As Sweetheart and I were on our way to a concert one Saturday a couple of weeks ago, I saw two men in a yard with tools in their hands working on a project. One man had darker skin than the other. Apparently, that did not stand in the way of what they were doing.
The situation brought to my mind the words of the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. when he said he hoped his children would live in a world where they would be judged by the content of their character–not the color of their skin.
It got me thinking about families who live in our community who dress differently, speak differently, have a different way of life and different religious practices. They don't own or drive motorized vehicles, but they employ people to drive them where they want to go. And, often their services are needed--on both sides of the aisle.
When I went to school, my teacher told the class that America was a "melting pot" society. She meant that, no matter what country a person or their ancestors came from, we were all Americans. Once here, these new people followed the terms of the society into which they had come.
My opinion is the pot is no longer melting, but separating. Higher-ups, in government and education among others, are highlighting the differences in people's race, gender, political persuasion, religion, intelligence and then demanding that everybody be included by quota. I wonder if that just pits one group against another.
Do these supposed intellectuals think the American people are not smart enough to see differences in people and see them as strengths? Should the emphasis be put on what makes us the same, instead?
For instance, unless we were born without or have been injured in an accident, everybody has one head, two arms, two legs and internal organs that keep everything working. We all have a brain with which to figure things out and to make decisions.I may be wrong, but I think everyone wants to be happy and to be left alone to live a peaceful life--either alone or in a family. Maybe, we all want what was outlined in the preamble to the U. S. Constitution–”life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. Maybe, we don't need government officials or university deans telling us the way to unity is through division.
The fact is we need each other–to produce goods, to perform services, to help each other and to be friends. If we need each other, maybe we should be nice to each other. Maybe, we should stick together.
Maybe, that's what Jesus meant when He said we should love our neighbor as ourselves.
Dorothy is the author of two books—“Miles and Miracles” and “Getting It All Together “. You can purchase a book or send a comment by emailing her at dorothybutzknight@gmail.com