Wednesday, January 26, 2011

IN THE DARK ON DR. KING'S DAY by Kacie Cooper

On Disneyland commercials on TV I would often hear the "Happy Birthday" song. They were singing to Goofy's birthday I think. Yet it wasn't till this morning as I was watching the Tavis Smiley show that I learned that Stevie Wonder actually wrote it for Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. Why am I always the last to find out these things? Is it just me? Maybe it's a matter of being at the right place at the right time.

Growing up in Southern California in the 60’s I was never aware of all the injustices going on in the world. Was it my young age? My location? The Anglo leaders in my life? I'm not sure, but I hope to make a difference in my "One and Only Granddaughter" Tiana's life.

In school I never learned what the African-American went through with horrible hatred and lynchings. Never heard about the discrimination the Mexican-American went through. No clue to what the Native-American suffered or how the Japanese-American felt being hauled off to internment camps. Nothing was said to me about what the Jewish people being gassed must have felt during the holocaust. Perhaps if I had known then, I might have died from the fright of it all. My heart, at this age, dies a little each time I read about it.

I just finished Anne Moody's book "Coming of Age in Mississippi" and I still can't believe "man's inhumanity to man." While I wish I had known the truth years ago, I want to educate my Granddaughter on the history so that she will know. . . now. She is of English, Irish, Welsh, German, Mexican, Native and African-American descent.

It is not good being in the dark. Dreams come true with our eyes open. Dr. Martin Luther King's life was dedicated to the dream that he had for the future: that children and adults of all races, creed and religions would live together in harmony. He gave his life for that dream and it will stay reality if we don't live in darkness. Dreams come true with our eyes open.

Stevie wrote that birthday song for Dr. King's birthday. We celebrated it just a few days ago. But I believe we should celebrate it every day in the way we live our lives....

4 comments:

  1. Dear Kacie, I think this is your most introspective story to date, yet you retain your special stylize technique- that I(and others) find so endearing.
    You may want to check out a website for grandparents @: igrandparent.com
    for ideas to share with your granddaughter.
    " A dream is a wish your heart makes."

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  2. Dear Kacie,
    I liked your story. I think it is only when we reach maturity that we become aware of "man's inhumanity to man." Your one and only granddaughter, Tiana, will now benefit from your awakening to these horrors.

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  3. Kacie, Learning the truths in this writing has given you power to teach them to your granddaughter which in turn will give her the power to change things in her generation. Knowing these things has made you a better person and it will her also. Scripture says we err due to lack of knowledge. This was a very profound and in depth writing, I congratulate you!

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  4. Kacie,
    I loved your story. It once again reminds me of how unaware we are as kids, even though at the time, we're sure we know everything. I think that only with the maturity of time, are we able to grasp the horrific tragedies around us. It a shame that we are not born with all our knowledge, so we had a lifetime to change our behavior. What a different world that would be!

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