Hippy-Dippy

I have always thought of myself as a hippy. Not the free love, and psychedelic drug part. I am a hippy in terms of believing in equality between races, and love for all. I was born in 1968, the year Martin Luther King Jr. was shot for dreaming of such things. By the time I was in grade school, I was taught about his greatness. Seventies public schools, at least in my Maryland suburb, emphasized positive change in interracial relationships.

My elementary school was progressive. We had open classrooms, and participated in busing. Busing was controversial at the time. In an effort to decrease racial segregation, students from higher minority populations were sent to other schools with higher non minority populations.

Busing introduced me to people who were different from me. It is hard to hate someone because of their skin color, when they become your friend. Busing gave me some great friends, some of whom I still talk to today.

My Silver Spring neighborhood was a quick drive to the Washington, D.C. line. Living close to a diverse city opened my eyes to a lot of different types of people also. My parents loved to go to authentic restaurants. They took me to Spanish, Thai, Japanese, and Jewish Delis as well. My parents were not hippies. They looked down on the movement. But, they were kind and fair. They supported diversity. When I decided to go to high school closer to D.C., they were supportive. My suburban high school closed after I completed 11th grade. I could have gone to another suburban school in 12th grade, but I chose not to. Besides, my old middle school friends went there. Many of whom were from the area bused to my elementary school.

Sesame Street had a big influence on me. As a preschooler I watched hours of Big Bird and the Grouch. I was impressed by the differing colors of skin represented on Sesame Street. The kids, adults, and muppets had created a community of inclusion. It seemed ideal to me. A place where everyone belonged.

My parents allowed me to watch "Roots," on TV as a child. I was overcome with sympathy for the characters being sold like animals, then whipped or otherwise punished by unfeeling white men. The movie forced me to see what life was like for slaves. I was horrified, but determined not to be like the mean white people. "Roots," showed me the opposite of an ideal world, one where one race thought they were superior to another.

I think the old Coke commercial was one of my biggest media influences. I grew up on the one that said:

I'd like to build the world a home

And furnish it with love

And included the line:

I'd like to see the world for once

All standing hand in hand

And hear them echo through the hills

For peace throughout the land

The commercial featured a choir of young people, singing hopefully about peace. I remember feeling inspired. Not to drink Coke, but to have hope that change could come.

For many years, I believed that change would come from a strict code of beliefs. I lost myself in Evangelical Christianity. But it was too narrow for me. I grew up believing all people deserve love and respect, not just the ones in one particular religion. The hippy child in me gave up on religion in favor of all humanity.

I feel blessed to have grown up during a time of social upheaval. It formed much of the person I am today. Still hippy-dippy. Still searching for peace and love.