A Boomer Walks the Line--Again
It takes a great deal to earn a look of respect from
you teen-age daughters. They are much
more into eye rolling. But that makes
the sporadic show of wonder just a bit sweeter.
I had one of those moments’ decades ago when my oldest girl wanted to go
to her best friend’s “scholarship” (read “beauty”) pageant. They were seniors in high school, but the
finals of the competition were being held at the auditorium of Washington
University in downtown St. Louis.
Growing
up in the middle of the feminist movement I have always thought beauty contests
were too “Suzy-Cream Cheese” for me, but my daughter was supporting her friend
and I was supporting both. They were
smart cookies, talented in lots of things and if Karen wanted to cheer for
Monique, so did I.
It
was a chilling Friday night when we got to the entrance to the auditorium. The path was crowded with beauty contest
opponents, orange sawhorses and a few police.
Karen took one look at the array of people and her face fell.
I
told her to grab hold of the belt of my coat, stay right behind me and not to
let go. “Don’t worry,” I said “your Mom
is an old barricade runner from the ‘60’s.”
We ducked, dodged and side-stepped our way past a basically peaceful but
noisy group and got into the building in seconds. When
we sat down Karen looked at me with genuine admiration.
“Where
did you learn that?” she asked.
“I’ll
tell you some time.” I answered.
I am not sure that I ever
did. I’ll have to ask her the next time
we talk.
When we do, I will have a
follow-up story to tell her. It seems
Mom is walking the line again.
I am 73 years old. That means I was in college during the early
years of the Civil Rights Movement, 1964-1968.
President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, during my senior
year in high school. I have seen and
remember turbulent times. But I thought
they were just that—memories. It turns
out, and not for the first time, that I was wrong.
Saturday, June 6th,
my husband and I attended the protest march at the Edinburg City Hall to show
our support for the extension, expansion and ultimate refining of the Civil
Rights Movement that took leaps forward during my college years. Personally, I thought I was done with most of
the heavy lifting. When you fought for
Civil Rights in the ‘60’s your life was on the line. But, if my generation of boomers led from the
front back in the day, it seems we are now needed to push from behind.
Having been over this
ground before, I know a few things going in.
I am not going to agree with everybody who walks and talks today. I am going to be more peaceful, less profane,
more conservative and way less tattooed than many of the people with whom I
will be protesting. But none of that
changes the fact that all people—especially those with whom I disagree—must be
equal under the law, equal in economic and social opportunity, equal in respect
given and regard received.
If I love this country,
honor our Constitution and follow the teachings of the Christ I believe in, I
can not let my voice be quiet when I see all three of those things debased by
the very authority which should be their champion.
I walked then. I will walk now. I keep the faith.
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