Dream Delayed #249
By Hank Silverberg
"When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men -- yes, Black men as well as white men -- would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
August 28,1963
It's 60 years this week since those words rang out as part of Dr. Martin Luther King's historical "I have a Dream Speech" in front of hundreds of thousands of people on the National Mall in D.C. It was a seminal moment in our nation's Civil Rights movement.
For a brief time in the late 1960's, it looked like that some of the illustrative promissory note might be paid up. The Civil Rights Act banning discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in employment practices and public accommodations passed Congress and was signed by President Johnson in 1964. The Voting Rights Act making it easier for African-Americans to vote nationwide followed in 1965.
Dozens of court cases began to slowly untangle discriminatory laws across the country, and many of us who lived through it believed this nation was on it's way toward racial equality. As the Baby Boomers grew up and had their own children, we tried very hard to live Dr. King's dream. We tried to teach our children that they should judge others by the "content of their character" and not by the color of their skin or their ethnicity.
By the turn of the century there had been a pause as reality set in that the new laws were not going to change racism that quickly. There was more work to be done.
But we were fooled. By the time Barak Obama was elected President in 2008, many believed race was no longer an issue in America. They were very wrong.
In the last decade it has become clear that Dr. King's dream is slipping away. The prejudice and hate, the underlying causes of racism, have been just under the surface waiting for the right sign that it was time to rear its ugly head once again.
That happened somewhere around 2015, right around the time a man named Donald Trump came onto the national political scene. You cannot blame Trump for racism. His own comments and behavior on the issue are mixed. But you can blame him for the division which has brought it to the surface. Trump encouraged the small minority which had basically been hiding and waiting to come out to spread their venom once again. He did it because it gave him a slight political advantage. And it was not long before other Republicans took note and acted the same way. While most of these Republicans are probably not racist at their core, they have made it safe to be a bigot again for political gain.
Nowhere is that more clear than in efforts to overturn Affirmative Action, ban or even burn books with racial or gender oriented themes, and set up road blocks for minority voters. It's subtle. The language and action is not as open as it was in the Jim Crow south or northern urban centers in the late 20th Century. But it's there if you are paying attention.
Dr. King's "stone of hope" is unfortunately falling back into the "valley of despair" and will eventually smother us all unless we stop it and do something about it now. "One nation indivisible...with Liberty and Justice for all" must be more than just a promise if our country is to survive into the 22nd century.
Barbie Revisited
This past Sunday was National Cinema Day, andmore than 3,000 theatres decided to charge just $4.00 to see their current movies. So I decided it was time to go see Barbie. The past few weeks I just couldn't fathom spending $14.00 each, the usual ticket price, but at the lower price my wife and I decided to go. First, the reduced price was a great idea. The theatre and parking lot were packed. The usual late afternoon matinee was in an almost full theatre instead of the private showing my wife and I get most of the time when just the two of use show up at that time of day. The popcorn line was very long, and I am sure with those prices NOT reduced, that's where the movie houses made their money this week.
There is a message in all this for the large movie chains that run most movies these days. Full price for the two of us would have been $28.00. Our Netflix subscription is $15.49 a month. For a movie like Barbie I would normally have waited to stream it at home if it weren't for the reduced price.
Many of the movie chains have yet to recover from the pandemic, so lowering the ticket prices may be a better business model right how.
So, about the movie? It was entertaining. It was funny at times, completely ridiculous at times and blatantly sexist at times.
Did they talk about empowering women? Sure.
Did they make fun of patriarchal men? Sure.
I thought it took an anti-male point of view at times. My wife found truth in the struggle of women to gain equality in both society and the workforce.
But I saw no big political message in it as many people on both the left and right have been screaming about over the last month. Not everything has to be "left" or "right".
Sometimes it's just a movie.
As for the $4.00 ticket price. I can't help but wonder if that will ever return. Especially when there could be a shortage of good films for a while once the SAG-AFTRA and writer's strike is finally settled.
Dumbest Quote of The Week!
I thought about watching the GOP debate where there were several dumb comments that could have worked. But instead, I have to admit I take pleasure from a dumb quote in another realm. It comes from Yankee's General Manager Brian Cashman after his team lost five straight games and nine out of ten, including a three game sweep by the arch rival Boston Red Sox! (Go Sox!)
He said:
"It's been a disaster, definitely a shock!"
That's obvious with the Bronx team mired in last place in the American League East and likely to finish the season with their first losing record since 1992. The rest of the league is very pleased there will be a post season without a team from New York, though the Fox network may not be since they have the broadcast rights. The ratings are likely to be lower without a New York entry.
Cashman is not the problem for the Bronx bums. The team has had lots of injuries, and after trading away all their prospects for years for short term gain, they have a poor farm system that can't really help out. But no one in the league feels sorry for Cashman, who will probably work this coming winter at spending millions of Hal Steinbrenner's money. That's if Cashman keeps his job.
(Your comments and suggestions are welcome)
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