Let Us Honor All of Our Heroes

The Best Way to Honor Dr. King

Today it has been 50 years since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have A Dream" speech.  Haven't you heard it all over the news?  This is a Very Good remembrance of a man who dedicated himself and gave his life for justice.  I'm glad President Obama, who is partially Where he is because of the work of Dr. King and many other courageous men, women and children, will be at the ceremony today.

But I heard something on NPR which I believe honors Dr. King even more.  A young woman, Carmesha Rogers, is recovering from being shot in the head after pulling three of her Neighbor's children out of danger during a gun battle in Muskegon, Mi. I believe Ms. Rogers is 27 and her family was told she would never walk or talk again.  But happily, she is doing both now.

Her comment about her action was that she responded as a parent.  This courageous African American woman should be honored with our nation's highest equivalent of the Purple Heart, as she is not a soldier.  I wish there were a Peace Prize for her and all of the men, women, and children like her, most of whom go unnoticed.  She should be honored along With Dr. King today.

And speaking of a Peace Prize, what about a teenager named Malala  from Pakistan who was shot in the head for going to school and advocating for the rights of all girls to attend schools?

There are African American elders and some of their white counterparts who are being interviewed this week.  I have two reactions to this.

My first reaction is that this is a very Good thing, letting younger people know who paved the way for some of them to escape segregation, attend quality colleges and universities, etc.

My second reaction is that it is convenient to honor those who began a period of momentous struggle, Rather than talking about what is happening to African American people Today.