Shame on you

What is the purpose of government? I am here to suggest that the purpose of government is to look out for those who can not look out for themselves. As individuals, we can not always rise to meet the challenges that strike at our core. Which is why we rely on our government to respond for us as a collective.

Government supports a police force to protect its citizens. Fire departments to protect citizens from danger. First responders to respond to tragedy. National guard to respond to disaster. Military force to protect the nation from danger.

North Carolina passed an initiative that amends the state constitution to make civil unions illegal. The STATE CONSTITUTION. This bypasses a law that was already in effect that made civil unions illegal. Apparently that wasn't good enough. This is a law that in 20 years will be overturned. Why? It isn't a party line thing. The split was age. The older generations are against civil unions. The younger generations have realized that homophobia is the next civil rights battle ground. But the thing that hurts the most is that the same people who stood with MLK on civil rights for African Americans are now drawing a line in the sand and stating that their religious doctrines say that homosexuality is a sin. Shame on you for not seeing the hypocrisy in this. Shame on you for not standing up for your brothers and sisters who are now fighting a civil rights battle. Shame on your for not realizing the bible says many things and that you must cull the items which no longer make sense in our world.

Closer to home, here in Colorado, the GOP effectively blocked a civil unions bill by preventing any debate on the floor which, in turn, prevents an up-down vote on the bill itself. At some point, you people need to realize you are standing on the wrong side of history. While homophobia will never disappear, the tide is turning as you age yourselves out of the way. I only hope that you realize how wrong you are, the legacy you are leaving in your wake and at some point either step aside or concede that your younger generation will overturn your shameful decisions. Shame on you, House Speaker Frank McNulty, for keeping this from a vote. Your fear should not prevent the rest of Colorado from making a decision. Your fear should not prevent the government from creating a stance for those who have been bullied, derided, abused and discriminated against. Shame on you for forgetting that government is created to protect those in the minority, those who need the support and protection of a larger entity, those who are simply looking for the same rights afforded to their fellow citizens.

Finally...shame on me. Shame on me for not lending a more active voice. Shame on me for not taking the time to stand shoulder to shoulder with others who stood in support at our state Capitol. Shame on me for not setting an example to my children that we must be more politically active.

With that, I climb down from my soap box.

MLK

MLK's birthday has always been a big thing with my mother. There was always a cake. There was always a discussion at the dinner table that night. There was always a great deal of respect for a man I know only through what history has told me.

Mom's message to us last night was that Paul McCartney had written Blackbird to honor and commemorate the struggles of black American's in the sixties. I had no idea.

Over the years, I have learned more about the man himself. His horseplay, his friends, the men and women who stood by his side in the face of such incredible adversity. Each generation has their heroes; this year, I found myself wondering who would take MLK's lead and walk us forward into our next American chapter. Whether it is eradicating homophobia, xenophobia, poverty, religious intolerance or any of the other major social issues we face on a daily basis, who will follow MLK's lead?

Winslow was already asleep when I arrived home last night. Emiko and I sat at the dinner table at talked about MLK. About how it was an important man's birthday. About how he struggled to make things right in a world where there was injustice, where some people were being "mean" to others. I struggled to find the right words to frame for her 3 year old intellect how MLK helped correct the course of history.

After we spoke, Emi turned to Hope and said, "Mommy, it is Martin Luther King's birthday today. Can we have cake?" My mother will be so proud.

He would have been 83 this year.

Lesson Plan 2 - MLK Jr

Emiko, every year, my mother, your Noni, sat us down on MLK day, made us a cake for MLK's birthday, and we discussed what MLK meant to us.

My mother sent me the following email today.

Tomorrow is the celebration of Martin Luther King's birthday. Remember - ... they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character..."

Have we gotten any closer to this?

mom

I spent some time thinking her question before I responded.

Every day we are taking a step. Sometimes it is in the right direction, some days it isn't. For the most part, we are moving in the right direction.

Unfortunately, racism lives on, not only in our country but also in our world. And it is not only racism but discrimination too. Discrimination based on gender, skin color, income, sexual orientation, religion or political leaning.

I'd like to think that MLK would not want us to look back at him and his accomplishments. The civil rights movement he helped start was never about just him, he was not that selfish. I think he'd rather have us reflect on what WE have done and what WE need to do as individuals to move the civil rights movement forward.

It is a battle that is not yet over. Some day, the color of a person's skin will be irrelevant. Someones sexual orientation will some day have no bearing on their ability to profess their mutual love to the world. The religious right and the liberal left will eventually see that it isn't so much about beliefs as it is individuals core moral values that are shared by both sides.

We can all keep moving forward together under the inspirational memory of what MLK started. This great experiment of a nation we live in will ultimately be a leader in civil rights. We will remember MLK for his vision, his bravery and his guidance. His dream lives on in all of us.

I love you.

Dad

MLK

On this day every year, my Mother would bake a cake and sit the family down at the dinner table to talk about Martin Luther King, Jr. What he meant to her, what he meant to our family, what he meant to the nation, what he meant to the world and what he meant for civil rights. Though the cake was there to celebrate MLK's birthday, I think Mom made the cake simply to hold our attention and keep us around the dinner table a little longer than usual. Those nights were always special to all of us.

Our plan is to continue this tradition with Emi. It will start with brownies tonight (I'm not much of a cake baker) but I am planning to learn to make a cake by this time next year.

During lunch, NPR broadcast the "I have a dream" speech in its entirety. I don't think I've ever heard it completely in the past. I was enthralled and so happy that I had taken the time to drive home to visit with Emi and Hope during lunch. If it wasn't for Hope being sick and asking me to come home, I would have been out on a road ride and would have missed the broadcast.

Tonight, at dinner, we will tell Emiko about a great man who gave his life to improve civil rights in America and around the world. It amazes me that Emi will grow up in an era where it won't be unusual for there to be a black man sitting in the Oval Office. But we will make sure that she understands that while MLK's dream has been realized, we still have battles to fight against racism, sexism, homophobia and religious zealotry.

Before we began even trying to get pregnant, I was concerned about the world we would be introducing to our child-to-be. I know now that our country continues to mature. Emiko was born into a world that has noticeably improved over the past 32 years, we have made it a better place. I am hopeful that we will continue to improve our nation in the great American experiment.

Thanks Mom

This truly is a sincere thank you, Mom.

I was driving home tonight, from the rink of course, and I was listening to the BBC's coverage of the Republican National Convention. And I was thinking about how all of McCain's speeches lacked in substance, seemed very empty and were largely just him talking about...himself. He just sounds small when you listen to only his voice.

And I thought of all I heard during the DNC. The Clinton's pledging their very existence to Obama's canidacy. And how Obabama seems larger than life. And then I thought of this comic that I saw in Newsweek earlier tonight during dinner.

It brought a tear to my eye. I was simultaneously reminded of how we, as a family, celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King every year. Mom has always been fastidious in her yearly reminder to her sons to reflect on who MLK was, what he meant to our country and our society, what he had started but had been unable to finish.

Recent years have driven that home even more. NPR's yearly memorial to MLK have been fantastic. They have delved into MLK as a human, a man, a father, a friend. They have picked apart his words to prove that we are all his children, we are all part of his dream.

So with that, thank you Mom. MLK's dream lives on in all of us. His dream will be passed to your grandchildren as I expect you to pick up where you left off with us, celebrating his life every year.

And I hope and dream that a change will happen shortly. Imagine an African American man serving the highest post offered in the US. If only our dreams and reality are able to intertwine, the very fabric of our society will be rewoven again as we move forward. Our country can be such an amazing place....