Still I Rise, by Michael Murphy

With all the civic and political activity of the past two weeks from the inauguration of our 47^th president to the holiday celebration of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we may have overlooked the fact that, in my mind, two significant happenings occurred on the very same day. The numerous Executive Orders by the president caused a pulmonary upheaval within some individuals and migraine drum beats in the heads of some over the orders. It is most interesting to me that one of the most highlighted orders was literally the lowering of the DEI casket into a cemetery vault and buried.

It is my belief that the exaggerations of its aftermath have been overblown and portrayed in a disingenuous manner. Moreover, we had the other happening being a timely reminder with the King holiday with his message of equality. It should have served as a faithful remembrance of his continuous mantra. Character over skin color, competence over complexion, excellence over indolence, civility over disrespect, honor over deceit, and love over hate.

I take umbrage at the weeping and gnashing of teeth taking place with several worried individuals because a flawed attempt to level the playing field has bit the dust. We have a tendency to be attracted to the symptoms and not deal with the cause on several important issues. I cannot think of a more appropriate message in the midst of the doomsayers or the participants in the victim Olympics than to highlight one of my favorite poems. It is by Maya Angelou, “Still I Rise”.

I thought I would share a few appropriate verses and urge you to find the time and motivation to read it entirely, as I have at times such as we find ourselves in the midst of. You may write me down in history with your bitter trusted lies. You may trod me in the very dirt, but still like dust, I’ll rise.

You may shoot me with your words, you can cut me with your eyes, you can kill me with your hatefulness, but still, I’ll rise.

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave and, I rise, I rise, I rise!

It is not fair to the talent that is exemplified in the athletic, education and other professional surroundings to have any accomplishments of people of color to be shaded by the alphabet game of pushing a few to the possible slight of many.

Also, it needs to be noted that this past week celebrated National Catholic School Week and National School Choice Week. The goal and advantages of school choice goes hand in hand with the recognition of what tremendous contribution parochial schools have made to the lives of those able to cross their threshold. I am one of those whose parents felt that public education was not suited for me. I was enrolled in Catholic school in the third grade and remained in the Catholic school education through high school and college. It was that underpinning that helped me to appreciate the essence of Maya Angelou’s Still I Rise.

We have just begun celebrating Black History Month. I cannot think of one person on our honor list that did not know what it meant to earn freedom, achieve excellence and be a pioneer. They made it the old-fashioned way, they earned it. In another week, the 59^th Super Bowl will take place in the fun city of New Orleans. We will witness two Black quarterbacks duel on the gridiron of what I still call the Super Dome. Despite the barriers, both physical and mental, they were able to ‘still rise’ to the pinnacle of success, regardless of which team wins. No special program is now needed to springboard a Black athlete ahead of their white counterpart.

The height of overreaction to DEI’s demise can best be illustrated by the proposed boycott led by Rev. Al Sharpton to zero in on two major companies that have chosen to end DEI. I wonder if anyone schooled him on the fact that the CEO of Lowe’s is a Black man, who rose through the corporate ranks to sit in the corner office.

Furthermore, given the extensive number of food deserts in our communities, what kind of sense does it make to target McDonald’s? I could go and on connecting the dots to form the likes of a circular firing squad when it comes to another round of corporate shakedowns by a man that makes sure the coffers of his organizations remain well-heeled at the expense of the community. It does little to change the veracity of the facts against DEI.

Let me not close out without stating my continuing support for Affirmative Action and reasons for its inception. Yes, I regret how it was diluted to include white females. Nevertheless, we must pay attention to the distinct difference between AA and DEI. It should, as it has for me, provide a distinction and with a key difference.

I remain Michael Murphy and Still I Rise.