Monday, January 20, 2014

Martin Luther King March San Antonio 2014

Stacy and I have made a sort of bucket list.  Suppose we actually should put the list on paper, but essentially what we have is a commitment to do "something" every weekend.  That something can be as simple as going to a new coffee shop and taking a break during a busy working-on-the-house weekend.  Or it could be going to another town, participating in an event, or going to the one place in SA he hasn't gone (and he's lived here over 30 years).....the Alamo.....gasp!!!

So, this weekend, our venture was the Martin Luther King March that is held in San Antonio Annually.  To me this walk was very important because of diversity.  In MLK's famous speech he says "Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children."  That speech was made 51 years ago and it is still relevant today.  I want justice for not only all races, but all sexual orientations, women (STILL) ..... EVERYONE as the "all of" in THE speech indicates.  That is what today was about for me.  I happen to not see skin color.  Is a person with brown hair smarter than one with a different shade of brown or blonde?  Why is skin color different? It's not.  I want to research about prejudice and bigotry and see where the world is at today.  I know that sexual orientation is a hot topic for some people and there is a lot of inequality in that realm.  Health care, ability to marry and have a family, benefits, simply being treated fairly.  Sad.  People, all of us.  None of us deserve to be treated unjustly, period. I know, one voice, but it's mine and all I can do is make some noise in my little world. Hopefully someone will hear/be influenced/THINK.

Today was a march for diversity, tolerance, peace, ONE WORLD.  So what do we hit as we round one corner?  Signs reading "One Man + One Woman = Marriage".  Luckily this was a peaceful, love filled march.  People just went on by the signs, but I can tell you that within the ranks there were comments of surprise that they'd choose this venue, this time of love, to be so ugly.  I guess that's what demonstrating is all about but c'mon, we were marching for tolerance and ONE WORLD.  LOVE.  Be a hater....geez, sad world.  But you know what?  They won't tolerate love, but we have to tolerate their in-your-face signs at a peaceful, love filled march?  Guess that says something.....hmmmm, bet my kids will remember me saying "kill them with kindness" on a number of occasions.  Case in point.

There were MANY mixed race couples/families at the march.  Has it taken the beauty of love and creation of a family to make some people get past the ugly segregational thinking?  Possibly.  Think about your family.  Mine is all over the board. Once upon a time I suppose it was what is called "white bread".  But I have great nieces and nephews that have multiple races in their background.  Stacy's grand daughter has mixed heritage.  Mixed what?  Doesn't matter does it?  Yea, we have Caucasian, African American, Hispanic....and more in there, and you know what?  Doesn't matter.  We are all people and everyone is loved just as deeply in the family.  Is this what it takes for some people to get it?  Really?  Very possibly and if so, I'm glad it's happening.

Random thought....people always comment on our "first black President".  WHY???   He's just as white as he is African American.  Why don't we say Obama is our 44th white President???  And what the heck does it matter what his race is anyway?  Why is that cause for celebration?  Perhaps he was elected because at the time he was the most qualified?  Like him or not (I kind of have a thing for him as I used to watch him play basketball when we were in high school) he's our freaking President.  He's pretty brilliant.  Criticize all you want, but you aren't in line for the job.  The most thankless job in the world.  OK....off that soapbox.

So anyway.....pictures from our first MLK March in San Antonio....
Busses as far as you can see....they did a great job of planning and being prepared for this event.

Stacy under the bus stop sign where we hopped the bus to/from the event site.

Notice the cops in yellow vests on top of the bridge.  In center is a photographer.

Crowds up ahead....

And crowds behind.

This one was the start....as we went across the Freedom Bridge.

With a cutie holding a "free hugs" sign.  AWESOME!

At the finish was a huge festival and what do you know!  Yes, a squeal of delight and I probably WAS one of few adults having a pic taken with Mickey and Minnie.

Stacy with his hugger....good stuff.

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