Its been often said that you never know how good you have it, until you have it no more. True, most of the time. But since the beginning at IU, I knew my time there would be great, and that when I left, I would truly miss it. There wasn't real proof of this though, until I left last fall for graduate school in Chicago/Evanston. I wondered, mostly to myself, who would I meet there and where would this school, city and experience take me (in life)?
I have been surprised at the people I have met, the places I have seen, and the academics of whom I have learned and benefit from thus far (and its only the second quarter). I am happy here, at least now! But I do miss IU. The hper were I have played countless games of basketball, assembly hall were I remember the Duke game (classic) and all three different coaches that were their during my time there. I'll miss the 'greatest college weekend' lil 5 and all of its glory (although, I never went to a single race) or numbers of friends that I made in which, most likely, I won't ever see again!
Some of these things are normal of an undergraduate experience. You miss what you have had for a long time, just like high
school; but eventually you get over it. While I take that into consideration, my time at IU was more than just a normal 'rite of
passage' for an eighteen year old kid. I grew up there! When I came to IU I had no friends, and knew no one from my city, state, or high school that would be attending. I remember my mother leaving (not crying, but probably wanting to) and the heat from the day, and thinking 'here we go'. I gave her a big hug, shut the door and in some ways, said goodbye to home for first time. My new home being not in Ohio or Indiana, but IU.
I cannot recount all the good/bad experiences that I have had at IU, but I take them together as the best experience I have ever had! I owe a lot to my current and future success to the people who make (made) up IU. So thanks to you! Thanks to IU.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Back of the Bus Mentality
"Four score and seven[ral] years ago", approximately, America was different. Much different to be inexact. Discrimination was still codified into laws, if not explicitly they were present in the spirit of the laws implicitly. Then people started to organize, sat at the fronts of the bus, sat at restaurants is which they were forbade to enter; then they marched, and spoke out, not with hate or violence; but peacefully. They, however, weren't the only one's sitting. The US government sat by and watched a race of people get publicly beaten, admonished, and disgraced.
Today is a new day. Not just because B. Obama is president. That's only part of the reason. Today is a new day because, we [blacks] can choose to sit in the back of the bus (or wherever we choose). The irony of the situation is that we choose to sit exactly in the 'spot(s)' of which our foremothers/forefathers died to move from and not be held to. I dont know if it is homage to the past from the present or comfortability. No longer we cannot sit! Sitting was the means to which our ancestors wanted us to stand. And not to stand ambiguously for anything, but to stand for something and be heard!
I think, at least for me, that's the biggest message I take away from the plight of B. Obama. That I don't choose to sit and be inactive. I instead choose to lead, to make something of myself, to uplift my community and to unite those who are not immediately in it. Sitting in America today just won't cut it. Sitting in the back won't help!
But there's more than just the inaction that sitting in the back denotes, its the mentality that now we can rest. The rationale being, since overt discrimination is (for the most part) over and because we have a black president -- we can relax. If there ever were a time post-civil rights that we should move, its now! Now is the time to continue educational, entrepreneurial, political, etc. goals. Now is the time to not feel repressed, but to rather feel motivated to take the chance and live out whatever your dream(s) is/are.
I say to anyone reading, whatever race or identity you assume, today is not the day to sit in the back! Rather this time is about forward movement.
Today is a new day. Not just because B. Obama is president. That's only part of the reason. Today is a new day because, we [blacks] can choose to sit in the back of the bus (or wherever we choose). The irony of the situation is that we choose to sit exactly in the 'spot(s)' of which our foremothers/forefathers died to move from and not be held to. I dont know if it is homage to the past from the present or comfortability. No longer we cannot sit! Sitting was the means to which our ancestors wanted us to stand. And not to stand ambiguously for anything, but to stand for something and be heard!
I think, at least for me, that's the biggest message I take away from the plight of B. Obama. That I don't choose to sit and be inactive. I instead choose to lead, to make something of myself, to uplift my community and to unite those who are not immediately in it. Sitting in America today just won't cut it. Sitting in the back won't help!
But there's more than just the inaction that sitting in the back denotes, its the mentality that now we can rest. The rationale being, since overt discrimination is (for the most part) over and because we have a black president -- we can relax. If there ever were a time post-civil rights that we should move, its now! Now is the time to continue educational, entrepreneurial, political, etc. goals. Now is the time to not feel repressed, but to rather feel motivated to take the chance and live out whatever your dream(s) is/are.
I say to anyone reading, whatever race or identity you assume, today is not the day to sit in the back! Rather this time is about forward movement.
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