Forty-two years ago this April the world lost a man who preached and practiced equality. Today we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. who left us too soon. In my heart I like to believe that, had he lived till a ripe old age, he would have continued his fight for human rights for all and that his rhetoric and actions would have prevented much of what continues today. I wish all human beings would use common sense. It makes sense to me to be tolerant of each other whether tall, short, skinny, pudgy, gay, straight, black, white, white hair, red hair, flat feet, walking with a cane, wearing a burka, driving a bus, flying a jet, or sitting at home trying to keep warm. I think of all the aid coming forward for Haiti.

Common sense should be that we take care of each other on a daily basis. We don’t tell untruths about a fellow politician, don’t shoot someone because we don’t like their religious beliefs, don’t jail someone for unsuspectingly walking across the border into your country, don’t get upset because they got the last of the big bargain at the electronics store, or get a job promotion. We don’t have to worry that any child or adult is starving or drinking contaminated water. Everyone has easy access to medical care.

I am on a research trip and the other night six women sat in a hotel room in our pajamas and talked for hours and hours. We had a variety of body types, ages, shades of skin, and still we bonded. We had tons of stuff in common. We all love to laugh, tease, share research, hug, and learn. Some have children, some don’t. We talked of common things such as the trials and joys we have encountered over the years. We talked about genealogical research problems and successes. I like to think that we were doing just what Dr. King advocated.

He shouldn’t have had to advocate it because it just should have been that way, always. As I have said before, I have a pie-in-the-sky hope that peace and equality are terms that we don’t have to advocate or Dream about. They just will be the norm. Please.

© 2010 – 2014, Paula Stuart-Warren. All rights reserved.

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