So my 7 year old son asks me yesterday...

[Burma Jones]

What was the greatest thing Martin Luther King did? I thought about it for a couple of seconds, would I tell him that he helped a lot of people? Would I say, he showed us where we were wrong? Would I say, he changed the society without violence? It dawned on me though, as I was reflecting on Saturday's protest, that what Dr. King did was simply tell the truth. Telling the truth is our first "house rule," no violence is the second. So I told him that Dr. King told the truth. He then asked me if that was why he was killed. I said yes, that sometimes people, very brave people, keep telling the truth even when evil people tell them to shut up and that's about the only thing that makes the world a better place. He then said, so that's why they killed Jesus, right? This was very tough, because what Jesus started has been so twisted out of shape it is dangerous to just give a blanket OK to Christianity (or any religion for that matter). So I ask him, using the age old Parent (and Psychiatrist) trick "Well, what do YOU think?" I think it was too much for him, because he then asked me why the 'Skins weren't playing on Sunday, I said it was a bye week and that we would watch the Steelers/Patriots game instead......

Anyway, I just wanted to say to those that are disparaging Saturday's speakers that they all told some sort of truth and were risking something to do so. That makes them brave and they should be respected regardless of whether you think the message got muddied or that you thought they would make easy targets for RW "pundits" or whatever disagreements you may have with them.

[cfield]

1. Wow

I think when I have a kid and he asks questions that are hard for me to answer, I'll send him to you! We need more truth in this world, you're making a great start!

[noonwitch]

2. I have a 5 year old neice that makes interesting political comments

At age 3, when her fellow pre-school classmates told her she couldn't marry her black friend because he was black, she told them "I can marry a purple girl if I want to".

When she was 4, she went to Sunday School on Easter. The teacher did some "Passion"-inspired weirdness that was inappropriate for a 4 year old. After church, she asked my sister "Did George Bush kill Jesus?".

She recently told one of her friends' mom that her mommy saw the president on the tv and said "he's an asshole". My sister is watching her language a bit more carefully, now.

[Booster]

4. Thanks, I needed that little chuckle. Your neice is going to be one

one Hell of a woman.

[kath]

5. 3-year-olds told her she couldn't marry her black friend?

How very, very sad.

[Shine]

3. Speaking Truth to Power is the greatest lesson we can teach

as parents. I thank you for teaching your children well.

It's stories like these that give me Hope.

:hi:
~Shine

[spuddonna]

6. What an awesome conversation!

And you gave him an excellent answer. MLK was killed because he spoke the truth, and dared to dream of a better world.

I've used that 'what do YOU think?' question on my kids too. I don't think it's an trick at all... It tells your kids that you value their opinions. It also helps them to learn to support their own arguments.

Your son is a very smart kid. I think it's so teling that he immediately connected MLK and Christ... :) You should be a very proud parent!