Saturday, February 04, 2006


Lifetimes of Legacies


This week saw the passing of several amazing people, whose lifetimes of contributions left this world a far better place.

Coretta Scott King will be known as the First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement. But even that title doesn't do justice to the way that this individual changed our world. A tireless champion of the civil rights movement, Coretta Scott King fought for the legacy of her husband, for the continuation of the civil rights struggle bothe here in the United States as well as internationally. She took on not only the rights of African Americans, but of all disenfrachised individuals. She did all of this while raising her children as a single mother. Truly an amazing spirit, and one whose indeible mark left in our world will not be forgotten.

Betty Friedan co-founded the National Organization of Women, as well as NARAL. Friedan truly emerged in the 1950s America that expected women to be home raising children and keeping the house. She pushed for a rebirth of feminism, including fights for equal pay, maternity leave, the sanctity of a woman's right to choose what happened to her own body, and many other issues which allowed women to enter our society more fully and equally. There is an amazing interview with Friedan in the London Sunday Times from 1993 - please treat yourself to this wonderful article.

OK... so Grandpa Al Davis will never be remembered in the same breath as Coretta Scott King or Betty Friedan. He will always be remembered predominatly for his portrayal of Grandpa on the 60s cult classic, The Munsters.

What strikes me most about Al Davis was the fact that he died at the age of 95, and he wasn't in the Aging Actor's Home or anything even close to it. At the age of 88, Al Davis ran as the Green Party candidate for the office of Governor of New York. Did he win? No. But he earned the votes of over 52,000 people. He owned a restaurant in Greenwich Village, and hosted a radio show for WBAI in New York. He truly lived his life, made those around him smile and laugh, and he will also be missed.

Posted by FleshPresser at 6:38 PM /

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