Nov 10 2008
Bees and Politics
I promised myself I wouldn’t blog about this until I’d finished reading the book, but the goat talked me into it. I’m currently reading Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees. I won’t tell you too much about the plot because it’s a book well worth reading, and I wouldn’t want my spoilers to keep someone from picking it up (or, if you prefer, seeing the movie adaptation).
It takes place during the Civil Rights movement; in one of the first chapters, a woman of color tries to register to vote in a small town in South Carolina. Unfortunately the law was more advanced than popular attitudes, and many racist people intimidated and threatened those making their way to the polls. The book does a good job of depicting what I know happened in America not-so-many years ago.
It’s an interesting experience to read The Secret Life of Bees right after the most recent election. Less than fifty years ago certain men and women could not make their way to the poll, were turned away, or were threatened with violence. While hate and racism are still prevalent in the United States, I was thankful for the reminder of our progress.
It took forty-three presidential administrations before we finally allowed a non(entirely)white person to run things. I hope that other marginalized citizens can find the strength and power that was so vibrant in the Civil Rights Movement of the sixties and seventies. I hope that one day people can simply be people without race, gender, sexuality, or class getting in the way.
My goat and I apologize for editorializing; we really have nothing to ask this time. Our next entry will be more interactive. Until then, pick up a copy of Bees.
