Yet what do we, who live in a better world because of the blood, sweat, and tears of those civil heroes who went before us do with their accomplishments? Do we remember them in passing on their appointed days? Do we honor them with our lives by upholding the values we embrace as true in everyday decisions and actions? Or do we sanctimoniously teach them to our children only then to refer to others as “crackers,” “spear chuckers,” “wetbacks” or worse? How are we, as Christian parents, teaching the next generation about civil rights?

However, one must not move to Jane Elliott’s drastic teaching example to prepare the next generation to either continue to perpetuate the prevalent racism in our society, or to stand up against it. Here are some questions to ask ourselves, as a parent, caregiver, or anyone who comes in contact with children:

1. Do I refer to others (rarely, sometimes, often) in racially, religiously, or gender-specific terms? (i.e. “the Jews,” “the white people,” “black people,” …)
2. Do I lump groups of people together as a whole and speak of “them” versus “us”?
3. Do I question someone’s competence because they are different from me in race, religion, or gender?
4. Does my speech pattern change because I speak to someone of a different race, religion, or gender? (Hint: if I have to make a conscious effort to avoid certain words or phrases, this is a definite “yes.”)
5. Do I buy into the emotional race-related rhetoric of either the fringe right or the fringe left and view it as gospel truth?
6. Do I feel put down, inferior, and discriminated against because I belong to a certain race, religion, or gender? (Not based on an actual, tangible, prove-able offense against me personally.)

Dr. King dreamt of a time his children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by their own individual character. Furthermore, he spoke of a time when little black boys and girls would join hands with little white boys and girls. (1) Are we, as a society, upholding this dream, or are we twisting it to fit our own little agendas? Are we diluting the truths Dr. King spoke of? Are we claiming them to be impossible, improbably, or immoral? Have we given up the good fight against racial, religious, and gender stereotyping, only to discriminate against each other from the lofty heights of political correctness? What have we done?