Thank God, almighty, we are free at last?
Tonight before the girls went to bed, I showed them pictures of Dr. King. I want to be sure that the image of his handsome, serious, and passionate face will be as ingrained in their little minds as prevelantly as the faces of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.
Dr. King isn't yet on a piece of money, perhaps someday.
I explained to the little ones about slavery and showed them pictures of a slaves back that had large scars from whippings. I tried to explain to them what a slave was, but of course their little minds could not comprehend something so horrible.
I read to them Dr. Kings famous speech, "I Have A Dream," although I certainly couldn't give it any justice. And when I got to this part, I began to weep:
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I am weeping now as I re-read it.
I weep because I truly believe that for as much progress as we have made in our society, we have just as much progress to make.
I weep for the victims of the summer's hurricanes and how so many of the people there, poor, and black were left behind by this great nation that claims them as her sons and daughters.
I weep remembering that horror for them, and the horror that still plagues them today.
I weep because I can't help but believe that if Dr. King were alive today; he would weep for them too.
And I weep because if Dr. King were alive today, imagine what he would have accomplished in the last 37 years.
Imagine that for just a moment. That brilliant man was 39 years old when he was killed and look what he accomplished in those short 39 years. If he had lived, through the prime years of his life, perhaps life as we know it today would be different, for the better, I know.
The truth is, the unfortunately truth, is, that we are NOT free at last.
So it is up to every person to realize and be the change that they want to see in our world, and keep the dream alive.
Dr. King isn't yet on a piece of money, perhaps someday.
I explained to the little ones about slavery and showed them pictures of a slaves back that had large scars from whippings. I tried to explain to them what a slave was, but of course their little minds could not comprehend something so horrible.
I read to them Dr. Kings famous speech, "I Have A Dream," although I certainly couldn't give it any justice. And when I got to this part, I began to weep:
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I am weeping now as I re-read it.
I weep because I truly believe that for as much progress as we have made in our society, we have just as much progress to make.
I weep for the victims of the summer's hurricanes and how so many of the people there, poor, and black were left behind by this great nation that claims them as her sons and daughters.
I weep remembering that horror for them, and the horror that still plagues them today.
I weep because I can't help but believe that if Dr. King were alive today; he would weep for them too.
And I weep because if Dr. King were alive today, imagine what he would have accomplished in the last 37 years.
Imagine that for just a moment. That brilliant man was 39 years old when he was killed and look what he accomplished in those short 39 years. If he had lived, through the prime years of his life, perhaps life as we know it today would be different, for the better, I know.
The truth is, the unfortunately truth, is, that we are NOT free at last.
So it is up to every person to realize and be the change that they want to see in our world, and keep the dream alive.
posted by Kathryn at
9:59 PM
10 Comments:
I'm glad you told the girls about slavery even if they don't totally understand. You are a great mother & a wonderful woman!!!
I am so happy to call you a friend!
S
I read the Letter From Birmingham Jail to Alyx on Friday. Everyone was waiting around for Dennis to come home...from the war...it felt so important for her to understand what Freedom means to me.
I love you RSG. Thank you for sharing your tears!
Fan-tastic post. That was awesome.
You are so right... although we have come so far- there is still far to go.
I live in *gulp* South Carolina so I still see a LOT of racism and it's always good to see someone is trying to teach their children what is "right". Thanks for this awesome post.
Thank you for this beautiful post. I couldn't have said it any better myself.
And thank you, from a former teacher, for taking an active role in your children's lives and teaching them things that are not always best learned in a classroom. The tears of a mother will be remembered long after a teacher's lecture is over.
What a great post.
"imagine what he would have accomplished in the last 37 years"
I can't even imagine. His loss, is a great loss.
Thanks for sharing.
beautiful post, I wish more parents were like you and willing to educate their children on the things of value.
So glad that you're teaching them about a vital part of our history. It's not meant to be covered up but used as a means of teaching them tolerance.
S
Great comments from everyone. Thank you!
Redheadedmama:
Email me at recoveringstraightgirl @verizon.net and I'll explain to you what I meant before...
(I would email you, but I saw no email contact.)
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