January 15

 

Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  We think of him as the voice of the Civil Rights Movement, although many others spoke, Dr. King, with his ministerial eloquence was the voice that resonated most.

It got him murdered.

 I was ten years old when he was shot in Memphis.  His death began a discussion among my fourth-grade peers, as the question I was asking myself and others was “how would I feel if I couldn’t do what other people do, simply because of the color of my skin?”   A simple child’s question but one I still think is valid.

How would you feel if you couldn’t do what other people do because of your:

Race

Creed

Sex or sexual identity.

 

They say we “cherry-pick” his words, but as a ten-year old, living in a thankfully diverse community, these words resonated best with me:

“I have a dream that my four little 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."

As a child, I could see that vision clearly.  As an adult I still cling to that dream.  Do I have pre-programmed biases. Yes, Yes I do, but I do my best to recognize them and dismiss them I remember what I heard once; “Your first thought is what you have been taught, the second is who you are”  I feel better about the way my brain sometimes works, because my second thought is usually WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT???

I have only read snippets of his Letter from Birmingham Jail and recently read how the bits and pieces were smuggled out of the jail and assembled by his staff.  When I can dedicate the proper amount of time to it, I plan to read it.  It is 27 pages, but the depth of his words must be taken in slowly, savored and considered.

But on this day, I will celebrate his success and think about what must be done to keep those who would destroy his work and legacy.

Enough

 

I just finished reading the Cassidy Hutchinson book “Enough” It took me a long time and I have no idea why.  The book is well written and compelling. She takes you from her days as a young starry-eyed employee to the end of the term.  We learn about her childhood (spoiler alert, her father is a rat). She consistently states that she is still a Republican in belief of what the party USED to say were their core values.  She also says she will do everything she can to keep him from taking power again.  This is someone who had close proximity to him.  She knows what he will do the next time around.

The book is worth a read. I doubt it will change anyone’s mind, however.  I placed a hold on the book by Bob Woodward “the Last of the President’s Men:  a book she says gave her the courage to tell the truth and I do believe her.  She knew her career would be over after she said what she said.

I believe her.  I admire her courage and her conviction that she was serving the people of this country, not the former guy.  I live in guarded hope that we will not reelect him, but we need to be prepared for whatever shenanigans he and his henchmen cook up.

Frankly, given his predilection to junk food, I am rooting for the cheeseburger.