When I review any and all of the great things which have happened in America, and also the bad things which have happened in Ameria -- one thing I know with certitude is that there were others, and many, who paved the way for that one person in that particular moment in time, to "be" the name, the myth, the icon, the hero.
Asidem: Which is why I have always found MOST curious and hypocritical of the left to "blame America" ("Blame the Culture") for the creation of criminals -- but yet the left never pays tribute to the very same "culture" which creates icons like Rosa Parks. And E.D. Nixon.
However, if the American public had NOT been so fed up with racial bigotry,.. if so many others had not fought the good fight.. before Rosa Parks time, Rosa Parks could have still been ignored -- and the world might not have known of her. Hard decisions, and a play of life's hand is what gives each of us the golden opportunity to play our part.
Rosa Parks did hers, as did those who came before her. And I'm so glad that you've posted about these others who did come before her -- that their tribute and place in history's great record be not forgotton.
So, no. I don't see Rosa Parks as a "myth". Has it been "billed" as a myth in the eyes of a sycophant press and liberal agenda? Yes.
But what she did was no myth. Her moment in history's eye was critical, at nexus. At centerpoint. And so she is given an "icon" status. Was she MORE or less deserving than those who fought the good fight before her? No. But her moment on the public stage was found to be ripe for the turning of the tide.
"Rosa Park's" name is the chapter heading for what went on during a period of time, and before the next new chapter began.
That is very well stated. We have always gravitated to an icon who represents a concept to us, but I think most of us know people in every movement who quietly stood up for themselves and their rights in a cause. I have had my moments in the fight for womens' rights, but a lot of us prefer to pick our battles and never get any press.
Rosa Parks was the perfect choice because she was viewed as "old" -- and even the most loutish oafs still pause before bullying an old lady. Call her a 'representative plaintiff' if you like -- the abject failure of the McDonalds Class Action Suit was due mainly to the fact that the 'representative plaintiffs' they chose were overweight shelter-dwelling Black dropouts who clearly had many other issues besides fast food. When they get a little sense and put up Susie Sorority the bulemic blonde, they'll turn her into an icon and run fast food out of the country.
It just bothers me that none of the regular Negroes was "good enough". If no regular person was going to be good enough, why not just send Parks out to do the deed in February rather than turn their backs on one person after another before admitting no one was going to be good enough? The others really did stand (sit) alone, not Parks. Parks knew she had backing.