As I write this, Dan and I are wrapping up a wonderful vacation in Memphis–where we soaked in a lot of live music, ate some great BBQ, and immersed ourselves in Memphis’ rich blues culture. We also spent an afternoon in the Civil Rights Museum, which is adjacent to the Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King was killed 50 years ago. It gave me much to ponder.
MLK was in Memphis to support local black sanitation workers, who toiled for poverty wages in dangerous conditions. After two black sanitation workers were crushed to death on the job, the workers went on strike, protesting for a living wage and benefits. They marched with signs stating “I Am A Man”. That simple statement enraged many whites who viewed blacks as less than fully human–a shamefully acceptable point of view ‘in the day’.
Fast forward to the modern era when the “Black Lives Matter” slogan is eerily reminiscent of “I am a Man”. It is a simple declaration of humanity that once again provokes outrage–at least by some.
We’ve all seen the pervasive red hats that shout “Make America Great Again“. Yet–The D and his base cannot articulate the exact era of greatness they miss so much–even they recognize the political danger in waxing poetic over any era that openly disenfranchised so many of its citizens. In their pined-for era, it would be inconceivable that a black man would be President; let alone a woman.
I am not alone in interpreting ‘MAGA’ as a thinly veiled slogan for white supremacy; a sentiment that sadly paved the way for an overt racist to sit in the White house.
The notion of a specific point in time in which American was GREAT for all is fiction, a mirage, a myth, fake-news; yet it has proven to be a powerful rallying cry for the D’s base, who believe that they have been victimized and displaced by blacks, immigrants, women and other minorities. Their hate-filled, win-lose agenda polarizes us against each other in a zero-sum game.
I do not believe America can be great until we recognize and face our collective harsh history of systemic discrimination and terrorism against African Americans and other minorities.
A truly great society is inclusive and embraces diversity; while providing opportunities to all. A ‘great’ America’ is not a melting pot that swirls us all together into a gray homogeneous goo–it is a delicious, complex stew with each of us providing our own unique flavors.
Perhaps I have food on my mind after spending 5 days in Memphis – the Music was GREAT, and the food was FANTASTIC! Dan and I tried many new (to us) foods, and we ended up with a difference of opinion regarding which restaurant served the best BBQ ribs of our visit. However, in keeping with the spirit of this post, after discussing our differences (at length), we ultimately respected each other’s choice and moved on. After all – there’s room for more than one kind of flavor in a great relationship.