Where have you gone, Rosa Parks?

On the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let's not forget that it was Rosa Parks' courage to not give up her seat on a bus that was the catalyst for the Civil Rights movement.

The entire country worked together to change not only the culture, but the laws of the land.

Rosa Parks is a great American hero.

That was 60 years ago....

Now....

Now we have people filing lawsuits over icing on wedding cakes.

A school banning a play because the word "vagina" insults "women" without vaginas.

University presidents apologizing for saying "all lives matter."

Protesters organizing "black brunches" and terrorists committing mass murders over cartoons.

Where have you gone, Rosa Parks?



"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." - MLK

Well she died in 2005. So i assume she's still on the other side or maybe reincarnated by now.

Few people know the story of Claudette Colvin: When she was 15, she refused to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white person — nine months before Rosa Parks did the very same thing.

It's fine, the point is made, but just wanted to add something.

Most people know about Parks and the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott that began in 1955, but few know that there were a number of women who refused to give up their seats on the same bus system. Most of the women were quietly fined, and no one heard much more.

Not trying to knock Rosa Parks. She is was clearly very important for change.

Link

Anyone who fights for equality is a link in the chain. With the more people fighting for humanitarian rights. The chain becomes strong enough to topple regimes.

That's how revolutions start. And why the feds world wide are so quick to squish protesters.

originally posted by: Domo1

Few people know the story of Claudette Colvin: When she was 15, she refused to move to the back of the bus and give up her seat to a white person — nine months before Rosa Parks did the very same thing.

It's fine, the point is made, but just wanted to add something.

Most people know about Parks and the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott that began in 1955, but few know that there were a number of women who refused to give up their seats on the same bus system. Most of the women were quietly fined, and no one heard much more.

Not trying to knock Rosa Parks. She is was clearly very important for change.

Link

Wow! Thanks!

Cool story. I never heard of Claudette Colvin.

Another great American hero. I liked the part in her story where she told the bus driver it was her Constitutional right.

It would be really cool if this generation understood the significance of what people like Parks, King, and Colvin did for all of us.

originally posted by: AnuTyr
Anyone who fights for equality is a link in the chain. With the more people fighting for humanitarian rights. The chain becomes strong enough to topple regimes.

That's how revolutions start. And why the feds world wide are so quick to squish protesters.

Don't underestimate what one person can do.

When you look at history, time after time just one person's actions were the tipping point for an entire upheaval of the system.

a reply to: Domo1

Yes, Claudette Colvin was the first to not give up her seat on the Montgomery Bus, and it was the court case inspired by her action which was the basis of the later court ruling which ended the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Colvin was young, 15, at the time of her stand (well, her sit). It wasn't until 1963 when teenagers walked by the hundreds, fifty at a time, out of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham - eventually to get turned on by fire hoses and snarling and biting dogs during their walk to talk to Birmingham's mayor about segregation - that teens were accepted as being part of the Civil Rights Movement. So Colvin, being young, and then eventually getting pregnant, was not seen as a viable person to rally a city around. It was nine months later that Rosa Parks refused to leave the bus, and this was after two more high school girls had followed Colvin's lead and were arrested (they were also part of the court case).

imnho Claudette Colvin is the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, or at least one of the major founders. Parks was a very brave woman, and accepted her role well. I just wish she herself had hoisted Colvin up to her level, had talked about her more and honored her at every event that she herself was honored at. Then the two of them could have been known as the two people who created the bus boycott. But Colvin has lived out her life, except for the last few years, fairly unknown and unrecognized. I'm glad she's lived long enough to know that she's finally being given some of the credit and slowly gaining her rightful place in movement history.

a reply to: Jamie1

Being a leader tho isn't being by yourself. It takes people to follow orders in order to be a leader.

Lone wolfs don't really change the world all to much but that dosn't mean that lone wolfs can't do a lot of damage before the rest of the world is against them.

I agree one person can acomplish a lot. But as for changing the world alone? No one has ever changed the world alone except well Inventors.

As for social reform.

There's many routes a lone wolf could go to acomplishing that. Most of them lead to Terrorism or some sort of dirastic cry for help.



Take this guy for instance.

originally posted by: AnuTyr
a reply to: Jamie1

Being a leader tho isn't being by yourself. It takes people to follow orders in order to be a leader.

Lone wolfs don't really change the world all to much but that dosn't mean that lone wolfs can't do a lot of damage before the rest of the world is against them.

I agree one person can acomplish a lot. But as for changing the world alone? No one has ever changed the world alone except well Inventors.

As for social reform.

There's many routes a lone wolf could go to acomplishing that. Most of them lead to Terrorism or some sort of dirastic cry for help.

