Monday, January 19, 2015

MLK Day

I've had a profound interest in the Civil Rights movement since the 1960s, and it's an ever-present thorn in my side that I've never found the courage to be an activist. This morning I commented to Kelli, my younger daughter, that I'd slept extra late today when I could have been out marching in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Well," she replied, "did you at least have a dream?"

Yeah, I did. But not an important one. The big dreams come when I'm wide awake. Now all I need is a backbone.

9 comments:

  1. Never too late. Tighten your belt and start on the road of becoming an advocate/activist for justice and freedom. One step at a time. I am right there with you.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Judith! It would be so much easier if I weren't such an introvert. Maybe I'll start out with a little march by myself in my own driveway and see how that goes. Like you said, "One step at a time."

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  2. Reminds me of a conversation we once had along the lines of, "I'd like to have more friends, but I guess all I'm willing to do is talk to them while I drive through McDonalds's and shove french fries in my face on the way home." You made me laugh, then and now.

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    1. Annette, this made me laugh because it reminded me of a post titled "Four Levels of Social Entrapment on Hyperole and a Half. One of her characters says, "I'd love to hang out, but I have to go sit in my house by myself..." Made me feel SO good to know I'm not the only one.

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  3. I read a biography about mlk. His life was not as I thought. His ideas were good.

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    1. Sister-Three, considering my political heroes (King, Kennedy and Clinton came first to mind), none of them was perfect, but at one time or another, they all inspired me to care more about my country. The last time I can remember being inspired by a Republican was Ronald Reagan's speech after the challenger disaster. What about you? Who were/are your political heroes?

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  4. I really have no political heros! The ones I think I like turn out like the those you mentioned. They have ideals I admire but their core becomes corrupted as their feelings of self importance swells! You are my hero Velvet! I have always said look for your heros close to home.

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    1. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sister-Three, but being anybody's hero is too big a job for me. There's a good chance I might be willing to compromise my integrity for candy or baked goods.

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  5. Birds of a feather....flock together.

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