Living the "Dream"
In a way, I understand those who don't want 9-11 to become a national holiday.
National holidays are great. Awesome in fact. But the day off tends to overshadow the reason we're given the day off. It simply becomes another day the stores have a sale and schools are out.
It's a lot easier to feel the pain and anger of 9-11 if we're all at our regular "stations" reading the reflections and watching news clips about the impact, how lives were changed and catching up with families of victims. Give us the day off and that becomes white noise.
Before Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday became a national holiday, my parents would keep me out of school on his birthday. We'd spend the entire day talking about Dr. King and the civil rights movement.
Since his birthday became a holiday, I've done less and less on MLK Day.
Yup, totally my negligence.
But today, I did spend a part of the day reflecting. Thanks, in part, to Oprah my reflections were deepened by watching the various stories emphasizing that Dr. King's dream lives on.
There's plenty evidence that racism is alive and kicking. But, things like racism are never fully eradicated. The issue is too complex. The roots too deep. The individuals tasked with eradicating it too prone to human nature's impulses.
But, Dr. King's birthday is a time to highlight how far we've come. To educate those who have not yet realized just how similiar people are, outside of race, ethnicity and religious affiliation.
I look at Princess A and her peers and know that they're one of the most "race-less" generations. And can remain so, if we let them.
If we teach them that incidents like Jena 6 are about the ignorance of those individuals and not a sign that "things haven't changed."
If we remain open minded and not force our own traditional biases on them about interracial dating and multi-cultural friendships.
If we won't let them forget that they're able to befriend across races because of Dr. King and those who sacrificed during the civil rights movement.
If we re-vamp what's taught in school's so that history reflects the contributions of all those who built this country vs. a one-sided, white wash.
If we sing louder than those who refuse to let go of ignorant views.
Dr. King had a dream and we're all living it. Honoring that takes many forms, but the best way to honor his memory is to live the dream daily until the ignorant and small-minded are drowned out.
National holidays are great. Awesome in fact. But the day off tends to overshadow the reason we're given the day off. It simply becomes another day the stores have a sale and schools are out.
It's a lot easier to feel the pain and anger of 9-11 if we're all at our regular "stations" reading the reflections and watching news clips about the impact, how lives were changed and catching up with families of victims. Give us the day off and that becomes white noise.
Before Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday became a national holiday, my parents would keep me out of school on his birthday. We'd spend the entire day talking about Dr. King and the civil rights movement.
Since his birthday became a holiday, I've done less and less on MLK Day.
Yup, totally my negligence.
But today, I did spend a part of the day reflecting. Thanks, in part, to Oprah my reflections were deepened by watching the various stories emphasizing that Dr. King's dream lives on.
There's plenty evidence that racism is alive and kicking. But, things like racism are never fully eradicated. The issue is too complex. The roots too deep. The individuals tasked with eradicating it too prone to human nature's impulses.
But, Dr. King's birthday is a time to highlight how far we've come. To educate those who have not yet realized just how similiar people are, outside of race, ethnicity and religious affiliation.
I look at Princess A and her peers and know that they're one of the most "race-less" generations. And can remain so, if we let them.
If we teach them that incidents like Jena 6 are about the ignorance of those individuals and not a sign that "things haven't changed."
If we remain open minded and not force our own traditional biases on them about interracial dating and multi-cultural friendships.
If we won't let them forget that they're able to befriend across races because of Dr. King and those who sacrificed during the civil rights movement.
If we re-vamp what's taught in school's so that history reflects the contributions of all those who built this country vs. a one-sided, white wash.
If we sing louder than those who refuse to let go of ignorant views.
Dr. King had a dream and we're all living it. Honoring that takes many forms, but the best way to honor his memory is to live the dream daily until the ignorant and small-minded are drowned out.
posted by Paula at 4:40 PM
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