MLK
Here in Arizona, we have a torrid history when it comes to celebrating Martin Luther King Day. My oldest doesn’t know about it. He wasn’t here when Evan Mecham clawed and fought against Arizona being forced to observe it. While I don’t agree with his methods or his beliefs, you have to admire someone who stood up against the crowd and fought for what he believed in. Aren’t you glad we live in America where you can express yourself, even if you’re not correct?
Anyway, that’s going off on a tangent that I didn’t mean to go down, lol. Back to my son… We walk home every day and usually it’s a conversation where he tells me what he has learned and what topics he’s interested in. We’ve discussed politics, the war on terrorism, 9/11, babies, and in general, topics that are usually not spoken about with an 8 year old. I don’t mind letting him tell me how he sees things. In fact, I welcome his viewpoint. It hasn’t been jaded by the world yet, which makes it extremely refreshing. We were walking home on Thursday afternoon and I expected him to tell me how glad he was for having a four day weekend but he didn’t. Instead he told me about Ruby Bridges and how he was upset that he didn’t get to speak with her. She had been at his school but only had time to see the 4th and 5th graders. But he knew her story and was just amazed that it had even happened. He could not believe that at one time we seperated people based on skin color. He even thought that it was at a time long ago and that all white people hated anyone that wasn’t white. I had to clarify that it wasn’t like that, and that his own grandparents were in elementary school at the same time as Ruby. My mother is most definitely not racist and my son felt that it was proof enough that not all people were racist just because the country was segregrated.
On Thursday, I realized that my little eight year old could be wise beyond his years sometimes. And he reminded me to remember MLK Day for what it should be remembered for and not for the anguish & political debates that it recently has been noted for.