Monday, January 21, 2008

This little light of mine


Contemplation, originally uploaded by toyfoto.



Mommy: Oops. I forgot, there's no school today.

Ittybit: NO SCHOOL?!? Why not?

Mommy: It's Martin Luther King Day.

Ittybit: Martha Cooker King Day? Who's Martha Cooker King?

Mommy: MARTIN LUTHER KING was a man who worked hard to make sure black people got civil rights. That's the right to be treated fairly and equally.

Ittybit: And white people too?

Mommy: Well the white people had all the advantages, so they didn't need anyone fighting on their behalf.

Ittybit: Why?

Mommy: Well, because a long time ago, even before I was born, people OVERTLY discriminated against people for being or looking different. And that's not right.

Ittybit: And then what?

Mommy: Martin Luther King taught people to stand up for what was right.

Ittybit: So it's better now?

Mommy: In many ways it is better. But it's more subtle now, and unfair things still happen. So we still need to remember. And that's what this day does. Help us remember.

Ittybit: But you didn't remember I had no school today.

3 comments:

Lynne's Somewhat Invented Life said...

Oh, don't you love children? They are taught a big concept and then they say something so wonderfully innocent. And profound, at the same time.

the mad momma said...

:) thank you... this was beautiful.

Sukhaloka said...

:). Thank you.