A Mulitcolored Canvas of Diversity

Watching the recent presidential inauguration ceremonies I was struck by the images of the spectators in the vast crowed assembled along the Mall in front of the White House. I saw a beautiful canvas of diversity that really moved me. In this vast sea every kind of human had assembled to rejoice in the swearing in of a man who embraces the value of diversity and who supports the ideals of equality.

As the camera roamed the faces I saw many skin colors, hair styles, dress styles. Some faces were young, some old. Some folks had tattoos and some folks wore suits. In all there was the common hope that this president would continue to advance the cause of equality, however slow that advance might prove to be. This president would not just seek to please the privileged few but would fight for the little guy. I want to believe this, and I do believe it,  though I know that some of my friends will call me naive.

I wondered how the crowd might look different for a different swearing in, that of Mitt Romney. I doubt there would have been the same diverse palate. I imagine many would have been home wondering how such a person might represent them at the table. I would have been home. I would not have been watching the proceedings though.

But that did not happen and my hope in the process was renewed. In Obama's speech he included references to the value of all citizens, especially citizens whose voice may be weaker than their neighbor's voice. For the first time ever in an inauguration speech he included LGBT people in his broad and sweeping vision for a better, more humane society. In many ways for me he described a society that I want to believe is possible in spite of the difficulties along the way.

Standing in line at the local Earth Fare I watched the faces passing by. In varied ways people were expressing their own individuality, living life in their own colorful ways. It was beautiful to see such diversity and to watch how beautifully everyone flowed together along their way. There was a certain tangible joy in the faces I saw. What would it be like to live in a world where people were afraid to live their lives in their own unique ways? What joy would there be in such a colorless world where everyone conformed to narrow expectations about what was acceptable?

We all benefit from great diversity, though some have a hard time accepting the value of people who are different from them. There is a certain resistance to being forced to conform to a label. The fact is we are all human and as such have similar needs, but we are all driven to live our own unique lives with authenticity. And we want to be valued in that pursuit. There is much to unite us in a common quest for full equality including the desire to be treated with dignity, to be free to pursue happiness, to love and be loved without fear.  Everyone can get behind those ideals. It is simple really. Ask yourself how you want to be treated. Then treat others in that way.