Monday, October 24, 2005
death of a seamstress
Rosa Parks was a TRUE LEGEND - revered in Detroit for what she sparked in Montgomery, Alabama, with her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man sparking in effect the modern civil rights movement. Rosa Parks died on the 24th of October, a Monday evening, in this year of Our Lord, 2005. She was 92.Martin Luther King Jr would have not been the man he became (and a target for murder) had it not been for Rosa Parks. In that, she resembles -almost- the Rosa I know; who was an unwitting party to my enemies when we were children! But that is most definitely another story... (The coincidence was just too much not to mention, though! Ties in neatly, also, with my famous ''name theory'' which dictates that your name tells what you are; just look at your namesakes and you will see what you truly are... THAT is the theory! But it is another story - for another blog. Also, it is never stressed enough; we do affect each and everyone else around us. Every life is intricately linked on this planet - because we are all on the same boat. Depends on our perspective whether it is a sinking boat or not. Again - material to ponder another time, and in another place.)
DETROIT, hence, adopted Rosa Parks when her own town became like hell for her and her husband after the famous bus riding incident that would start the ever-so-slow process of change... She was the local icon there and would never again have the need nor the urge to move. Detroit was her home.
Mrs. Parks was 42 years of age when she committed an act of defiance in 1955 that was to change the course of American history and earn her the title "mother of the civil rights movement." - an act of peaceful protest that would be reverberating throughout the world, verily!
''At that time, Jim Crow laws in place since the post-Civil War Reconstruction required separation of the races in buses, restaurants and public accommodations throughout the South, while legally sanctioned racial discrimination kept blacks out of many jobs and neighborhoods in the North.'' Hence, a man would think it within his rights to ask a woman to give up her seat so that he could sit his lazy a$$ down! As long as the woman was black of course - and he white. The same neanderthal would revert back to gentlemanliness in the presence of a caucasian lady... If she would have him! Of course... Then again, I tend to agree with my fellow Insightful Linguist, Charles Dickens, in his assessment that there never was any such thing as an "American gentleman"... Truly, with details like these a core part of their history, why in blue blazes do the USofA think themselves so great - and the ''leaders of the FREE world''...?!?
The bus in which the infamous act of intolerance took place (much more shocking to me than Rosa Parks' alleged act of ''defiance'' - even if I had lived in such a society) is now a museum piece... Another testimonial to man's folly - is it not. Of course, Jim Crow surely thought it was already quite enough to allow men and women of colour to ride in the same bus with whites, to begin with... Of course, the historical value of that bus is entirely attributable to Mrs. Parks's bravery - and that, even all the Crows in the world will admit to, nowadays. I hope so - for their souls' sake.I wrote plenty more on Rosa Parks - some of it is here.
Doubtful that it has any bearing on Mrs. Parks departure from our cold cruel world - but her crossing over on a Monday evening reminds this luminous blogger and former wrestling fan that the white man from the Northeast-led WWE has its main television program on Monday nights -RAW, on the USA network- and that he recently downgraded a promising young black talent -one Shelton Benjamin- in favor of, ultimately, an aging southern gentleman, veteran of the sport - the very white and blond haired Ric Flair. Now, I have been a Flair supporter for years - but I did notice he was predominantly from the South and his Horsemen never included a Black member. He did ''put over'' black and white opponents equally though, and this throughout his long career. Not so with Vince McMahon - the white man from the Northeast, owner and barker of the WWE. He NEVER had a Black champion (the WCW was the only one to cross that barrier; and no, I do not consider 'The Rock' black but rather of mixed heritage and at best mulato) - and McMahon has, with his treatment of Benjamin, quickly gone back on his word to ''let nothing stop (Benjamin) now''. Poor Shelton Benjamin, who has gone from title-contender to pre-carder faster than you can say... bigotry? Things have changed - yes or no? Flair effectively asked Benjamin to sit in the back while he took one more glorious ride on Space Mountain (his allegorical reference to his championship runs - and spotlight stealing, among OTHER things!) Just like that white man asked Rosa Parks to go sit in the back of the bus in 1955... It truly is Vince McMahon asking though - not Flair. However, having said all that, once again I must make clear that I am merely making luminous connections for greater understanding of all that goes around... and comes around... no need to sue me, Vince! That is, if your people are reading me at all... of course!
As for Rosa Parks, now, in conclusion -
I've the impression that she and Mother Teresa are spending a lot of time together from this day onward!
And they'll be joined by Marthe Robin.
And Sister Lucia Dos Santos.
And Hildegard Von Bingen.
And Thérèse de Lisieux.
And Teresa of Avila.
And Bernadette de Soubiroux.
Need I go on...?
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Ann S. from Taylor, TX. wrote these beautfiul words about Mrs. Parks...
''Rosa Parks leaves a legacy of "quiet and peaceful rebellion against hatred." A true spiritual warrior moved on yesterday evening. what a remarkable legacy and example she leaves with us.''
''Rosa Parks leaves a legacy of "quiet and peaceful rebellion against hatred." A true spiritual warrior moved on yesterday evening. what a remarkable legacy and example she leaves with us.''
Luciano,
Thanks for letting us know about Rosa Parks passing. She was a remarkable woman.
The action in one moment in time can change the lives of millions in the future. You never know how you will affect others in this world, so always let your light shine wherever you go. Stand up for what you believe in.
Just like Rosa Parks, who didn't know how her action would change this country, she took a stand and made a difference for all time.
Luce your light touches all that you meet and changes them no matter if they realize it or not.
By being my friend you have changed my life forever. Keep on letting your luminous light shine!
You truly are Luminous Luciano!!
God Bless You Luce (\ô/)
((HUGE HUGS))
Countess
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Thanks for letting us know about Rosa Parks passing. She was a remarkable woman.
The action in one moment in time can change the lives of millions in the future. You never know how you will affect others in this world, so always let your light shine wherever you go. Stand up for what you believe in.
Just like Rosa Parks, who didn't know how her action would change this country, she took a stand and made a difference for all time.
Luce your light touches all that you meet and changes them no matter if they realize it or not.
By being my friend you have changed my life forever. Keep on letting your luminous light shine!
You truly are Luminous Luciano!!
God Bless You Luce (\ô/)
((HUGE HUGS))
Countess
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