Selma

Today marked the 50th anniversary of the march in Selma. The first black President of the United States led a commemorative march across a bridge that still bears the name of an influential Klan leader.

A friend from high school posted a picture that had the caption, "Edmund Pettus was a Klan leader. Hope he was rolling in his grave as a Black president walked on that bridge! #Selma50 @tvonetv #NewsOneNow".

I commented as to why hadn't the name been changed yet, and my friend said very eloquently that she wants to go lay hands on that bridge. Hands that are connected to a brain that has achieved two undergraduate and two graduate level degrees, four in all. Another friend said she hopes the name never changes, that people to need remember the injustice that folks had to endure and overcome and that while it shouldn't be glorified, it shouldn't be forgotten or changed.

I'm torn on this one. I feel that by keeping the name some (possibly many) will glorify the man. I think there are ways of remembering that don't give the leader of a hate group such a prevalent billing.

Are we glorifying this individual or are we remembering the injustice suffered by a significant portion of our citizens? Are we enlarging the divide by keeping his name on that bridge?

It seems to me that sometimes my black friends forget there are white people out there who stand with them in solidarity for the constant struggle for civil rights that is still being waged. Some of my black friends forget that not all white people are racist. I see their posts on Facebook, I read their blogs, and Twitter posts, and it seems to me that the divide is being widened not only by "racist" white people (many of whom still exist) but by themselves. I will stand with all of my friends in the struggle for all civil rights; voting, marriage equality, etc, regardless of what color they may be, what lifestyle they live, whatever difference there may be between us, because civil rights, when denied to one, are denied to all.

Is there a way of remembering and changing the name of the bridge? I hope so. I truly hope so.