Identifying with courageous Christians |
In my Comp 2 classes we read Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," which every American should read, although few do. That experience is mostly limited to Arkansas schools, which makes even more ridiculous the idea that there is or ever was a need to ban Critical Race Theory here. The irony of doing that in a state famous for being forced by the federal government to allow nine Black students to enter Central High School is beyond the pale.
Discussing the Letter with students is enlightening. One told me he was glad we read it because it changed his opinion of MLK. I asked what that previous opinion was. He said, "Well, I never liked him." I asked why and he said, "I just always thought he was a communist." I asked where he got that idea and he said, "I don't know. I guess just stuff I heard about him or saw on social media."
The student went on to explain that reading the Letter made him like Martin Luther King because he realized MLK was a really smart guy and loved America and also was a Christian. Not a communist at all. I encouraged him to continue reading primary sources to see what people actually wrote or said rather than forming his beliefs from what he hears or memes he sees on social media.
Several students commented that they never realized how long and hard the fight was for civil rights. When I asked them to explain one said, "Well, that Letter says it was 340........