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December
1, 1955 began as a day like any other in Montgomery, Alabama.
People went to their segregated schools, shopped in the
“appropriate” stores and drank from their respective drinking
fountains. On the way
home after a day of work as a tailor’s assistant, 42-year old Rosa
Parks went to the drugstore to buy a heating pad for a sore neck and
shoulder. She didn’t
find one but bought a few other things anyway before catching her
usual bus ride home.
When
the bus came, Ms. Parks sat near the back in the row immediately
behind the section reserved for whites only.
During the next few stops more white passengers boarded and
seats were becoming scarce. On
the third stop, the driver told Rosa to give up her seat and stand so
a white passenger would have a place to sit.
It was the bus driver’s right to make African Americans move
to the back of the bus. In
fact, the law required any black person to give up their seat to a
Caucasian upon “request.” Rosa’s neck and shoulder continued to bother her.
It had been a long day and her feet were tired.
But her patience and spirit were tired too.
Rosa said, “No.” Within
minutes Rosa Parks had been arrested for not relinquishing her seat to
another white rider.
Rosa
Parks changed the world that day. She didn't give a speech, she
didn't lead troops into battle, she didn't even say more than two
words. She simply said "No" to an evil that had been
openly existing in our world. Rosa said "No" to
evil. A nation soon learned to follow. After her defiance
to evil, people, lead by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. began their quest
for Civil Rights.
Of
course, there is still evil in the world today. One just has to
watch the news to confirm that. But what if we each said
"No" to the sin we meet in our daily lives? "No,
I will not cheat on that exam. No I will not lie on my
taxes. No I will not continue this relationship." If
we destroy the evil in our daily lives, what will be left over for the
rest of the world?
Something
to think about. (Rosa Parks thought about it!)
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