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(In remembrance of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and all he did to change how we think and believe.)
I was only seven years old when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Like most of my friends I'd never heard of him before that day. However it wasn't long before his indelible message found its way into my young world.
Our family lived in Florida and would drive to Indiana to visit my grandparents for summer vacations. To get there we drove through the Deep South.
We usually stopped in Forsyth, Georgia for lunch. It was a charming little town with immaculate homes lining brick streets, resplendent in the shade of giant mossy oak trees; a restful picture complete with an old-fashioned Greco Roman style courthouse.
After we left the restaurant, Dad stopped at a service station to gas up the car. I climbed out of the back seat to get a drink from the water fountain.
But before I got my first sip, a big sweaty man in overalls lifted me under my arms and gently pulled me away.
"Oh no honey darlin’, ya’ll don’t want watah from here. This here's nasty watah. Over yonder in the store is a fountain with cold watah where pretty lil white girls drink."
I sounded out the word on the sign over the fountain.
"COLOREDS."
At the time, I didn’t know what that meant. Or why the water wasn't good enough for me.
But I do now. Fifty-five years later I still get chills when I think of it. And what I've witnessed since it happened.
Not long afterwards, our segregated elementary school admitted two black students; a little boy and girl. The white kids stared at them like they were aliens. Probably because they’d never seen or rarely seen black folks before.
My heart hurt for them. They seemed so lonely. When I tried to play with them, they didn't want anything to do with me. I was as confused by their rejection as I was by the man who said I couldn't drink from the same water fountain as they did.
Maybe they were afraid. I would be. Maybe they were told that whites were bad and couldn't be trusted. In many ways, they were right. Considering the startling ignorance all around me, they had every reason to keep their distance.
It must have taken tremendous courage to be little children attending an all-white school each day and blaze a trail for those who followed them down a path of desegregated learning.
However the poster child for bravery was undoubtedly Dr. Martin Luther King. Because he fervently believed that all men were created equal he was brutally murdered, but not before he had a chance to lay the groundwork for transformation. His words and example have inspired many to be mindful of what we have in common rather than what separates us. Because of his leadership and ability to dream, many of the changes he hoped for have become reality.
Yet decades later, there are still storms on the horizon. Pumped up, churned up and as agitated as a hurricane.
In today’s social, religious and political climate, Dr. King’s efforts have taken a hit. This time the racism and extremist nets have been cast wider, ensnaring African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics, Muslims and even fellow whites.
The flames have been lit and a large number old and new members of our government have roused their backers to become more divisive than ever before.
The backlash to peaceful protests by the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the siege on the United States Capitol on January 6th, 2021 is proof of that. We no longer have a one race problem. Anyone who is different by belief, skin color, homeland or party affiliation is a target.
We’re not sure who to trust. Who is for us and who is against us?
Democrats and Republicans clash with each other-with friends, family, co-workers. We are so agitated that picking a fight with a loved one has become the norm rather than the exception.
We are marching backwards. And we are better than this.
Don’t let anyone tell you what to believe, or think. Slogans are meaningless. Get details. Do your research. Use your head. Listen to your gut. Look into the issues facing us. Wandering around in the dark without a flashlight is a recipe for trouble. Ask questions. Don't accept nonsensical blips of word salad concocted to pacify a troubled populace.
Fact: Our current lawmakers may be with us for a while. We must start acting like their employers.
Because that’s exactly what we are. Employers. And they are our employees. They work for us. When they become too big for their britches, we can vote them out. Peacefully, fairly and sending a clear message. You're replaceable.
Dr. King had a plan and he had his ducks in a row before implementing it. The progress he made in race relations was a blue print for future generations. It was one heck of a beginning for humanity to get a grip on their petty grievances and learn to work together.
Let’s not kick it to the curb. Black lives matter. Brown lives matter.
Rest in peace Dr. King. And thank you.
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