How did The Schmoodles happen upon his first political rally? Well, it all started the weekend following The Schmoodle's baby shower. We ventured out to Rockford, IL to share the morning with Althea, who had stayed the week to visit with extended family. We had a lovely lunch at the Anderson Japanese Gardens, apparently the largest Japanese Gardens in the country. Highly recommended. Good food, great company, and a very relaxing stroll through the waterfalls and a beautiful environment.
[View the Anderson Japanese Gardens]
After we dropped Althea off to catch her plane, Scott and I decided to drop in on a local Rockford NAACP rally that was being held in honor of a young man, unarmed man who had been shot and killed by local police in a nearby church a couple of weeks before. The newspaper stated that the Reverend Jesse Jackson was set to speak at this march, and it was fortuitous timing to get to partake in such an activity.
So, we made our way down to downtown Rockford and fell into step only a few rows behind the Reverend Jesse Jackson and fellow protesters in the march. The Reverend Jesse Jackson gave a short talk that focused on the need for justice, regardless of race matters. He encouraged Rockford citizens to get registered to vote, to be known as leaders in their community, to demand that their public servants reflect the same racial diversity as their community, and to stimulate their economy or ask for assistance in doing so. Overall, it was a balanced and inspired talk. We were awed by the event and the gravity of our proximity to one of the great social justice leaders of our time.
Along the way, we were asked to volunteer to lead NAACP marches/activities in the Geneva area, so we can look forward to sharing more of these experiences with The Schmoodles as he grows older.
[View the Rockford NAACP March]
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