Monday, October 24, 2005

Keep Your Seat

The power of one person's courage, tenacity and sense of justice


Rest in peace, Rosa Parks
1914 - 2005

posted by Chase McInerney @ 9:23 PM   3 comments

3 Comments:

At 10:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, her courage and tenacity are not reflected in the words and deeds of the leaders of black Americans today.

Leaders like Al Sharpton and Mayor Nagin don't even deserve to share the same table with her.

Only a few leading lights, like Bill Cosby, seem to be appropriately honoring her legacy.

Let us hope her death will remind others about what America can be -- and in particular what Black Americans can be, if they choose.

 
At 4:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Disenfranchised voter, since we don't know your name, I assume you're joking.

The comments by another anonymous writer saddened me because of the prejudice he/she exhibited. Do we hold all white Christian national leaders responsible for not being at the level of a Thomas Jefferson or a George Washington?

Mr. Cosby certainly has a right to criticise his people and urge introspection. Every ethnic group could pay attention to his injunction to look inward and mend our ways. I'm afraid that every group would find themselves riddled with immorality, corruption, and arrogance.

Anonymous #1 seems to think that the only "good black leader" is one who criticizes his people. I hope that this writer will deep a deeper look at the black community as well as a deeper look at himself.

 
At 7:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm a little confused about where the term "Christian" entered the discussion, since I never used it, but regardless Anonymous #2, you make a solid point -- and one I definitely SHOULD think about.

However, I have a few questions of my own -- why don't we hold all leaders to the standard of Thomas Jefferson or George Washington? Not just white leaders, but all of them?

I think that would be a great bench mark, now that you mention it. But it might perhaps have implications you have not considered.

As to your use of the term "prejudice," I'm honestly confused. If I see Rosa Parks as a hero -- and I do -- how is that bigotry?

If by prejudice you mean that I am biased against certain individual human beings, regardless of color, then ... yes, you are correct. Louis Farrakhan, Al Sharpton, et al do not deserve my respect -- just as right-wing radio host Michael Savage does not deserve my respect.

All are demagogues and panderers. I hold a bias against these individuals, because I am practicing the discernment of legitimate opinion.

I do not respect Bill Cosby because he chooses to critique his own ethnicity. That is only incidental to my reasons.

Instead, I respect him because he stands with his hand up and impatiently reprimands the gaggle of irresponsible black leadership that currently holds sway, and because he once again sounds an alarm bell first rung by an earlier generation of black leaders.

That sort of leadership honors Rosa Parks' legacy. The Al Sharptons of the world do not. A very simple formulation, and not at all prejudiced.

And in my view, it is wholly appropriate that the death of a great American would spark such legitimate reflections.

 

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