day68: embrace and celebrate diversity!!!

'spark of the divine' (mini dress made from the program from the UUAC Sherborn)

We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, 

and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry 

are equal in value no matter what their color.

Maya Angelou

Today I have struggled with all that I want to say on the subject of diversity.  With certain candidates spewing hateful words and inciting fear, I see our country falling backwards to ways and beliefs that do not embrace diversity.

In grade school I learned that America was a melting pot, a refuge for anyone, rich with diversity,   and that is what made America great!! I just loved that idea of everyone 'melting' together, holding each other up.  However as I got older I saw that idea was more a work in progress, that the melting pot was more an ideal than a reality. There is a long history in our country of hatred, racism, discrimination and fear, and we had made some progress.  There is/was so much more work to be done, however right now I feel as we are sliding back on all fronts.  

I was at a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and one of the speakers spoke of how much we as a country, as a culture, as a society have lost because of discrimination, and his point went straight into my soul.  He spoke of what was lost because an entire race of people were not taken into account, were not given opportunities to speak, to learn, to contribute.  

When you were young girls and you asked me about the atrocities of the world I explain that they stemmed from fear!! fear of something, someone that is different.  

Prejudice and discrimination comes from fear, and fear can come from ignorance.  

It is SO important for everyone to stand up against discrimination.

Speak up against fear of the different, embrace diversity, welcome all the colors of thread, 

because the more colors, the more rich the tapestry.

peace

love, mom

(more tomorrow)

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