Black History Month: Balance ... Positives & Negatives

Sometimes getting what we want comes with unforeseen results that that take away from the moment. It happens to all of us at one time or another. It's like the Brenden Fraser movie in the 2000 called "Bedazzled," which also featured Elizabeth Hurley. Her character played the Devil and Fraser's the unsuspecting geek with a crush on a female co-worker.

Martin Luther King, Jr. photographed by Marion S. Trikosko, 1964. LC-DIG-ppmsc-01269 Source: Library of Congress

Unexpected Consequences

The beautiful Devil grants the geek wishes in his quest to ask his crush out on a date. Naturally, he had to sign a contract in exchange for his soul. It's your typical good news/bad news scenario. I won't go into all his granted wishes, but one example will make the case for the outcome of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Fraser's character Elliot asked the Devil to be rich, powerful and married to the woman of his dreams, Allison. He got his wish, but the Devil made him a Columbian drug lord, his wife despised and cheated on him, and one of his trusted men killed him. Elliot returns to the real world and the Devil points out that he never wished for Alison to love him; sometimes we get what we wished for, but not what we hoped.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream Vs. Reality

In 1963, Dr. King gave his famous "I Have A Dream" speech. The following year, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin; it paved the way for African-Americans and others on a cultural level. However, despite the document, Martin Luther King began to realize actions did not speak as loud as words. There was progress, but too many things were still only on paper and hiding behind "These things take time." During the last two years of King's life, his quest for American humanity to do the right thing had become frustrating; as well as for other notable African-Americans, such as novelist James Baldwin.

Two Great Men

You are about to see an edited Martin Luther King, Jr. video with speeches on income inequality and the redistribution of wealth. In addition, you'll see James Baldwin showing his frustration on the realization that despite the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, parts of the power structure were delaying the progress towards equality.

Conclusion ... Just A Point of Reference

We learn from the past to adjust and focus. Regardless of how bad things are portrayed at various levels of media and politics, there is a lot being accomplished by African-Americans, minorities and the poor. Shock, gore, rumor and innuendo sells advertising because of the 'Wow Factor,'

The "Right of Free Will" is the equalizer for the direction of progress. There will always be laws put forth by sectors of the American power structure to limit access and control, but don't fall for the imagery meant to discourage. The continuation for cultural growth starts in elementary school on the playgrounds. I encourage you to start Googling things such as: how minorities are aggressively trying to find ways into the corporate boardrooms and the names of those dedicated to increasing diversity at the corporate level of America.

Information is a powerful tool.