There are a lot of people who judge the public school system. There are a lot of people who think that school quashes creativity and lowers people's confidence. There are a lot of people who say that school turns everyone into little robots, products of "the system." I have never experienced this. Not in high school, anyway, and not in elementary school, either. Maybe in middle school. But not much. And sure, I may be biased. I had a teacher once tell me that this whole system is a game, and I have it figured out. I'm a fantastic test-taker, and always have been. For me, standardized tests are a breeze. I know that I’m intelligent, I know that high school was easier for me than it is for most people. I finished fifth in my class with almost no effort. I recognize that this is not the case for everyone, and I recognize that maybe I just hit the lottery with my AP classes and various other teachers. And maybe a lot of it has to do with my parents, too, who taught me and encouraged me to use critical thinking in everything.
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When I was in elementary school, we would often watch a short animated movie in the days surrounding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This movie is called Our Friend, Martin, and it's about a couple of kids who go back in time and -- you guessed it! -- meet Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was their age. If you haven't watched it, please take the time to. You won't regret it. When I was also in elementary school, I had an issue with MLK. I couldn't tell you why, and I'm still not sure, but I didn't like talking about him. I'm the same way with Anne Frank and 9/11, or at least, I was until I watched the movie Selma. (Which, apparently, is streaming free on both Amazon Prime and Hulu for today's holiday, and I strongly suggest watching it.) I saw the movie in an old theater in a neighboring town, and the tickets were at a discount and I probably cried. Around the same time in school, I was learning about Thoreau's essay Civil Disobedience, which strongly influenced King's actions. I'm a sucker for blatant shows of humanity, and that's all Selma was. I was touched. Not to mention that police brutality and segregation by incarceration were gracing every headline; Selma appeared incredibly pertinent. And it was, of course. Now I have a new thought on my mind. It's no secret that I'm a pacifist. I hate war and anything to do with it. There's no moral excuse for it, and all sorts of other issues. But that's a discussion for another day. Anyway, I realized last night that we do not remember the people who did amazing things or accomplished great tasks or implemented revolutions through violence. I can remember General George Washington, but only because he was also a president. I remember Robespierre, but nobody likes him. I remember Hugo Chavez, but we look down on him. And of course I remember violent events, such as the American and French Revolutions. But the people we remember are Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Nelson Mandela. All over our world are violent, violent revolutions, some of which we support and some of which we actively disagree with, but who do we have a bank holiday named after? That's right. Martin Luther King, Jr. And so, as we embrace this day off, it's important for all of us to remember the point of this holiday: to remember and to celebrate the accomplishments of the man it was named after. Not only his efforts to reveal the fact that everyone is equal no matter the color of their skin, no matter where they came from or who their great- great- great-grandparents were, but also the idea that great things can happen without violence or weaponry. You can get what you want without having to hit anyone. If you feel like you do, then maybe that thing you're trying to get really isn't what you need. Thank you, Martin Luther King, Jr., for revealing that to the world.
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I'm Audrey, a college student and existential rambler.
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