Welcome to Day 52 of the Season of Nonviolence – 64 Days of peaceful wisdom honoring the lives and nonviolent principles of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez.
Nonviolence begins with learning how to be less violent and more compassionate towards ourselves. We learn by building the courage to speak and act with respect, honor and reverence for our own being.
Day 52: Equality
“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important.” ~ Martin Luther King
Laws cannot change attitudes or feelings, but it can protect us from the consequences of them. The Declaration of Independence states clearly that all men are created equal, but it took almost 100 years for the definition of 'men' to be extended to former slaves, and 50 years beyond that for women to begin to be included in that equality.
There can be no peace in our cities, states or nations without the full realization that all people are endowed by their creator with unalienable rights. These rights legally cannot be denied anyone on the basis of race, religion, or sex, yet the attitudes that prevent this from becoming the experience of all resides within our hearts, not our laws.
Who do you consider not equal to you? Is it the poor, those whose political or religious beliefs are different from your own, or who choose to live in ways you find threatening or objectionable? Contemplate or journal about where the edge of your belief in the equality of all people ends and choose to embrace everyone in our human family as one of us.
1 comment:
A very well written and expressed article! It is a good idea for everyone to keep journals and contemplate where the edge of equality of all people end. Well Done Carolyn. We all need to be reminded....Donna Kaye Rock
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