January 17, 2011
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Are We There Yet?
Today of course, is Martin Luther King Day. Usually on MLK Day, people say that we have come so far with race relations but we still have a long way to go. Call me nuts, but do we really have a long way to go? I guess the bigger question is, where is it exactly that we are going? What exactly is that mountaintop that he spoke of? I guess that is a question that is kind of open to interpretation.
Now I’m not going to sit here and be arrogant enough to be able to even think that I know what he was talking about. My guess though, is equality for all and an end to racism. If that is the case, than this is where the pessimist in me rears his ugly head. While equality for all can be achieved, and end to racism is virtually impossible. Sadly and pathetically, there will always be somebody somewhere in the world who is a bigot. All you can do though, is be responsible for your own thoughts and beliefs. You can only be racist if you allow yourself to be racist.
I was also thinking today if there are any black leaders in the world today who are in the same vein as Martin Luther King. While there are certainly some influential blacks in the world, there is no stalwart of black civil rights to lead blacks in the same way as King. Oh sure, Obama and Oprah are both very important and powerful, but neither are bastions of black civil rights and neither are looked upon as leaders in the same way King was. Than again, maybe that ship has sailed and there is no longer a need for a strong, black, civil rights leader like King or Medgar Evers
When I think about it, America is sorely lacking in civil rights leaders for minorities. Not only is there no Martin Luther King or Harvey Milk, but there is nobody even in the same league that can be a strong and loud voice for minority civil rights. Which begs the question, are we there yet?
