The Gift of Advocacy
Over fifty years ago, people like Martin Luther King began speaking out about the civil rights of people in the United States, specifically the civil rights of African-Americans. In the face of violence towards themselves and those that supported them, Rev. King and others maintained their advocacy for equal rights, not just for a privileged few, but for all people. The combined strength of their voice, their actions brought our nation, indeed, our world closer to this ideal. Fifty years is a long time; many have forgotten the struggles of the 50's and 60's because prejudice and bigotry has once again raised its head in our world. What is it about the human psyche that there is such a strong need to vilify and demonize those who are different than we are? Recently, a large corporation pulled its support from a television program that showed Muslim-Americans at work and at home. The program was an attempt to teach people that Muslims are not all ter...