Present and Past
Took a quick trip up to Atlanta a few weeks ago for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour and of course we made time to fit in a National Park Service unit; an old favorite: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. This park packs a lot of emotion and history into a very small package. There are many reasons to love this place. Foremost, to stand on the sacred ground where one of America’s greatest voices for change grew up, preached, and is interred is an experience unto itself. To catch a glimpse of the iconic Ebenezer Baptist Church neon sign through Corretta Scott King’s rose garden is one of those moments that the National Park Service’s preservation excels at: the past is speaking to the present and you are there to witness it. The other reasons for strong emotions at MLK NHP? To see people out and about and enjoying themselves and the best parts of their country despite the worst parts of the country on display right now. To take stock of the events of the last few years or so and to see people paying respect to the values that define the goodness of america is moving and heartening especially as the National Park Service is facing challenges to sanitize history and only present “a positive view of America”. MLK NHS isn’t about “a positive view of America”. MLK’s impact is undoubtedly positive, but the struggle for civil rights and the very obvious fact that he was assassinated for those ideals contradicts any notion that history should be biased away from telling the whole truth. Distorting the facts would be a disservice to MLK’s legacy and what he would want for this country, and how we need to grow as a country. Resist lies and sanitation. Embrace the truth, as ugly as it might be. That’s how we learn.
Present and Past
Took a quick trip up to Atlanta a few weeks ago for Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour and of course we made time to fit in a National Park Service unit; an old favorite: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. This park packs a lot of emotion and history into a very small package. There are many reasons to love this place. Foremost, to stand on the sacred ground where one of America’s greatest voices for change grew up, preached, and is interred is an experience unto itself. To catch a glimpse of the iconic Ebenezer Baptist Church neon sign through Corretta Scott King’s rose garden is one of those moments that the National Park Service’s preservation excels at: the past is speaking to the present and you are there to witness it. The other reasons for strong emotions at MLK NHP? To see people out and about and enjoying themselves and the best parts of their country despite the worst parts of the country on display right now. To take stock of the events of the last few years or so and to see people paying respect to the values that define the goodness of america is moving and heartening especially as the National Park Service is facing challenges to sanitize history and only present “a positive view of America”. MLK NHS isn’t about “a positive view of America”. MLK’s impact is undoubtedly positive, but the struggle for civil rights and the very obvious fact that he was assassinated for those ideals contradicts any notion that history should be biased away from telling the whole truth. Distorting the facts would be a disservice to MLK’s legacy and what he would want for this country, and how we need to grow as a country. Resist lies and sanitation. Embrace the truth, as ugly as it might be. That’s how we learn.