Rosa tinted glasses
14/11/2005
Guest Contributor
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Despite the revolutionary stance taken by the late Rosa Parks to defy racist laws, there are still questions over whether the legacy of the civil rights movement has demolished racism for once and for all.
Condoleezza Rice said to those gathering before her at the memorial service for Rosa Parks, last month, that: "Without her, I would not be standing here today as secretary of state."
A fitting testament to an ordinary 'Negro' woman, who when asked to move to the back of a bus to allow a white man to sit down, politely declined.
With this serene, peaceful yet stubborn refusal to abide by Alabama state law this tired 42 year-old seamstress unknowingly sparked a revolution which would change the way the world got along forever.
The mother of the civil rights movement can now rightfully lay in honour at the Capital Building, which houses the US Congress, (normally a privilege bestowed to Presidents,) safe in the knowledge that her legacy will live on for eternity.
But what is this legacy? Is she the bold full stop which marked the end of years of racist discrimination when one afternoon she thought -hang on, f*** you I'm sitting here- or is she merely the woman who started the ball of change rolling?
She was arrested and charged with a violation of Chapter 6, Section 11 segregation law of the Montgomery City code, back in 1955 December 1st, saying quietly as she was led away "Why do you push us around so much?"
This was half a century ago, so if the world, as Miss Rice suggests has changed so much for the better as a result of one Rosa Parks, where is our Black President or Prime minister?
This notion applies to all ethnicities, there are more Catholics in the Philippines than in Italy, so where is our Philippino Pope? Was he even amongst the Papal chase which in the end was won by a conservative ex-Hitler youth? Why fifty years on are we still awaiting racial breakthroughs, if Rosa made the world so, well rosy? If this is good, how bad was it?
The evolution of all ethnic minorities from staying sat down to standing proud is continuing along a gradual and hesitant slope upwards if you compare it to say women's rights. At least we've had a female Prime Minister- even if (in her case at least) none of us want to go back there again in a hurry.
Condoleezza Rice said to those gathering before her at the memorial service for Rosa Parks, last month, that: "Without her, I would not be standing here today as secretary of state."
A fitting testament to an ordinary 'Negro' woman, who when asked to move to the back of a bus to allow a white man to sit down, politely declined.
With this serene, peaceful yet stubborn refusal to abide by Alabama state law this tired 42 year-old seamstress unknowingly sparked a revolution which would change the way the world got along forever.
The mother of the civil rights movement can now rightfully lay in honour at the Capital Building, which houses the US Congress, (normally a privilege bestowed to Presidents,) safe in the knowledge that her legacy will live on for eternity.
But what is this legacy? Is she the bold full stop which marked the end of years of racist discrimination when one afternoon she thought -hang on, f*** you I'm sitting here- or is she merely the woman who started the ball of change rolling?
She was arrested and charged with a violation of Chapter 6, Section 11 segregation law of the Montgomery City code, back in 1955 December 1st, saying quietly as she was led away "Why do you push us around so much?"
This was half a century ago, so if the world, as Miss Rice suggests has changed so much for the better as a result of one Rosa Parks, where is our Black President or Prime minister?
This notion applies to all ethnicities, there are more Catholics in the Philippines than in Italy, so where is our Philippino Pope? Was he even amongst the Papal chase which in the end was won by a conservative ex-Hitler youth? Why fifty years on are we still awaiting racial breakthroughs, if Rosa made the world so, well rosy? If this is good, how bad was it?
The evolution of all ethnic minorities from staying sat down to standing proud is continuing along a gradual and hesitant slope upwards if you compare it to say women's rights. At least we've had a female Prime Minister- even if (in her case at least) none of us want to go back there again in a hurry.
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