Such was the case on Saturday, January 15th, when he spoke about Martin Luther King, Jr. (whose 71st birthday it would have been) and the
positive impact on our society made by the Civil Rights Movement. He
was speaking not only of the freedoms won for minority members of our
culture during that struggle. He was also talking about many ripples that flowed out from that one central movement, such as the Women's Rights Movement, the Gay Rights Movement, and I would add even the Americans With Disabilities Act of recent years.

Somehow, with the recognition that all citizens are entitled to all the benefits of citizenship, our consciousness was raised forever. There may continue to be discrimination, but it can never again be held up as the right way. Some may be treated like second-class citizens, but shabby treatment of citizens will never again be the law of the land (or of the State). As long as our Constitution remains the basis of Law, we can never again bury our heads in the sand and support laws or practices that say it is ethical and appropriate to treat some citizens better than others.

Mr. Keillor made one other point: The Civil Rights era has had an effect
that is perhaps easy to overlook. Today, when someone dresses differently, or talks differently or practices a different religion, or is disabled or disfigured or in any way does not conform to the majority, it is not so common to see that person being "picked on"; nor is it so easy nowadays to mistreat someone who is "different" and get away with it. We may not have reached the stars yet, but I do believe we see a lot more of the treetops than we used to. Praise the Lord!
Bill Kolb+