People tend to say Nothing can be done, or There's nothing we can do that could make a difference, or This is the way things are. It's these attitudes that allow wrongs and injustices to continue- and the first two statements are not even accurate. One individual who challenged the status quo was Oliver Brown. He didn't have an impressive job or education, wasn't wealthy, and was an African-American in the south before Civil Rights. His willingness and courage to challenge the status quo played a huge role in the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Brown did not like the fact that his young daughter had to walk a long distance to school when there was a school closer to their home. Banding with other parents who felt the same way, the landmark case became known as Brown v Board of Education- Topeka, Kansas. This courageous act legally ended racial segregation of schools. It was 1954- before I was even born. Yet while there have been others over the years and decades whose courageous acts led to change, the Brown decision is an example of how changes can be put into action by individuals who do not have power, status, or wealth. Change can only happen when individuals are unwilling to say This is the way things are- and instead, begin with 'The way things are' is not o.k. Changes don't occur by saying 'Somebody should do something...' |