Take this guy for instance.

lol bulldozer guy had too much caffeine or something.

For sure, it takes more than just one person. But one person can be the tipping point.

I think a lot of people want to be the next Rosa Parks, but it's going to take the right combination of an unarguably just cause, charisma, and leadership.

And no bulldozers...

a reply to: Domo1
I would add, if it weren't for women like Harriet Tubman(Araminta Ross), who risked her life many times, these women might not have had the chance generations later, to do what they did. They are "standing on the shoulders of giants".

a reply to: Jamie1

Well said Jamie.. ..our inspiration these days have replaced Rosa with Kim Kardashian. ...and that stupid "Guess what DAay it is?! " camel.

True that.. .the world could use another real hero for our youth to emulate.

Thanks J
MS

Rosa Parks definitely IS a great American Hero. She stood her ground and said, "I'm not going to take discrimination anymore!"

originally posted by: Jamie1
Now....

Now we have people filing lawsuits over icing on wedding cakes.

Times and means have changed, but the message is the same: "I'm not going to take discrimination anymore!"

People who are still discriminated against because of who they are, are standing their ground and not taking it.

Your examples are ones of crazy people trying to change people's opinions, which they have a right to do, but there are plenty of people who ARE fighting against discrimination to this day.

Depends if you're talking about American Civil Rights or Globally...



Malala Yousafzai is someone the World should rally behind in this day & age if you're discussing a Global transition against discrimination.

originally posted by: Benevolent Heretic
Rosa Parks definitely IS a great American Hero. She stood her ground and said, "I'm not going to take discrimination anymore!"

originally posted by: Jamie1
Now....

Now we have people filing lawsuits over icing on wedding cakes.

Times and means have changed, but the message is the same: "I'm not going to take discrimination anymore!"

People who are still discriminated against because of who they are, are standing their ground and not taking it.

Your examples are ones of crazy people trying to change people's opinions, which they have a right to do, but there are plenty of people who ARE fighting against discrimination to this day.

Oh I forgot.

Al Sharpton is having an "emergency meeting" today about the Academy Awards snubbing Selma.

Ironic, huh?

Rosa Parks was fighting for the legal rights of an entire race. Sharpton is pissed because the race isn't getting enough gold statues from an elitist, liberal Hollywood industry.

Today people are looking for ways to be offended so they can claim they're the next Rosa Parks.

They're not.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
Depends if you're talking about American Civil Rights or Globally...



Malala Yousafzai is someone the World should rally behind in this day & age if you're discussing a Global transition against discrimination.

OMG! Yes! For sure!!!!

That's exactly what I mean.

The U.S. has jumped the shark in the "fight" against discrimination. Disproportional knee-jerk law suits over the most minor offenses.

Malala Yousafzai IS a hero. She's not whining because somebody didn't write the message she wanted on her birthday cake.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Needs to repeated

Times and means have changed, but the message is the same: "I'm not going to take discrimination anymore!"

People who are still discriminated against because of who they are, are standing their ground and not taking it.

A fight for identity, equality and freedom...the more things change - the more they stay the same

I'm thinking there are people that need to offer us important stories that we value in order to make their own stories seem more palatable

originally posted by: Spiramirabilis
a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Needs to repeated

Times and means have changed, but the message is the same: "I'm not going to take discrimination anymore!"

People who are still discriminated against because of who they are, are standing their ground and not taking it.

A fight for identity, equality and freedom...the more things change - the more they stay the same

That's ridiculous.

Things have changed dramatically. It's unthinkable for any but the most fringe organizations to put up signs forbidding any race from entering a building.

It's illegal.

A fight for identity?

Each individual controls their own beliefs about themselves.

What's changed is the tiny grains of sand that are blown up into the biggest mountains by people looking to find offense.

Seriously.... banning The Vagina Monologues because if may offend men who identify as a women but who don't have a vagina?

Yeah. Reminds me of Rosa Parks. For sure.

a reply to: Jamie1

Seriously.... banning The Vagina Monologues because if may offend men who identify as a women but who don't have a vagina?

Yeah. Reminds me of Rosa Parks. For sure.

Way to pick that cherry Jamie1. Seems like a desperate choice

So, we've achieved all our goals have we? No citizen in this country need worry about establishing or protecting their civil rights - 'cause we're all done with that now?

You and your crew always seem to be telling other people when they have enough - when they should be satisfied, when they should just sit down and shut up. They don't feel actual pain - it's just a story...it's other people that have real world problems

What a sense of entitlement you seem to have

No dice Jamie - this stuff is not up to you. We'll just have to see how it all shakes out a little farther down the road