for Civil Rights
In general, I’ve seen a lifetime
of, by all appearances, as far
as I can surmise, a long set of
progression in which there are
three steps forward, followed
inevitably by about two steps
back. This is not a mathematic
al absolute, because the pat
tern as it has been since I can
remember has recently reversed,
manyfold, but it has been something
I’ve lived long enough to come to
appreciate, and used to count on,
particularly during times in which
the world seems to be stepping
backwards. I guess if this is
actually a note of appreciation,
it is one meant to be of optimism,
the world seems to be stepping
backwards. I guess if this is
actually a note of appreciation,
it is one meant to be of optimism,
of hope. I could give countless
examples from my lifespan in
which progression moved at a
sprint (again, until just recently),
sprint (again, until just recently),
with little to no de-evolution.
You might call this opinion,
of course. There was the
California Proposition 8
punch in the gut. That, to
be clear, to inform, was
a few steps backwards
But that regression didn’t
last long, and so on the
whole things continued
to steadily get better,
despite setbacks. The
punch in the gut was
simultaneous with the
election of our first pres
ident of color, a tremendous
step forward, I say. So, these
simultaneous with the
election of our first pres
ident of color, a tremendous
step forward, I say. So, these
things have always tended
to not only even out, but al
to not only even out, but al
ways move gently forward.
In my lifetime. So, for the
purposes of this letter of
appreciation to the afore
mentioned trend that with
a few steps back always
meant more steps forward,
on average. One could
argue that backwards and
forwards are matters of
opinion, of course. And
I confess that I have no
idea what you (if you
exist) feel progress and
regress are. So let
met clarify this. If you
are of a general opinion
that the last few years
haven’t simply been the
difficult times when the
two steps backwards are
transpiring and we’re just
waiting around, biting our
nails, all antsy with angst
and anxiety awaiting the
pivot back to forward,
back toward progress,
knowing full well that
it will inevitably come
. . .? Well, let me be
fervently clear when I
say that what we are
in the middle of now is
definitely NOT one of
those traditional dif
ficult times. I appre
ciate the determina
tion and the solidif
ication of values
that those bygone
difficult times gave
me. But this, my
friend, and I do
hope that I may
are of a general opinion
that the last few years
haven’t simply been the
difficult times when the
two steps backwards are
transpiring and we’re just
waiting around, biting our
nails, all antsy with angst
and anxiety awaiting the
pivot back to forward,
back toward progress,
knowing full well that
it will inevitably come
. . .? Well, let me be
fervently clear when I
say that what we are
in the middle of now is
definitely NOT one of
those traditional dif
ficult times. I appre
ciate the determina
tion and the solidif
ication of values
that those bygone
difficult times gave
me. But this, my
friend, and I do
hope that I may
call you friend, that
you might be able to
relate to what I have
to say here, this is
not a difficult time
for which I’m grate
ful. This is way too
many steps back, I
fear. I miss and do
very much appreciate
the difficult times of
to say here, this is
not a difficult time
for which I’m grate
ful. This is way too
many steps back, I
fear. I miss and do
very much appreciate
the difficult times of
yesteryear. I hope
that you do, too.
Enough to make a
quorum, and give
me faith that we’ll
make our way back
to a big leap in pro
gress, followed by
Enough to make a
quorum, and give
me faith that we’ll
make our way back
to a big leap in pro
gress, followed by
a bit of a backlash,
perhaps, but always
followed soon enough,
by another big leap
followed soon enough,
by another big leap
