Happy Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, and therefore a day off from school and work. Rochelle and I will be using it to wash cars, work on our web page, and study. Holidays are never as much fun as they should be when you are in school. But all the same, we slept in and have enjoyed the day thus far. I recently read the talk by President Hinckley from the Priesthood session of last conference. It is a sad thing that racism is still as prevalent as it is. There are many differing opinions on it at the time. Some people think it is all but gone, others think that it has improved but little since the 60's when there were riots and legal discrimination. I think I fall somewhere in-between. But I know it is definitely still there. In our previous ward, there was a couple who I met with for one of my classes. The guy was white, and the girl was black. The guy said that he was amazed at how differently they were treated when he was doing something and when his wife was doing something. They felt like people often looked at them as they were holding hands walking down the street. For that same class, we watched a video of a white guy and a black guy that were similar in almost ever respect besides for their skin. The white guy didn't always have an advantage, but he often did. As they sought for places to live, the white guy was given applications, and the black guy was told that the apartment had just been taken. If they went to get a car, the white guy got a better percentage rate, and a lower price. Jobs were open to him, and filled to the black guy in many cases. Racism is definitely still alive. Right now President Bush is trying to secure the Mexican border because of "terrorists." I doubt it has much to do with terrorists. Terrorists often are educated and well-off; they are probably more likely to come through normal routes than try to jump a fence with the National Guard right there. And yet we don't worry about the Canadian border. But these are all complicated problems, and don't have easy solutions. But one thing is for sure. President Hinckley is right. We need to treat all of our neighbors with love and respect, and though he didn't say it, I might add especially those who are discriminated against for any reason.