USA chart to accurately reflect this complex social dynamic.

A brief history of race relations in the USA
Slavery in the United States had its origins with the first English colonization of North America in Virginia in 1607, although African slaves were brought to Spanish Florida as early as the 1560s. Slavery lasted as a legal institution in the U.S. until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1865.[1] Civil War broke out due to the irreconcilable differences of Northern and Southern states on the slavery issue. Following the war, former slaves in the South were given political authority by the Northern political establishment during the Reconstruction. This eventually caused a backlash in the South and the "nadir of American race relations" is a phrase referring to the period in United States history from the end of Reconstruction to the beginning of the 20th Century, when racism was deemed to be worse than in any other post-bellum period. During this period, African Americans lost many civil rights gains made during Reconstruction. Anti-black violence, lynchings, segregation, legal racial discrimination, and expressions of white supremacy increased.[2] Typical of mass racial violence in the United States were the numerous public spectacles where nearly 5,000 black Americans were murdered by white American lynch mobs between 1890 and 1960. [3] The African-American Civil Rights Movement (1955–1968) refers to the reform movements in the United States aimed at outlawing racial discrimination against African Americans and restoring Suffrage in Southern states. By 1966, the emergence of the Black Power Movement, which lasted roughly from 1966 to 1975, enlarged the aims of the Civil Rights Movement to include racial dignity, economic and political self-sufficiency, and freedom from oppression by whites.[4] In the second half of the 20th century, a white supremacist movement re-emerged based on the belief of some white people that they are superior to people of other racial backgrounds.[5]

The astrology of communal strife
The prime influence is the bad placement of VENUS, as 4th lord of communal harmony, in the 6th house of conflict. This placement suggests the communal harmony is beset by conflict. This tendency becomes aggravated by the placement of functional malefic planet KETU in conjunction with the most effective point of the 4th house. This afflicting aspect adds a separative quality to the sense of community. The FM planet RAHU also aspects and thus afflicts the 6th house of conflict, where the 4th lord is placed. This influence adds potential for crisis with regard to the issue of conflict. Indeed, the Civil War was a major crisis intended to expunge slavery from the national life, at the risk of tearing apart the country. Moreover, JUPITER, as 6th lord of conflict, is placed in the 5th house of creativity, from where it aspects the MOON as 1st lord of self, itself placed in the 11th house of hopes and ideals. This adds a quality of fixity or persistence to the self-image of the Americans and their goals. The US participation in WW II and Cold War is a testimony to their ideals to stamp out "wrong" in the world, i.e. the Nazis in WW II and Commies in the Cold War. Adding to this we can note the aspect of SATURN as 8th lord of obstacles and endings in the 5th house to the SUN as 2nd lord of wealth and status, as well as the leader of the country. This aspect adds obstacles and endings to the wealth and status of the country as well as its leader . More so as KETU also afflicts the 8th house and RAHU afflicts the 2nd house. The chart speaks of significant challenges for the communal harmony and crisis related to its attainment through resolving injustices.

"I have a Dream"
One of the most significant events in the civil rights campaign of the 20th century occurred in the summer of 1963, when the leaders of the African American community organised a mass march on Washington to press their demands for civil rights legislation. This would have placed some strain on the young President, John F Kennedy and his administration. The day is now remembered as one of the finest expressions of the hopes and wishes of the African American community.

The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was a large political rally that took place in Washington , D.C. on August 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech advocating racial harmony at the Lincoln Memorial during the march. The speech is considered to have altered the consciousness of the white community and the world with regard to segregation and unequal treatment of non-white races.

"There, he raised public consciousness of the civil rights movement and established himself as one of the greatest orators in U.S. history."[6]

King delivered his historic speech at around 5.00 pm.

"The size of the crowd -- which swelled to an estimated 250,000 -- led television networks to shift gears and show the march live. At 2 p.m., A. Philip Randolph, delivered the first speech. King began his stirring oration about three hours later."[7]

The march is widely credited as helping to pass the Civil Rights Act (1964) and the National Voting Rights Act (1965).[8]

Astrology of the event
As the horoscope above shows, at this time, the SATURN-SUN period was operating. Transit SUN was strong and well placed at 11° Leo and 2nd house in exact conjunction with the 4th lord VENUS. The day is remembered for its good feeling and authoritative expression of the desires of these peoples for equality. Such influences of fast moving planets has earlier been described in another article.[9] At the same time, the FMs in the chart were massively afflicting during the latter part of the summer and into the Autumn. Transit 8th lord SATURN was stationary conjunct the natal 2nd lord Sun. This aspect led to the assassination of President John F Kennedy on November 22, 1963. In late August, SATURN was also aspecting transit 6th lord Jupiter in the 9th house, suggestive of violence. However, while King had been hounded by violence earlier in the Spring, the negative energy was expressed with non-violent determination, based on Gandhi's philosophy of peaceful resistance. Transit KETU was conjunct natal 4th lord VENUS and transit RAHU was in the 12th house, further bringing out the energy of the separation and non-acceptance of blacks by the white community. 3rd lord Mercury, 10th lord MARS and 1st lord MOON were all well placed, but MARS and MOON were afflicted in transit.

