Ignorance Is A Choice

On December 6, 1865, the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted, abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude. Almost one hundred years later on December 1, 1955 on a bus in Alabama, Rosa Parks decided she was not going to move – she was not going to give up her right to equality and freedom. Fifty-three years later, a man by the name of Barak Obama is elected President of the United States – the first African American in American history to achieve this position.

On August 18, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, making it illegal for any state to deny a citizen the right to vote based upon gender. Now women of all races serve in positions of authority throughout our judicial, legislative and executive branches of government, even running for Presidential and Vice Presidential positions in the 2008 elections.

Change takes time…

Throughout history, persecution and inequality have existed. The human spirit has found a way to shine through, although many have attempted to snuff out these pockets of hope.

In 1992, Sir Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web was released to the world, offering a way to share and collaborate – without the traditional boundaries of race, religion, gender, or even geography.

Today, we find ourselves in a bold new world, the world of enablement; You are no longer confined to your skin. Some fashion mantles and cloak themselves in falsehoods, while others find comfort in seeking the counsel of friends-apart who share their life experiences.

Sadly though, our sins follow us here too. Racism, bigotry, and disrespect claw at us from unsuspecting corners – coming at us from places where we thought we might have finally found safety and security.

This medium allows us a glimpse, a door through which we can see what a life of our choosing might bring. Either breaking the bonds of our humanity or held captive by the shackles of our ignorance, it is our choice.

This Web we have woven of our very lives offers us this choice, and the day we win, over persecution and ignorance, might be the very day we realize we are held captive by a prison of our own making. In a place where you can be or say anything you wish, the Web is a place where the color of your skin is hidden, but the shade of your soul is revealed.

Image credit: Kevin

Ken Stewart’s blog, ChangeForge.com, focuses on the collision between the constantly changing worlds of business and technology. To learn more about Ken, visit his about page. You may also find Ken on FriendFeed, Twitter, and LinkedIn.