Monday, January 18, 2010

How Far Have We Come?

I had another post written up for today, but when I realized I would be posting on the day designated to celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I decided to scrap that post in exchange for something a little more thought-provoking. As we reflect on the message of that great leader who preached equality, ask yourself this simple question: How far have we come?

This question isn't just for African Americans, but for this entire nation. How far have we truly come in attaining equality for everyone? Sure, "colored" people have made great strides in the decades since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. marched the streets--must I mention who is in the White House? But, anyone who has read any of my numerous post regarding the shelving of books written by African American authors (you'll see, I didn't say "African American books") know that we still have a long way to go.

As forward-thinking as many would believe we are as a nation, I fear we haven't come as far as we'd like in terms of treating and accepting everyone. Same-sex couples are still fighting for the right to enter into marriage while other people are targeted and profiled simply because of their religion.

As an author of fiction, I feel a bit of pride in the fact that I give people an escape from all the heavy issues that continue to plague us as a nation. Hopefully, I can continue to do so long after we finally attain that promised land Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. described so beautifully all those years ago.

1 comment:

Liane Spicer said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: shelving books of every conceivable genre together based on the authors' ethnicity makes no sense to me, and I don't doubt for a moment that this practice won't endure.

I think Dr. King would have mixed feelings if he could see his society today; much progress has been made but his vision of a fully integrated nation is very much a work in progress.