February 23, 1995
Rosa Parks spoke on campus yesterday.
Nearly 40 years have passed since she refused to give up her seat on the bus, spawning the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Over 30 years have passed since the Civil Rights Bill became law. But even now, in 1995, we still haven't achieved equality. People are still discriminated against on the basis of race, gender, sexual preference, physical disability, age and class.
In fact, what civil liberties we do have may be in peril.
A strong conservative, greedy, nationalist and "moralist" movement has swept over the United States. As a result, California voters passed Proposition 187, denying education and health care to immigrants who don't have legal status. Government affirmative action programs throughout the country are now in jeopardy, and could be abolished. The right to a safe and legal abortion is in constant danger.
Why are we allowing this greed to destroy what people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Harvey Milk, Malcom X and many others fought so hard to gain? With less legal protection and recourse for the voiceless, equality will become all but a forgotten ideal.
We can't let this happen.
Yesterday Rosa Parks spoke to the students of this campus. This woman stood up for what she believed, no matter what the consequences. She showed how one person can make a difference.
We too can make a difference. Our words and actions do matter. Stand up.