So I think I know where this blog is a-goin'!

Each time a person stands for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he or she sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. And crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. Few are willing to embrace the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. [Robert F. Kennedy]

Do you get this quote? Does it resonate within you? I have been struggling for the past few days with a "Friend" on facebook. She de-friended me just as I was going to do the same to her. I went to high school with her and we were never best friends then...and I am beginning to understand why. She apparently thought I was posting something directly because of something she posted (and, ironically, I didn't even know she'd posted it!)

I put a Status message up that I disagreed with a new Group which was made up of a hateful comment wishing death to President Obama. Now, with all the derogatory groups aimed at comparing our President to various animals, etc....I stayed silent. But this one really got me! I was royally PISSED OFF! In the darkest days of Bush/Cheney I never wished them dead! I'm also pretty certain that you're not supposed to make death threats against the President, so WOW...to see it on FacePlace really shocked me. That FB would ALLOW this shocked me more.

Yeah, freedom of speech, bla bla bla.............whatever.

So, I've come to the conclusion that she's a very racist, unhappy person! That alone could only explain the things she posted on MY page. My brother was adopted. He was Greek and African American. I know racism as well as any white person can. I grew up with it. And you know what? I am so fortunate to have had Steve in my life to teach me some things that I needed to know. How strong that made our family! The courage my parents had to adopt a transracial child in 1970!

We didn't live in the South, but in a very small town community in Michigan. Steve WAS the minority, practically! We moved from there when he was about ten. It was time.....we moved to East Lansing and immersed ourselves in the awesomeness which was the Michigan State University area action!

While growing up, I remember a trip to Florida where we traveled through Georgia and on Easter Sunday morning, saw a Cross burning on a lawn of a small church! I remember my Dad putting Steve under a pull out bed in our motorhome and telling him to stay there until he was told to come out. I was scared....very scared because I didn't understand what was going on...I only knew that Dad was serious. The situation was serious. I feared for Stevie. He'd been my brother since he was six weeks old! I was just beginning to understand that life was different for us all.

Our journey was just beginning! I will end this post for now. I need to write about all of this in order to process it. I cannot begin to understand everyone. I do not want to understand a person who believes that I can't take a JOKE which includes being racist. I don't think I EVER want to get a joke like that. God(dess) help us all. I think we're going to need it.