i don't really know what to say about this, but i will tell you a story about the voting rights act...
in 2005, jesse jackson was at the nabj convention in atlanta. this was probably the time when i was most inclined toward skepticism toward jesse (loooooong discussion for another day).
anyway, jesse was there to let people know the voting rights act was up for renewal.
anyway, jesse was there to let people know the voting rights act was up for renewal.
to me, this seemed like a bit of grandstanding from jesse. i mean, the voting rights act was up for renewal. got it. but...i mean, it's not like they'd ever get rid of the voting rights act. they couldn't be that crazy or shameless. we were *past that*, right?
right?
right?
it literally never dawned on me that the voting rights act was something to be litigated again.
and, of course, fewer than 10 years later, they destroyed the damn thing.
and, of course, fewer than 10 years later, they destroyed the damn thing.
moral of the story: no matter how mad we may get at the old heads for some of the things they've done in recent history, holy sh t, don't ever stop listening to them. cuz they know how bad things can get, and how far we *haven't* come from those days.
the wisdom merits respect.
the wisdom merits respect.
and, in line with a conversation i've seen about john lewis, those who came before us deserve a grace that's bigger than anything any of them did to hurt our feelings.
and while we're here, i'll say it again in a different way: john lewis is the easiest of those civil rights leaders to do the santa claus thing with. we saw him grow into a cuddly old man.
this country took his greatest work and wiped its keister with it. don't ever forget that.
this country took his greatest work and wiped its keister with it. don't ever forget that.
well, "anything any of them did to hurt our feelings" is a bit too far. but i think you know what i mean here.
