Rising

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March 26, 2018, Prescott-

I attended a gathering, yesterday, at the Native American Baha’i Institute, which is 4 1/2 hours’ drive from here.  The occasion was an intensive flute making and playing workshop, by a long-time flautist, who is a friend.  Kevin visited our home, years ago, when Penny, Aram and I lived on the Navajo Nation.  His work is always worth supporting.

I will have more to say about the flute, and about the event, in my next post.  Today, though, a brief word is in order about the rising of those who have been subservient.

In the mid-1990’s, my mother-in–law would insist on the Victorian dictum, regarding children maintaining silence.  She would later come to regret that stance, but at the time, it was her way of keeping our son and his girl cousin in check. I disagreed, vehemently then, and do now. Children should be seen, heard, believed- and properly educated and guided.

Women have largely been relegated to a subservient role, over the centuries- across the globe.  Thankfully, this nonsense started to unravel, as far back as 1965, though people like my mother have never been content to have their voices go unheard.  The presence of so many strong women in my life has made such a state of affairs seem totally absurd to me, forever and a day.

When I was a senior in high school, one of the seminal events was the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., fifty years ago, next week.  In my social studies and English classes, I would raise the issue of civil rights, to a largely deaf audience.  My school, at that time, had five African-American students.  I knew two of them, brothers, who were kept at home, the day after the senseless murder.  There were hoots and hollers, expressions of satisfaction, by young men who have long since overcome their prejudice, born, as all prejudices are, by ignorance and fear.  There were tears shed by more enlightened young women, who dared to date young Black men, from the next town over.  My hometown is a more open-minded place, nowadays, and people are increasingly, though not completely, expanding their circles of friends.

There is a new world, a better place, rising from various ash heaps.

9 thoughts on “Rising”

  2. The latest National Geographic calls into question the whole concept of race. A very interesting and thought provoking issue. As for the current rising of voices – it is about time. I wish I had a teaspoon of that courage!!

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  3. Sometimes we forget that things weren’t always like this… that there were bigger issues than gender identity… Not trying to offend anyone… this is a valid issue… but it wasn’t that long ago that they were hanging people from trees… not for who they were on the inside, but for who they were perceived to be on the outside… times have changed… We still have a long way to go… each day is another step…

    I’ve been to the hotel where he was taken from this world… It was sad… all for a dream that should have long been a reality… though I can say that about a lot of things… and it is always easier to say that after the fact… the war with ignorance is always going… trying to fit people into a box… into a way we are supposed to be… accepting people for who they are is what we should have been doing all along… if they aren’t hurting anyone… what does it matter?…

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  4. It intrigues me, dear Gary. I see an increase of both tolerance and intolerance.
    I also think lately… I understand the focus on inequality between races, gender, etc. Certainly with recent events…But is it the answer? Yes, children need to be heard. Woman deserve to be treated equal. However, shouldn’t the message be ‘we are all deserve to be heard, to be treated equal’. Do I make sense?

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    • That is the overall goal. However, said as a response to the initial protest, it sounds too much like minimizing the appeals from those who have been kept down. I say this as a white male, who does not feel that I am being oppressed by women, people of colour and children/teens, who are trying to right the ship, so to speak.

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