Where we are with race relations
New Era
Over the last few months, there has been talk about what certain athletes were saying about what was going on in terms of Police/Urban Resident relationships, and about Immigrant issues, and a number of other things that have hit our joint collective thought.
Well, I have news for many of you, this isn't really new, despite the way it may be spun..Think about Harry Belafonte and others making political statements during the Civil Rights Era, Jane Fonda speaking out against the Vietnam War, and so much more.
Shucks, I even remember attending a Track meet in the late 70's, a Pan African Game that was known for two things in my memory...The streaker who almost missed the Steeple jump water hurtle and almost fell in, and the race between a Famous Kenyan runner and several Americans, and the fact that at one point someone put up in the Field a make shift new score board that was basically White against Black...Wasn't much of a contest in that race...
And, of course, all of that conversation got me to thinking about how we treat each other in this world....Why should I care if a Man has a significant other who is of the same gender, or whether my neighbor has a Swinging lifestyle, or whether my neighbor is from Egypt, Germany, Australia, or even Mars (if that is possible)......Why should I care that one neighbor might believe in Buddha, another in Mohammed, and another in Jesus, and there might even be some who believe that plants are smarter than we are and maybe even some who are practicing Wiccans....
It seems that too often we are worried about what is going on outside of our own lives, and that can be a very boring existence...Maybe it's time we just respect everyone's right to believe what they want and live as they want, and stop trying to impose our values on others.. Maybe we should all just try to live a fair and Just live that is full of respect and honor for others....Maybe it's a Utopian vision, but it's one worth pursuing....