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Passing of the Civil Rights Act

When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Bill into law on July 2, 1964 he prefaced it with remarks that were broadcast from the White House at 6:45 p.m. that evening.

"My fellow Americans: I am about to sign into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I want to take this occasion to talk to you about what that law means to every American....My fellow citizens, we have come now to a time of testing. We must not fail. Let us close the springs of racial poison. Let us pray for wise and understanding hearts. Let us lay aside irrelevant differences and make our Nation whole. Let us hasten that day when our unmeasured strength and our unbounded spirit will be free to do the great works ordained for this Nation by the just and wise God who is the Father of us all. Thank you and good night. [10]

In other words, Johnson appealed for his country men to close the racial divide.

Legend has it that as he put down his pen Johnson told an aide, referring to the Democratic Party:

.

"We have lost the South for a generation." [11]

Astrology of the event

As in the Civil War, there were conflicting views on this piece of major legislation, which altered race relations in the country dramatically. The transits in the SAMVA USA chart at that time bespeak of the following dynamic:

SATURN-MOON period was operating. The sub-period lord, transit 1st lord MOON, was at 18° 56' Pisces and thus conjunct the most effective point (MEP) of the 9th house and aspecting the 3rd house. This suggests a moment where the American's sense of self was at its most altruistic. Transit 2nd lord SUN was at 17° 40's Gemini and 12th house under exact aspect from natal KETU, which afflicts the 4th house. The President felt strongly the ongoing influences of racial tensions at the signing, and hence his reported comment about the loss (12th house issue) of political support in the South. With transit 3rd lord MERCURY at 24° 25' Gemini in 12th house, it was in mutual aspect with the natal 4th lord VENUS at 23° 50' Sagittarius in the 6th house. The lord of initiative had been brought to fruition to ensure the civil rights of all, thus reducing the future tensions. Transit 6th lord JUPITER at 24° 58' Aries and 10th house was aspecting natal 4th lord VENUS in the 6th house. The issue of conflict over communal harmony was being altered with new laws and changes to the government administration (10th house issue). Transit MARS as 10th lord of laws was at 17° 34' Taurus and thus conjunct the MEP of the 11th house of ideals and aspecting the 5th house of children, suggests the law and administration influenced the ideals and off-spring of the country. Last but not least, transit 4th lord VENUS was at 28° 26' Taurus in the 11th house where it was in mutual aspect to 8th lord SATURN at 26° 46' Scorpio and 5th house. While the 8th house and lord rule over obstacles and endings, they also endow legitimacy. Accordingly, the law altered the 'legitimacy' of race relations in the country and thus the basis of communal harmony itself.

Death of a civil rights leader
Recently, the US politician Edward Kennedy died. He was a national leader in the fight for civil rights in the USA and most recently for a national health care system. He was also a backer of President Obama.

Senator Edward M. Kennedy dies at 77
Globe - August 26, 2009
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who carried aloft the torch of a Massachusetts dynasty and championed a liberal ideology during almost a half century in the Senate, but whose personal and political failings may have prevented him from realizing the ultimate prize of the presidency, died Tuesday night at his home in Hyannis Port. He was 77 and had been battling brain cancer.[12]

Astrology of the event

At the time of his death transit 4th lord VENUS (communal harmony) was exactly conjunct transit KETU (separation) under afflicting aspect from natal 6th lord JUPITER (health) in the SAMVA USA chart. Meanwhile, transit JUPITER (powerful men) was exactly afflicted by natal 8th lord SATURN (obstacles and endings). Transit 3rd lord MERCURY (communication) was in 3rd house under close aspect of transit RAHU (cancer disease) in the 7th house. A voice for reform fell silent due to a terminal illness.

The SAMVA USA chart captures these and many more significant events relating to this dynamic in American national life vividly.

References
[1] Slavery in colonial America
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_the_United_States
[2] The "Nadir" of US race relations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadir_of_American_race_relations
[3] Events of mass racial violence in the USA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_racial_violence_in_the_United_States
[4] US civil rights movement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1955%E2%80%931968)
[5]White supremacy as a social movement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Supremacy
[6] Martin Luther King
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.
[7] Speech given at 5.00 pm
http://www.npr.org/news/specials/march40th/part2.html
[8] March on Washington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Washington_for_Jobs_and_Freedom

[9] Impact of fast moving planets
http://cosmologer.blogspot.com/2009/05/impact-of-fast-moving-planets.html

[10] Civil Rights Act signing, remarks by President Johnson

http://www.lbjlib.utexas.edu/johnson/archives.hom/speeches.hom/640702.asp

[11] "We have lost the South for a generation"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964
[12]Senator Kennedy dies
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/08/statement_from_24.html