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The True Citizen, Wednesday, February 2, 2022 — Page 5
Michael N. Searles
STIRRING UP A HORNETS'NEST
Ronda Rich
THE GIFT OF MRS. WANDA PARKS - PART TWO
A hornet is a very large type
of wasp with a very painful
and dangerous sting. These
insects guard their nests very
aggressively, so when a human
disturbs the nest or ‘stirs it up,’
the insects attack in numbers
with vicious stings.
This idiom likens humans
to angry hornets whose nest
has been threatened. There is
a commercial where a couple
watch their children at play.
The young boy does something
rather harmless and they smile.
They then watch in alarm as
their daughter pulls back a stick
to strike a hornet’s nest. The
parents know from experience
what the consequences will be
for the daughter and possibly
other members of the family.
It is fascinating and bizarre to
watch adults do something in
apparent ignorance of its con
sequences.
Governor Greg Abbott of
Texas recently signed a series
of bills into law making it more
difficult for segments of the
population to vote. However,
we know that Texas does not
stand alone. As he signed the
bills, it was hard to miss the
smiles on the faces of those who
witnessed the event. In Georgia
and other states, Republican
governors and state legislatures
relish the opportunity to limit
the votes of Democrats. Re
stricting voting may seem like
a good idea when it reduces
the political power of your
opposition, but no one can see
what will follow in its wake.
Restricting voting in the black
community is a reflection of the
past. African Americans fought
for the right to vote for nearly
a century as obstacle after ob
stacle confronted them. Yet in
those years, the idea of giving
up never entered the discussion.
Prior to 1965, Civil Rights and
Voting reached a feverish pitch
with the murders of voting-
rights activists in Mississippi,
the Selma to Montgomery
March, Bloody Sunday, and the
March on Washington. It was
the turmoil and racial strife gen
erated that prompted Congress
to pass and the President to sign
the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
U.S. Representative John
Lewis expressed the hopes,
dreams, and determination of
black America when he said,
"Freedom is not a state; it is an
act. It is not some enchanted
garden perched high on a distant
plateau where we can finally sit
down and rest. Freedom is the
continuous action we all must
take, and each generation must
do its part to create an even
more fair, more just society." A
society cannot deny democracy
to a segment of its population
without consequences. When
people see a future for them
selves and their children, they
seek to advance that vision.
When people no longer believe
a path is open to them, they
face a choice. During the Civil
Rights movement as Dr. King
called for peace and love, there
were young people in the black
community who only could
see violence and vengeance.
Despair is an option when hope
is gone. Voting is a peaceful
and legitimate path to politi
cal change. It was a cause for
which Dr. King not only lived
but also was willing to give his
life. He affirmed that belief in
these words: “For when people
get caught up with that which
is right and they are willing to
sacrifice for it, there is no stop
ping point short of victory.”
No one knows the future and
no one can say with certainty
when or where something will
happen. Dr. King emphati
cally knew that injustice could
not stand. He, in his speeches
and his life, affirmed, "A de
mocracy cannot thrive where
power remains
unchecked and
CCARI F9
justice is reserved oc '’ nL “,
for a select few. 13
When my niece, Nicole,
asked me to pay a surprise
visit to a nursing home patient
of hers, Mrs. Wanda Parks, I
never dreamed of the friend
ship that would develop.
Mrs. Parks is now 98. She
was approaching 90 when I
first met her while she was go
ing through physical rehab af
ter a fall. She is a faithful reader
of mine so Nicole thought we
should meet.
Soft-spoken, gracious and
kind, she is typical of the World
War II generation who fought
to protect our freedom then
built an industrially-healthy
America. Her mind is so phe
nomenal that her son, Thomas,
suffers routine defeats in their
weekly Scrabble games.
The day we met, I learned
she lived in a picturesque,
clapboard farmhouse on a
beautiful piece of property that
is covered with hundreds of
colorful flowers. Weeks after
our nursing home visit, Tink
and I were driving past her
house. There, at 90 years old,
was Mrs. Parks pulling weeds.
“Tink, turn around and go
back,” I said.
When we stopped in her
driveway, I lowered the win
dow and, as she turned, I cheer
fully called, “Mrs. Parks, it’s
Ronda Rich.”
Her pretty face lightened.
Her eyes widened. “Why, yes
you are!”
After the shock wore off, she
stood up, smoothed her slacks
and invited us in. What we
found in the turn-of-the-20th
century farmhouse is true to the
World War II generation - the
house was not running over
with stuff (like our house). No,
everything was neat, sparkling
clean, and sparsely decorated
— not for lack of money but
because folks like Mrs. Parks
keep only their most cherished
items.
I have never been in the
home of a World War II par
ticipant when it didn’t look
like a little dollhouse - all
items carefully arranged and
the housekeeping perfect with
shining furniture and freshly
cleaned or vacuumed floors.
Standing in the living room
as a soft breeze lifted the voile
curtains, it felt like my child
hood years had returned, bring
ing with that breeze the smell
of old but trusty hardwood.
The kitchen sink and floors
sparkled and there was not a
speck of dust. To my surprise
and the great touching of my
heart, I saw — among her few,
cherished items - a stack of
my books.
“Mrs. Parks,” I whispered,
my throat tightening. “You
have my books.”
She grinned and straightened
her back. “Of course, I do. I
love those books.”
Later, Tink commented.
“She had no idea that we were
coming so she didn’t plant
them just for you to see. That’s
amazing. I’m glad you got to
see how much you mean to
her.”
Since then, I drop by when
ever possible to see Mrs.
Parks. Her mind is astound-
ingly bright and her stories are
important to the history of our
country. Her wit is quick and
nonsensical. Despite a golden
heart, she doesn’t suffer fools.
Usually when I visit, I find
her doing one of a few things:
playing Scrabble (if she has a
partner), studying the Bible,
reading the newspaper, or
working a crossword puzzle.
My conversations with her
are enjoyable and informative
to the point that I hate to leave.
Her spirit is tre-
mendous. For
Christmas two years RICH,
ago, she cut up old 13
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